Old Duffer's Dogs

You know those three random pictures from my Flickr photostream that are displayed on this blog's sidebar? Well these three pictures were the ones that were on this morning. And funnily enough they were the perfect illustration of something that Bert and I have been pondering recently.

Losing dogs is not just about missing that beloved pooch. There is another sadness and that is the line that is drawn under a goodly chunk of our human lives.

This dog belongs to a pair of headcases. His testicles are in full working order and his owners are completely unaware of the damage those acrobatics are doing to his hipbones

We were persuaded to take Danny on by The Rons sometime in the first few years after Nellybert got together. Best and sweetest thing they ever did for us. We were young and daft and so was our dog. Danny lived until his seventeenth year and by the time he died we were all a lot more sensible and sedate. During the time we had Danny the family accquired a driving licence, three degrees, two businesses and two houses. And we had a hell of a lot of fun, much of it inspired by Dan.

These dogs belong to mature people. They are all fully vaccinated, well-nourished and regularly exercised.

By the time Rosie came along Nellybert was starting to wise up. Nelly became a full-time working woman, through truth be told the brilliant career never quite took off. Partying was still a big priority although stamina wasn't what it was. During the time we had Rosie we widened our social circle, came to terms with not having our own Nellybert bambino and got a little bit more sensible. We lost two Dads and watched two Mums get older and frailer. The family accquired another driving licence and a further degree.

These dogs belong to Old Duffers

And then we got to be middle-aged. Bert's got a theory that dogs are different depending on the age of the people that look after them. We started of as younguns with a crazy jumping dog that ended up crippled because of all the capers he cut when he was a young dog. God love Danny. He had a lot of fun. He was a lot of fun - but his owners hadn't an ounce of sense. We laughed like loons at all the crazy things he got up to.

By the time Rosie came along we were a bit wiser. By the time Paddy appeared we were even more sensible. Now we have Bonnie we're even thinking about getting pet insurance. Danny (who irresponsibly fathered pups the length and breadth of Ireland) was the much loved dog of ridiculously irresponsible owners while Bonnie and Paddy (both neutered) belong to two seriously, sensible Old Duffers.