I just love this section of wowowow.

Old dogs are so priceless. My friend’s old dog, Buddy, age 18, has stage IV liver cancer. The veterinarian said his days were very numbered over a month ago, which was understood to mean a week or so. And yet he is still not in pain, still eats, still wags his tail, and gets so excited when I come to visit him once a week.

Each time I leave I keep thinking this will be the last time I see him.

The joy these animals give us……

Wow

Wonderful stories and lots of cute dogs.

Where’s MEETOOs photo and story?

MEETOO! … MEETOO! … MEETOO! 

(one woman protest)

I don’t own a dog and might not ever own one. I tried. but i suck.

However I LOVE when wow does these photo essays of old dogs. it’s so beautiful and heart warming. Lovely.

I love each and every one of these pictures and stories.  I am going to give my dog (and cats) a hug right now….

My little Lillie is 12 years old, her older sisiter Poppie, died at 14, and Heidi before lived to 16…longevity is part of the wee dog makeup.  These girls are long haired miniature Dachshunds, and I would have no other breed.  Yappy, bossy, stubborn and DIVAs..all.. but I cannot imagine my life without them.  Last year we added Jack, our first male..what a joy, even Lillie likes him and he loves her too.  She has lost some sight due to cataracts and he will bring her a toy and wash her face.  She groans with pleasure…but..let him misbehave and her fire comes up and she sets him staight PDQ. I love my "kids" and am a better person for it.

I love watching the essay’s even though my mind becomes filled with my old dog, and I miss him all over again.

Anyone who has ever had an old dog know they have a distinct way of grabbing your heart and not letting go.  I’ve had a few over the years and I think of each of them often, I miss them more than I can say.  The bond formed with an old dog is beautiful and full of pure love. 

I once had a dog - ornery & stubborn, he kept me on my toes, and he was easily the love of my life.  An ad for "free puppies" took us to an old farm where we found a litter of border collie/brittany spaniel pups rolling around, lost in play - except one.  He ran straight to us and we loved him immediately. 

He loved being my watchdog.  I remember the first time I came home from work to find him still sleeping.  At 15, his  hearing was fading and he’d not heard the door.  I knelt over him, whisperering his name and petting his head. When he awoke he looked devastated - as if he’d fallen down on his duty.  From there on out, I’d purposely make a lot of noise coming in so he could still feel like he was "doing his job". 

When I lost him, he was just shy of 17, nearly blind & deaf and senility had taken hold.  At the end, there were times when he would wake us in the middle of the night, loudly crying - when I ran to find him, he was usually standing in a corner, unable to navigate his way out - you see, he lost "reverse" somewhere along the way and he could now only go forward. Once I turned him around, he’d nuzzle me a bit and then go off wandering once again.  On those times when he seemed especially confused, I’d grab my pillow and lay on the floor next to him - we’d curl up together until we both fell asleep.

Through all this, he still had life left in him and was quite loving.  But finally, the day came when I had to help hold him up to pee and then a tooth abcessed, which made his entire face begin to swell. As stubborn as he always was, I knew he’d stay with me regardless of his infirmities so I had to make the choice for my friend - it was so difficult, but we knew it was time. Our wonderful vet and his wife came to our home and sitting outside on our deck, I laid down and held my little love in my arms as the shot was given that allowed him to finally rest. I’d lost a piece of my heart.

At the time, we also had two young dogs - lab mixes.  These dogs were so different in temperment from my older dog - less of an independent streak - so gentle, loyal and loving.  This brother and sister were the lights of our lives until age 11, when they both died of cancer only months from each other.  Up until the cancer hit them, you’d have thought they were still puppies - they loved to play - she was the smart one, he was a bit slower -their personalities and antics would melt your heart.  They gave us so much joy.  She died first, of lung cancer - I can’t express how difficult it was to lose this little sweetheart, but it was even harder on her brother -he went through such mourning… We always suspected that when we lost one, the other would follow, if only from sadness.  Sadly, we soon found out that he also had cancer and he died soon after, breaking our hearts beyond repair.  These pups who had stolen our hearts were gone -  much too soon. 

I’ve reasoned it out - a dog gives so much love during its life - a pure, unconditional love.  With that much love burning inside of them, they are like a brightly burning star that burns brightly and beautifully and then burns itself out, leaving the rest of us to remember the magnificence. 

It is better to have loved and lost…  It took three years to get over the deaths of our friends and now, we’ve taken the plunge again.  We’ve adopted 2 strays - they’re challenging, ornery, and yes - loving.  And it continues…