Tuesday 29 January 2013

Bark Bark Bark Bark - Old Dogs

My Old Dog!
My dog is old and it seems to have crept up on us suddenly. He wasn't that old the other day but now he definitely is old. He's not got any noticeable grey hairs, he potters about just as busy as anything, eats well and still sees off the postman.
But he is deaf.
Very deaf.
I SAID HE WAS DEAF - do keep up!
I find myself having to shout much louder to get his attention and when he sleeps he sleeps much more heavily, in fact you can now creep right up upon him without him even noticing. Not something he'd have stood for in his younger days. He was always right up to the crack then, always one step ahead - now I find him loitering way behind and sometimes he just sits down and waits for us to get back to him.
He still hates the postman but it's a hate that borders on obsession now and it tends to encompass not just the postman. I suppose because he cannot see the postman very well he has decided to err on the side of caution and go demented at anyone who ventures near the door.
Problem is because he can't hear very well he sometimes just starts off barking anyway - again on the presumption that he has to let everyone know that someone or something COULD be coming up the drive. This can also happen in the middle of the night.
It's like waking up to a fire alarm.
At first you are disorientated by the cacophony, then you have to trace exactly where it is coming from and then you have to shut it up.
If he is in one of the boys rooms, I have to vault out of my bed and get to the dog before he wakes them up - luckily both are very heavy sleepers and they have yet to wake before I have removed the offending canine. I then take errant hound down to the kitchen and he snuggles up in his basket once I have checked all the doors and windows and given him a dog biscuit.
If he is downstairs and he starts barking, it takes me a little longer to sort out but suffice to say that I then have to take him to bed with me - and as an old dog he has powerful breath.
He gets obsessed with stuff.
Cleaning himself or his basket or worse the chair you have just sat down in. And all you get is lick, lick, lick, lick. Usually as you watch TV.
Oh he also snores.
Heavily
And very loudly!
Sounds a lot like my husband save my husband doesn't do the obsessive licking thing, or the barking thing or the chasing the postman bit...at least I don't think he does!


8 comments:

Expat mum said...

What is it about postmen? My dog hates the lovely guy we have and now barks at anyone whose attire is remotely similar to the US mail uniform. So embarrassing.

Tattieweasle said...

Expat Mum - Really simple Dog phsycology.
Dog beleives he is superior being, he warns lesser beings that there is a potential intruder, lesser beings invite intruder in, dog sulks and chews things.
BUT
When dog barks at intruder wearing the silly hat, shorts, long socks and big bag, the intruder goes away, lesser beings are protected from themselves and dog feels epic!
Wierdly dressed intruder keeps trying to get into the house but dog barking prevents disaster. Dog feels superior and epic all at the same time.
SEEMPLES!

Anonymous said...

Our dogs just bark full stop! It's sad to watch them getting old but it just means an extra excuse for an extra cuddle!

CJ x

Annie Cholewa said...

When one of mine has finished feeling epic and superior about seeing off the postman he despatches the post for good measure. And he's not old!

Exmoorjane said...

That was such a great post I wrote about my horrible old dog. Oh wait! I didn't write it. But I could have done. Oh god yes! Word for word.

Tattieweasle said...

CJ - he does love being cuddled and made a fuss of but then he has to lick you. As I said he has powerful breath...love him to bits though!
Annie@knitsofacto - ah yes forgot tomention the post bit. We have awire cage to stop him doing that...!!!
Exmoorjane - grumpy, abusive, bad mannerd, evil even esp. to postmen oh and the post, but NEVER horrible!

Little Red Hen said...

I've got an old dog too - she's arthritic and has to be lifted up onto the bed. If you don't she just stands at the side of the and stares at you while you sleep. Very disconcerting.

Rob-bear said...

OH, poor dog! Poor TW, having to look after him!

It's not that he's trying to be difficult. It's just that, well, er, . . . he's changing, and and finding the whole process disconcerting. I'm glad you love hims so, even if he is a bit of a nuisance.

Blessings and Bear hugs!

Go on you know you want to...

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