Before lunch I took out Bud our thirteen year old Border Collie. We were walking along and I could tell he was just doing it to please me. He has suddenly aged so much. In the summer he was walking two miles easily but it has got harder and harder. We had promised ourselves that when he got to this age we would not allow him to be pulled around by vets in his last months. We had a terrible experience with an old beagle once who was operated on twice and had so many tests at the vets all to prolong his life by two months that I'm sure were misery for him and I still feel guilty about it. Vets seem very happy to do this to old dogs but we have decided it is not happening to Bud.
I looked down at Bud walking next to me so loyally. To me he is the best dog in the world. He looked up at me with his eyes now cloudy but still so filled with love and I knew from all my experience owning dogs all my life he has not much longer to live. "We've walked miles and miles together haven't we Bud." I said and he wagged his tail. "Haven't we had fun?" I just walked to the end of the road and back home where I settled him on his folded duvet near the heater. We are giving him his favourite foods and going to take him for short walks if he can manage it. He will be loved and cared for and we will keep him with us looking after him until the end. It is what he deserves after all he has given to us in thirteen years which is immeasurable.
