Maybe it’s just because I never had a puppy (the roly-poly baby age, that is, current dog was definitely a mental puppy at adoption - and for some years after) and because I lost my last dog before she had a chance to grow old, but I look at photos of old dogs and I aaaaawwww uncontrollably. I hate to see my own dog getting old, but there’s something so touching about an old dog’s face. Maybe it’s the implication that the dog is loved; they don’t usually last to old age without a loving owner.
Puppies are pretty cute, but a good old dog is hard to beat on the cuteness factor. My 12 (almost 13) year old lab never grew up, she’s basically a big, old puppy 
She’s arthritic, deaf, losing her sight, and a bit senile, but she still wiggles and wags like a puppy
Here’s the old lady
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=101448093245921&l=55ee8c5f63
Just a bit of grey on her little chin
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=122022174521846&l=ca885958f2
Her arthritic feet hurt her in the snow, she wears little booties
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=147311521992911&l=582c7f96b3
I LOVE old dogs. Not just my own, either :). I was just thinking about this the other day – while part of me mourns seeing my old dog’s body slow down, I love how attuned we are to each other after all these years. I love the calmness and serenity of their company, and how they often draw closer to their people in their older years. I wish these golden years could last forever :sadsmile:
BGH, she’s beautiful – and looks fabulous for 13!! What a face
Here’s my old guy recuperating from his recent illness.
Old dogs are the best. Puppies are adorable but it doesn’t last.
My oldster died at 13.5 only a week after we brought home our newest pup. We had no idea he was so close to the end…I think I would have taken a lot more pictures that week…we wonder if maybe knowing that our other dog had a buddy made it easier to go…?
Here he is meeting the new boy:
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/24206_1318035282663_5240438_n.jpg
Here’s my middle guy (9) meeting the puppy…not at all sure this was a good idea…
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/24206_1318035242662_5570513_n.jpg
And later the same week, my old man two days before he died:
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/24206_1324673608617_7235129_n.jpg
Boy do I miss that guy. He was the best!
[QUOTE=S1969;6557790]
And later the same week, my old man two days before he died:
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/24206_1324673608617_7235129_n.jpg[/QUOTE]
This should have been posted with a kleenex-alert. :sadsmile:
Beautiful dogs!!!
(I can tell I won’t be getting any work done tonight if this thread stays active ;))
Puppies are so cute but old dogs are even cuter. My sister always said that she wished our dog stayed a puppy but I loved her as she grew old. Don’t get me wrong, its hard to see them get old, but an old dog touches my heart more than a young dog. Anytime I see an old dog while I’m out in public, I always go “awww, he’s old, how sweet”. Maybe its just because I miss my dog. She passed away a few years ago.
There’s something dignified about an old dog. A worldly-wise look about them that only age and experience can bring. So much better than old humans; dogs don’t complain about their aches and pains or how things were when they were young, they just get on with living as they are now.
[QUOTE=S1969;6557790]
Old dogs are the best. Puppies are adorable but it doesn’t last.
My oldster died at 13.5 only a week after we brought home our newest pup. We had no idea he was so close to the end…I think I would have taken a lot more pictures that week…we wonder if maybe knowing that our other dog had a buddy made it easier to go…?
Here he is meeting the new boy:
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/24206_1318035282663_5240438_n.jpg
Here’s my middle guy (9) meeting the puppy…not at all sure this was a good idea…
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/24206_1318035242662_5570513_n.jpg
And later the same week, my old man two days before he died:
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/24206_1324673608617_7235129_n.jpg
Boy do I miss that guy. He was the best![/QUOTE]
Hey you are a fellow Brittany owner right? Yours are beautiful, especially your old man. They are such a special breed of dog, I love them.
This is my old girl. She is 12 now but still has the energy of a dog half her age!
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/331_26100064699_8848_n.jpg
There really is something about an older dog. Mine is 14 and while she’s slowing down, she could easily pass for a much younger dog!
Here she is two years ago, not letting the snow slow her down:
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/165388_488121884156_170281_n.jpg
As a younger girl (10 at the time) doing her favorite activity in the world - a Canoe ride with her dad:
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/222747_6736169156_3370_n.jpg
Patrolling her back yard:
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/228201_7056284156_2578_n.jpg
And my absolute favorite picture of her, taken this past summer, soon after her 14th birthday:
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/246725_10151058394039157_497911895_n.jpg
[QUOTE=saitou_amaya;6558009]
Hey you are a fellow Brittany owner right? Yours are beautiful, especially your old man. They are such a special breed of dog, I love them.
This is my old girl. She is 12 now but still has the energy of a dog half her age!
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/331_26100064699_8848_n.jpg[/QUOTE]
She’s beautiful! And a spring chicken at 12! My middle guy (now my oldest) is 11.5 and in great shape. A friend just put her old guy down finally at 16.5. I hope we get many more years out of my oldest!!
[QUOTE=onyx98;6558089]
And my absolute favorite picture of her, taken this past summer, soon after her 14th birthday:
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/246725_10151058394039157_497911895_n.jpg[/QUOTE]
She looks great at 14! So many labs are very white in the face long before that! Awesome picture!!!
Onyx98 – is that Onyx herself? The one with the tie-back surgery? She looks FABULOUS!! :D!!!
And saitou_amaya – what a sweet face!!!
Wow, I didn’t realize I had a fetish!! 
Yup, that’s my girl!! The last one was taken post surgery, the rest were all before. She’s a lot grayer in person than in that picture, but she still doesn’t look like a 14 yr old.
S1969 - two more years with my girl would be a dream come true. I hope we’re all as lucky as your friend!!
I’ve never really liked puppies that much, and can’t wait until they grow up and develop some real personality and manners.
[QUOTE=S1969;6558181]
She looks great at 14! So many labs are very white in the face long before that! Awesome picture!!![/QUOTE]
This picture isn’t nearly as good, but it was taken yesterday, and it shows how gray she’s gotten. Personally, I think it’s very distinguished 
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/320314_10151058550354157_1745688947_n.jpg
[QUOTE=onyx98;6558326]
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/320314_10151058550354157_1745688947_n.jpg[/QUOTE]
LIKE!!! :yes:
[QUOTE=wendy;6558298]
I’ve never really liked puppies that much, and can’t wait until they grow up and develop some real personality and manners.[/QUOTE]
When does that happen? :lol:
My puppy came with more than enough personality to go around. Luckily he’s smart and picked up some manners to keep us from wanting to kill him most of the time.
My brother’s dear sweet labrador. This was taken at least a year ago, and she’s still trucking!
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/25173_918190601560_6052471_n.jpg
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/25173_918190586590_5679037_n.jpg
granted, she did turn gray really early, around three and a half years. (She’s 11 in the pictures)
[QUOTE=wendy;6558298]
I’ve never really liked puppies that much, and can’t wait until they grow up and develop some real personality and manners.[/QUOTE]
Same here, in many ways! The 8 week old or so puppies we foster are fun… for a time, but SO much easier to say goodbye to once they’re adopted. The 6 months old ones worm their way into our hearts a bit easier.
That being said, the smaller breed puppies we’ve had seem to have more personality at a younger age. That or its just p*ss and vinegar
This is my eldest boy, T.C. He’s approximately 12 or 13 and has been a part of our family for the past 7 years (prior to that, he’d been bouncing around in foster families for almost 4 years).
Truly…he’s the world’s best dog. He was recently diagnosed with Cushing’s disease, so getting his cortisol under control over the last 9 months has been a bit tricky. He’s got some other underlying issue (either something concurrent with the Cushing’s disease or something being caused from the medication we use to treat his cushing’s disease) that we haven’t pinpointed yet, but he’s been a trooper through it all.
He’s really grayed out considerably in the last 2 years…even to the point that it’s coming out of his ears.
