There was a popular song once, I think by Roger Miller, and the title was Old dogs, children and watermelon wine. I don't remember the lyrics now, but the gist of it was that there were three things in life worth valuing, and those were the picks.

My dog Tige, a Boston Bull terrier, is now over 13 years old. He's nearly totally blind, and almost completely deaf. He gets around our house mostly by memory, so we're afraid to rearrange the furniture for fear he'll bump into things. I suspect he can see the difference between light and dark - that's about it. Our pit bull, Joe, loves to get him to play now and then, and once and a while he will frolic with Joe like the young dog he once was, but it's evident his life is drawing to a close.

I've had many dogs in my life, and loved all of them. My only regret in taking on a new one is that I realize I will fall in love with him, and that my joy in being with him will only last for a bit over a decade, if that much. The loss of my last buddy, a border collie mix I named Bucky, was almost more than I could bear. Now it will soon be Tige's turn to take the journey over the Rainbow Bridge.

Yesterday, my wife and I were having lunch when we saw Tige go into the foyer and lie down, facing the light coming through a window. He was content with his life, just taking in the sunlight which he could still discern. Dogs are like that. They don't complain - they just accept. I thought I'd record that moment. We sure love the little fella.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Thanks for sharing that. Got my eyes to leaking. I love all dogs, my faves are weiner dogs.

Very nice post. My dogs are a huge part of my life. You can learn a lot from a dog if you just let yourself.

That wonderful old song was by the great Tom T. Hall. One of many classics he penned.



"How old do you think I am," he said?
I said, well, I didn't know.
He said, "I turned 65 about 11 months ago."

I was sittin' in Miami, pouring blended whiskey down
When this old gray, black gentleman was cleaning up the lounge.

There wasn't anyone around, except this old man and me.
The guy who ran the bar was watching Ironside on TV.
Uninvited, he sat down and opened up his mind
On old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

"Ever had a drink of watermelon wine," he asked.
He told me all about it, though I didn't answer back.
"Ain't but three things in this world that's worth a solitary dime,
But old dogs and children and watermelon wine."

He said, "Women think about themselves, when men-folk ain't around.
And friends are hard to find when they discover that you're down."
He said, "I tried it all when I was young and in my natural prime,
Now it's old dogs and children and watermelon wine."

"Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes.
God bless little children while they're still to young to hate."
When he moved away I found my pen and copied down that line
About old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

I had to catch a plane up to Atlanta that next day.
As I left for my room I saw him picking up my change.
That night I dreamed in peaceful sleep of shady summertime,
Of old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

If I ever meet you in person I'm going to have to punch you for making me cry.

Make sure to give the little fella an extra big hug from all of us tonight... and thanks...

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NICK-SWCA-NRA BENEFACTOR LIFE

That is a very touching photo.

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Fidelis Ad Mortem

Prayers for you an Tige......

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Peace Thru Superior Firepower

Stupid allergies. They're making my eyes water right now.

Whenever it's time, it sounds like he's had a full life. Tough to say goodbye to great friends.

John, your post has just reinforced what I've been thinking about for months now.

Old Jess is at the point that your pup is. And Jim, who I think of as the "younger" dog is only a year behind him.

They're both old and grey of muzzle, mostly healthy, but slower.

After losing the first of the crew, Frank, [my avatar], I realized what was in store...but in spite of the sadness, I wouldn't change a thing.

They are my friends, plain and simple.

Excellent picture, and thanks for posting.

Len

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Qui me amat, amet et canem meum

My contacts are messing up, seem to be burning.

I just sprung a leak around my eyes .
It's just a lesson ,that all things pass in time ,so don't be afraid to love when you get the chance .Sometimes you get more than one.

Squirt is at my side, Barney is on the foot of my recliner and I'm reaching for a tissue.

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God spelled backwards is dog.

Gotta love the old dogs. Here a pic of mine from a few years ago, Ginger or Ginny as she's usually called will be 16 in October. I thought she was old at 12, never thought she might make 16 or better.Shes mostly blind and deaf but still gets around ok. Tough old girl she is. In the last few months she has leaped off 2 different retaining walls. Once at my house about a 4' drop onto rock, the other at my brothers house, with a 5' drop to sand. Scared the bejesus out of me each time. Shes mostly blind and deaf but still gets around ok. Shes leashed for her own protection when going outside the fence now.

Looks just like what my 11 year old Boston does. I know I'll be devastated when she goes, but I'm honestly not sure my wife will be able to handle it...

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LEO since 1981.

Know just how you feel. Here's my Wilbur, he's 14 and some. He's deaf and blind, but knows his way around and still eats like a piggy. He stays closer to me than he used to, but thats ok. Doesn't have a gray hair, black as ever. He's been my good friend for a long time.

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Beautiful picture, and beautiful words. Thanks for sharing both John.

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Misty

John God bless you and Tige.

Only those that love Dogs see pure love.

I just now stumbled across your post.

All I can say is that your photograph is extremely moving to me.

Just a postscript. Tige passed on about a year after the OP. We keep his ashes on a shelf in the house - like his brother Bucky before him, we couldn't bring ourselves to put his remains in the cold ground. We feel they are both with us - every day.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I'm blessed each morning with a cold nose to wake me...they are true friends.

Pete

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Don't tread on me

I wonder how much dogs use their eyes to get around, and how much their nose.

Shasta had cancer, in her head. Took out one eye when they removed the tumor, but it came back. Grew so large it destroyed the other eye's optic nerve, so she was blind. She got around the house fine, but when she went outside, she could not find her way back. Tucker would go out with her and lead her back to the porch steps. Once she got there, she could get back inside and was okay. Until that tumor got so big I had to put her down.

And I've noticed that, when I get up at night and need to move around, I need the light on, but Worthless goes all around the house, and I've never heard her bump into anything. Either dogs got much better night-vision than I do, or she does not rely on her eyes.

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I always take precautions

My mother's favorite dog was a Boston Bull named Cindy. She got blind in old age and I got the nod as a teenager to take her to the needle doctor. My mom now has an iron Boston Bull doorstop in her retirement apartment.

My old lab used to lay in front of the wood stove in the winter. There's nothing sadder than watching your dog grow old.

OUR first dog that I can remember was named Bucky, When he passed we got Bucky ll, both large collies. Now we have sibling male/female black & white French Brittany's Caesar & Cassie both 14 y/o and slowing down with torn cruciate ligaments, aching joints, cataracts etc. Nothing wrong with their sense of smell or brains, smarter if anything. The Diva just trained me to move the food bowl from the kitchen to next to her bed. Caesar set the record this summer for scenting/casting about/ finding/killing 8 black racer snakes up to 4' long. My Brother just spent a few days here with his new 7 month old black lab pup Sadie, they were NOT 1 bit happy, maybe they thought we were bringing in their replacement. She was a nice little girl only wanting to play, but a bit rough on the old dogs. I've NEVER heard Caesar growl in 14 years until she tried to hump him. That used to be his job.

Fellows, I remember musing about the short life of a good dog, (compared to humans life span) one time to my grandad.

I guess I was about 6 or 7, and we had just lost old "Carlo" our cattle herding mixed mutt a few days back and got him buried proper.

Grandpa said,"son, you know it wouldn't be right if all the people in heaven didn't have no good dogs with em".

Somehow, his wisdom about that always helps when another dog friend passes.

I don't know who coined the phrase, the more I learn about people, the more I like my dogs, (probably someone of this forum), but it certainly rings true.

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wanna do right-- not right now

God bless those poor souls that never had, nor understood the love of a good dog.
'cause for the rest of us that know, we've already been blessed a thousand times over...

Girlie the mutt diagnosed with a heart murmur a year ago and ten buck a month in meds been keeping it in check. She has not missed a step until just the last few days.
I noticed her breathing a bit shallower and can now feel the murmur through her chest. She's nimble and can still get good hang time so I'm hoping the vet trip will help and extend the quality time she has left.
Glad my wife found her 11 years ago. Smallest and best dog I've ever had.

Lousy with quotes but that may be Will Rogers.

Tige and Bucky are both still with you. They are in their forever home in your heart, and they will never leave, no matter how much time has passed.

A dog's only fault is that they do not live as long as we want them to live, and as long as we need them to live.

Someone once asked the Reverend Billy Graham if our dogs would be in Heaven with us. He replied that the Lord has promised us that Heaven will have all we need to make us happy, and if it takes our dogs to do that, then they will be there waiting for us. I like to believe that.

The ashes of my first three Rottweilers are all in their urns behind glass in a special lighted area of one of my bookcases, along with their collars, tags, some of their toys, and photographs. There isn't a day goes by that I do not think of them all. The light in my bookcase where they rest is never turned off.

If you don't mind, I will leave you with one of my favorite quotations in honor of Bucky and Tige...

"Be comforted, little dog.
Thou too in the Resurrection
Shall have a little golden tail."
- Martin Luther, founder of the Reformation

God knew we need dogs. I don't believe it was an evolutionary event. Just my opinion. Thanks for sharing the picture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FU_TuwM2Dw

All Gave Some. Some Gave All.

Sounds like Tige is a good dog. I have had my current dog since his mom (also our dog) gave birth to him. I really think that the pregnancy was bad on her, cuz she got severely obese afterwards and died at age 7. Now the son is turning 6 and I certainly hope he lives longer than mom. Golden retrievers btw.

When my kids were pre teens(they are 38 and 39 now), we had a border collie named lady. Lady kept digging a hole under a hedge in our back yard. She would lay in it on hot summer days. I would fill it in and she would dig it out. I put bricks in it and covered them with dirt and somehow she would dig up the bricks and clear her hole. We would yell at her and she would just give us that look of love.

She died after living over 11 years.

I buried her in her hole.

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Corripe Cervisiam

Tears here on that one.

Just choked some back. Well done, sir.

Not much can be added to the words already written. Here's my contribution. Snickers at 16. She didn't make 17l

What a beautiful photograph of a beautiful girl.

You don't understand," he told them. "You will have to
feed these animals."
"That's all right," the Loving Ones said.
"You will have to clean up after them and take care of them forever."
"We don't care."
The Loving Ones did not listen. They went down to where
the Pets were and picked them up, seeing the love in their own hearts
reflected in the animals' eyes.

"They were not programmed right," the Angel said. "We can't offer a
warranty. We don't know how durable they are. Some of their systems
malfunction very quickly, others last a long time."
But the Loving Ones did not care.
They were holding the warm little bodies and finding
their hearts so filled
with love that they thought they would burst.
"We will take our chances," they said.
"You do not understand." The Angel tried one more time.
"They are so dependent on you that even the most well-made of them is
not designed to out live you. You are destined to suffer their loss."
The Loving Ones looked at the sweetness in their arms
and nodded.
"That is how it should be. It is a fair trade for the
love they offer."

The Angel just watched them all go, shaking his head.
"You have chosen Tears," he whispered.

Miss my old BRT, but luckly still have her granddaughter!

I'll punch you too!...Where's that damn Kleenex....

I gotta quit reading this stuff.......

Man this thread hits home. Our Boston Terrier, Beau, will be 12 in June and is pretty much blind. He spends most of his day sleeping, in the warm sun if possible. I know "that" day is not far off and I could not dread it more. This is Beau a couple years ago when the future looked brighter...

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SWCA #1917