When you are young and something goes wrong with your health, the doctors or vets are very sympathetic. They talk to you about how they are going to ‘fix’ you and make you better. I’ve noticed that as you get older their manner changes. They start to smile a gentle reassuring smile and talk about how they will help you manage the symptoms. You ask, “What about curing me?” and they nod in an empathetic way, while their words gentle explain that ‘getting better’ is no longer on the cards and you have to accept this as part of growing older.
You look in the mirror and instead of the handsome young thing you imagine, an animal who is greying around the muzzle, with a doleful expression in his eyes looks back at you. Then when you’re given the choice between chasing a ball pointlessly around the garden or lying on the couch, you wonder that they could think there is a decision to make as you haul yourself up onto the cushions.
It’s not just us dogs either. My Mistress has started to find the print on packaging is getting smaller and she has to hold it further away in order to read it. She has to ask the children to turn the lights off when they go to bed as she’ll be asleep long before them. The worst of it is the food. Oh it’s still the same food, but the packet says you are supposed to be eating slightly less at your age. Now, I know that may have a lot to do with preferring the couch to playing ball, but it is not a good moment when you look in your bowl and your serving of food no longer covers the bottom. I think, psychologically it might help to have a smaller bowl, but who am I kidding? I’m even looking forward to a few quiet days without Ari jumping all over me, although I would prefer if my Mistress weren’t going away too. I will be pleased to see them when they return though and after a few days’ rest, maybe that ball chasing with Ari won’t seem quite so pointless.
Alfie Dog with a little help from Rosemary J Kind alfie@alfiedog.me.uk
Alfie’s Diary – the Book is available at Amazon UK –https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00583ZGSA