Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Last week's adventure

What happens when an overage lady forgets her age and buys two puppies in her seventies?  Well, Miss Annie, there on the floor, at 2 1/2 yrs. now is quite well behaved.  She can be let out on her own, supervised but is quite trustworthy not to take off and run away (unless a deer appears and heaven help us then).  But Miss Meg (for nutmeg) seen here all legs and mischief on her mother's lap is another story at only 14 mos. of age.  Trying to train her to run free (with a large cookie dangling in front of her nose), I've been letting her out of the dog run to run free to the house.  It's about a thirty or forty foot distance.  We've been having considerable success with this new responsibility until last Sunday afternoon.  Trusting that the habit was ingrained enough to be trust-worthy, off she set for the house, leash-free.  She got as far as the side porch, which you can see next to the brick driveway and put the brakes on.  One look to the left and she was off, back-end powering her, the lure of the open spaces was too much for her.  Up the laneway she went, around the curve which put her out of sight and you can imagine, that even with ten acres, the laneway eventually ends at the gravel road.  There are now horses next door again and since we're all on long narrow ten acre lots, our frontage is only about 150 Ft. so we live on top of each other in a sense.  Conditioned from years of earlier stress in my life, the flight or fight syndrome was not easily forgotten by my body.  The adrenaline shot through it from top to bottom as I raced after Meg, frantically calling her name.  Around the bend, no sight of her and all I could think of was this puppy whom I love to bits, was gone.  Another thought occured as well:  there goes $2,500 worth of dog fur on the run.  Three or four minutes later, standing near the horse pasture, something side-swiped me on the leg and nearly knocked me over.  Guess who it was.  Back to the drawing board on freedom and recalls.  Meanwhile, I'm recovering from a week and a half of absolute pain from my ANS/PNS reaction (autonomic nervous system imbalance and too mjch sympathetic overstimulation).  This is what happens when I forget I'm as old as I am. 
Rosey

posted by RoseyP @ 2:46 PM

4 Comments:

At September 18, 2013 at 2:49 PM , Blogger Doris W. in TN said...

Oh Rosey, what a fright! I can see Meg in the "time out" corner, wondering "why?"

 
At September 19, 2013 at 4:45 AM , Blogger Bee said...

When you have been used to always having a dog or two it will be very hard to be without one when my idiot crosses the Rainbow bridge. I don't think I will have another dog then but I said that when before we were conned into keeping Gus.

 
At September 19, 2013 at 1:46 PM , Blogger Doris W. in TN said...

When we lost Alex to old age, I said I was done with dogs. Too much bother to put him on a leash and do the potty walks in rain, snow, etc. Two months later, I was depressed and realized that while I did not want a dog, I needed a dog in my life. So now we have Sophie, who keeps me quite happy. And busy. LOL

 
At September 19, 2013 at 1:54 PM , Blogger RoseyP said...

Getting a dog in older age takes careful consideration. I can't say my decision was the right one but for the pleasure these pups give me, aside from the energizer bunny here taking off as she did, I can say it's been worth it. For me, while I live with a husband, his life is not part of mine in the way of most relationships. He is totally focused on flying, on planes and very little else exists for him. So the dogs fill my life with a focus, with fun and lots of kisses. On the other hand, it depends on your lifestyle, whether you spend a lot of time at home (it's nice to have company in the house)so I think whatever pet you choose or they choose you, it's a personal decision for a number of reasons. I bought expensive show-quality Aussies this time because of my age and because if anything happened to me while they were young, they could possibly be used for breeding. If Hope had not become ill last year at the age of 12 and lived several more years, I might not have considered another puppy but knowing her time was short, I didn't want Annie to be 'an only child' and for Annie and Meg, this is a good arrangement. And energy only lasts so many years. Dogs age so quickly in terms of our years. They both give me a great deal of pleasure. But after the shock of what happened and the adrenaline burning my lungs and esophogeal region, I think I'm looking at a puffer in the not to distant future. My lungs have been compromised working with polycottons in the 70's & a steam iron, so I think it may be time.
Rosey

 

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