[nagdu] Older Dogs -- Warning for Talk About Dogs' Life Span

[Sarah]

Hello,

You are not the only one this way.  Iam already worried about 
Wizard retiring and he's only 3! My pet dog died at 8 due to 
kidney failure.  If she is still excited to work then I say you 
have no reason to worry.
But y'r not the only one like that.

Sarah and Wizard

 ----- Original Message -----
From: avapup.7 at gmail.com
To: the National Association of Guide Dog Users NAGDU Mailing 
List<nagdu at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Thu, 20 Dec 2012 23:02:22 -0500
Subject: [nagdu] Older Dogs -- Warning for Talk About Dogs' Life 
Span


Hi, from Ava and Cocoa, in the land of the wind and snow.

Does anyone else start to get kind of nervous when their dogs 
reach a certain age, even if their pup is still working 
wonderfully?

I don't know why I'm feeling this way.  Cocoa is only 8 years 
old, and turns 9 in the spring.  She is never happier than when 
she gets to help me with guiding and/or balance ( except for when 
it's time for her to eat -- she is a Lab, after all, grins ).  
She sees her harness and becomes a very bouncy dog.  She hasn't 
slowed down at all.  But something just sort of keeps nagging at 
me.  I think it's the fact that she's 8.  My first guide retired 
at 6 for a minor medical issue, but I don't see Cocoa retiring 
any time soon.

But am I the only one like this? Sometimes I just worry and think 
about how she's a big dog ( 65 lbs ) and how big dogs don't 
usually live as long as small dogs, and I think about how 
devastated I'd be if I lost her.  I even refer to her as my 
daughter, though I know she's a dog, and have never treated her 
like a furry person, and have respected her for being the great 
dog that she is.

Do you think that her being 8 is too young for me to get so 
nervous?

Thank you, and happy holidays, and a merry Christmas to those who 
celebrate it!

Ava and Cocoa

Sent from my iPhone
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