It’s 4:15 a.m., and I am exhausted and frustrated. Koko, our 19 year-old dog, has awakened me
every 2 hours since 10 p.m., worried that I would forget her breakfast. Each time she stood at the side of my bed,
whining and barking, it convinced the other five members of our senior pack
that she was right, and they quickly joined in the restlessness and angst.
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| Koko "patiently" waiting for breakfast |
So up we all go, at 10 p.m., Midnight, 2 a.m., and 4
a.m. Usually a quick potty break and a
little snack does the trick, and we are quickly back into bed. The dogs, fortunately, are snoring within
minutes. However, it usually takes me
longer to quiet my mind and return to sleep.
This 4 a.m. round of Koko antics, I have given up on sleep and realize
that prayer and caffeine will be my allies for the upcoming day. Miraculously and fortunately, my husband has
been spared all of the drama of this evening and is sleeping soundly as the
senior canine pack and I trudge out of the room for the last time.
This is where the real fun begins. Within a 15 minute time span, 2 dogs don’t
make it outside before relieving themselves, one spits up his 2 a.m. snack, and
another decides that 4:00 a.m. is the perfect time to chase the cat around the
house (and still my husband
After cleaning up the mess, I head for the living room to meditate and
study, only to find that the one dog I thought was going to behave this morning
decided it was ok to potty right where she lay…on my favorite blanket.
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| Cassie looking guilty after potty accident! |
After starting laundry, cleaning up the floors, distributing
meds and feeding the ever-patient cat, it occurs to me how much of my day is
filled with caring for our senior pack.
On a good day, it’s about 2-3 hours, excluding walks. On a bad one, I lose count.
It also occurs to me that if I were still a single mom,
struggling to maintain a home for my children and pets, there is no way I could
maintain this level of commitment to care for my aging dogs.
It saddens me to think of the multitude of senior dogs that
arrive at shelters every day, but I am suddenly left with a little more
understanding of some of the struggles that families face when it comes to dealing
with the needs of their aging pets.
Hopefully I will have the opportunity to nap today to make
up for last night’s sleep deprivation.
Yet, we are on our 2nd year of official “senior dog care,” with
a house full of senior dogs and two with health issues so serious they can’t be
left alone. I am grateful to have family
and doggy sitters which allows me some time away.
I can tell that the constant care, day after day, year after
year, has impacted my health, as I long for a night of uninterrupted
sleep. What decisions would I make for
my senior pack if I did not have the opportunity to employ dog sitters or
wasn't able to sneak in the occasional nap?
When I am frustrated and exhausted as I am this morning, I
remind myself that this season will soon pass.
After all, Koko is 19. That is
really, really old for a dog, and the other 4 are all over 12. And rest assured, I am completely committed
to caring for all 5 of them until that “time” comes when it is either obvious
they are ready to go or they pass on their own.
But this morning, as I long for more sleep and am worried
about how I’m going to get through this day, I have decided to not stand in
judgment of those who surrender senior dogs to shelters.
I’m not making broad
sweeping assumptions that every surrender is as gut-wrenching as what one would
be for me or my fellow animal advocates.
I know there are those who surrender as a matter of convenience.
But, for those people whose health is compromised, whose
family relies on them to keep food on the table, and whose finances don’t allow
for them to give the animals the care they need to keep them out of pain in
their final years, I offer you a little more compassion and empathy instead of
condemnation and disgust at your decision.
Just like my grandmother used to say: “Don’t judge until you
have walked in someone else’s shoes.” It applies here as well.
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| Blair quickly back to sleep. |
Okay, off to prepare food and meds and food for the
day.
I’ll need to be quiet though.
All the dogs are sleeping soundly.
#SeniorDogs #Dogs
#AnimalWelfare
#DoWhatisRight
#everythingisspiritual
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