Another Year in the Life of Buffy.

It's been an exceptionally busy year in the family, with new ventures and schools to wrap into the routine. And Buffy? Well let me tell you about her eventful year;

Last Christmas (2019) I discovered that she had a mammary tumour that was growing very quickly. Our Vet told us the success of removing the entire tumour was small as tendrils often weave into stomach and lung tissue and it would be a difficult operation for a 13 yr old dog. The tendrils would be difficult if not impossible to remove.

The forecast was that this operation would probably give Buffy another 8 to 10 months of life (with medication and Veterinary support). After some debate, we thought that this was worth it to give her the chance for more life and time with us. So it was an easy decision in the end, albeit an expensive one.

It was a very anxious few hours while we waited to see if she would survive the surgery. The house was quiet and pensive, everyone went to their own spaces and waited. I was concerned that she may not survive the long operation, but kept my fears to myself. 

When we eventually got the call that she was not only alive but thriving there were tears of happiness and we couldn't wait to get her home. The Polish Specialist Surgeon who was called in to do the operation did an amazing job removing all the cancerous tumour and most of the tendrils. Thank you, is never enough in situations like this, nor is a big box of chocolates but everyone in that Vets Surgery knows Buffy and knows how grateful we are for the work they do.

Buffy quickly settled back into the family routine, but only a couple of months later the cancer was back. Not as vigorous, but now spread through-out her system. We were warned that this may get into her brain and spine.

We thought that at one of her monthly appointments in July of 2019 that the Vet we saw was going to insist that we let her go (our normal Vet was on Holiday). He finally understood having read her record that Buffy was no ordinary dog and still had lots of life and spirit in her. He adjusted her medication and said gravely she would probably pass away naturally by September 2019.

Fast forward to Feb 2020 Buffy is still here and sleeping by my feet as I write this. She is still eating like she always has. Any Border Terrier owner will tell you the first sign their dog is unwell is when they don't want to eat or drink. Buffy will soon let you know if you're late putting her food down! She eats heartily and her routines are normal. She has decided she will not go out for walks anymore although she is happy ranging around our garden, sniffing out and checking the hedgerows.. 

Buffy sleeps (and occasionally snores) 20 out of every 24 hours, waking only to eat, check out the garden and have her medication. She is coming up to her 14th Birthday on 3rd March 2020 and although she is frailer than she was, she still wants to be part of our family and we love her.

With the help of our Vet (who loves her as much as we do) she is enjoying her twilight time sleeping in the sunshine (she has always loved lying in the sunshine).

Her sight is failing as is her hearing, but her spirit is still strong.

Thank you for following my stories of life with our Border Terrier(s). If you think this article is useful you can make a small donation to me here  Thank you for your support.

Buffy waiting for "Mum" to come in from
the car, one sunny day in Sept 2019.

Celebration of a Life Well Spent.

Bobbie passed away peacefully in the arms of my partner on the afternoon of January 3rd 2018. She was nearly seventeen years old and one of the smartest dogs I've ever had and she was also top dog; not only in our family but also in the wider circle of family and friends dogs that she saw often. Bobbie was the leader of the pack in every sense of the word. 

Her intelligence and her ability to predict what Louise or I may say or want was uncanny. Don't get me wrong although she was a lovable house dog she was courageous (maybe foolish as well) and a true terrier when out in the country. She once chased ducks by swimming up and down the Kennet and Avon Canal for over an hour with very concerned long boat owners passing slowly by watching her. On the hunt she forgot her name.  At the seaside she would chase seagulls who inevitably teased her by flying 100 metres and landing and repeating for as long as she would keep going. When she was 5 yrs old she got stuck down a badgers hole and had to be dragged out. She was a true character and was loved by all who came into contact with her. 

I had been cuddling her some of the morning and later on Bobbie refused her lunch and refused favourite snacks and water; I knew we were nearing the end of her wonderful life. However poorly she had been in the past she would always eat and hungrily so, as if she had not been fed in days (even if it was only a few hours ago). I called Louise and said I think Bobbie may be near the end and she decided to have the afternoon off work and came home straight away. 

Louise arrived and after just fifteen minutes having a cuddle with Bobbie in her arms and talking to her Bobbie passed peacefully away.

I am sure now that Bobbie was hanging on, waiting for Louise to come home. In Louise's arms she found peace and tranquility; and she knew that she was loved and safe. She passed peacefully with words of love and devotion ringing in her ears (and more than a few tears). We are sad but also very happy that we had such a special, special dog in our lives for so long (nearly Seventeen years). We have so many great memories and thousands of pictures of her, she will never be forgotten.

Although I always counted her as my dog I knew she was really Louise's. She would wait by the door for her car to pull up as she came in from work, she knew if Louise came home early or late by the sound of her car. Bobbie would always choose to sit with Louise in the evenings and follow her around. Yep she was Louise's dog and I guess I just looked after her (or her me) while Louise was out. Nonetheless I regarded her as my best friend and companion and I miss her sorely.

The strange (and sad) thing is Buster passed away on the 6th January 2016; two years almost to the day that Bobbie passed. The first week in January has a unique place in our calendars now.

Bobbie had not been able to walk because of arthritis since late October 2017 so we got her a dog cart to go out in. This picture is her on a walk in the woods in December 2017.

Bobbie in her dog cart.

Bobbie watching Louise.

Bobbie watching children play on Swansea Beach.

We have her ashes back now and she sits with Buster. Gone but never forgotten. If you have a dog, treasure every moment, life is short.

The loss of a pet can be devastating and sometimes you need some help to get through. Long after Bobbie passed I found this ebook by Robin Jean Brown, The Dependable ROAR Method.

If you think this article is useful you can make a small donation to me here  Thank you for your support.

Ageing Border Terriers & Supplements

As I write Storm "Angus" is battering Britain, it's a cold and dark morning. It is raining hard and has done so all night. Both my Border Terriers are reluctant to go out and are happily dozing and snoring in their comfy bed. I often wonder what they dream about as their legs twitch and their lips curl; maybe they are dreaming of their last leafy walk through our local woods sniffing and exploring? 

Bobby is nearly entirely deaf now and suffering from the early onset of arthritic hips and she has stiff back legs and she sees the Vet regularly. She is still a happy and cheerful Border Terrier and will still chase birds and rabbits if she see's them but she is slower and tires quicker. She is sixteen years old and I think doing great! I wanted to tell you all partly why I think that is in this update.

Sometime ago my Vet recommended the doggie version of Glucosamine Sulphate with additives, it's a YuMove product. Now I buy this one from YuMove on Amazon as it's a lot cheaper than getting the same one from the Vet (her idea because they have to add overheads and I am a monthly visitor). When I first started Bobby on them the difference was noticeable in just four days as she became more willing to move about and she was able to jump up onto her place on our Sofa. Now over a year later she is still a bit stiff in the morning but during the day she is virtually free of stiffness.

I can thoroughly recommend YuMove! One tablet a day keeps her fit and active and at just 22p a day, (prices correct for November 2016). You get two months supply of 60 tablets for £12.91 with free delivery. They make Bobby more mobile and able to still do the things she likes to do (chasing birds and exploring through the woods); and I think it is absolutely worth it. I believe every dog over twelve years old should be taking one of these a day. 

If this sounds like a promotion you are absolutely right; anything that makes my best friends life better and more enjoyable is worth telling the world about. If you have an old dog that suffers with stiff legs and joints and is becoming arthritic this product will help keep them mobile. My Bobby is living proof :)

I don't take her out on wet cold days anymore and she only gets a long walk in the woods once a week with short walks in between and that seems to suit her well. 

When you have an old dog you do value the time with them a lot more than when you have a young dog pestering you all the time.  You know the clock is ticking and an era is drawing to a close. That is why I do everything I can to make her golden years happier and more comfortable. I love her and having lost Buster unexpectedly in January this year it's made me more attentive to Bobby and Buffy. 

Thank you for reading my updates about my Border Terriers. I hope you and your dog(s) have a great day. If you think this article is useful you can make a small donation to me here  Thank you for your support.

Best wishes.

Mike

#dogs #BorderTerriers #dogcare #ilovemydog #dogsupplements

Ageing Border Terriers & Supplements

It's a bright cold morning and it's still below zero outside. The lawn is crisp and white and the bushes and trees in my garden are dusted with sparkling silvery white frost that glints in the low sunshine. 

Both my Border Terriers are reluctant to go out and are happily dozing and snoring in their comfy bed. I often wonder what they dream about as their legs twitch and their lips curl; maybe they are dreaming of their last walk through our local woods sniffing and exploring? 

Bobby is nearly entirely deaf now and suffering from the early onset of arthritic hips and she has stiff back legs and she sees the Vet regularly. She is still a happy and cheerful Border Terrier and will still chase birds and rabbits if she see's them but she is slower and tires quicker. She is sixteen years old and I think doing great! I wanted to tell you all partly why I think that is in this update.

Sometime ago my Vet recommended the doggie version of Glucosamine Sulphate with additives, it's a YuMove product. Now I buy this one from YuMove on Amazon as it's a lot cheaper than getting the same one from the Vet (her idea because they have to add overheads and I am a monthly visitor). When I first started Bobby on them the difference was noticeable in just four days as she became more willing to move about and she was able to jump up onto her place on our Sofa. Now over a year later she is still a bit stiff in the morning but during the day she is virtually free of stiffness.

I can thoroughly recommend YuMove! One tablet a day keeps her fit and active and at just 22p a day, (prices correct for November 2016). You get two months supply of 60 tablets for £12.91 with free delivery. They make Bobby more mobile and able to still do the things she likes to do (chasing birds and exploring through the woods); and I think it is absolutely worth it. I believe every dog over twelve years old should be taking one of these a day. 

If this sounds like a promotion you are absolutely right; anything that makes my best friends life better and more enjoyable is worth telling the world about. If you have an old dog that suffers with stiff legs and joints and is becoming arthritic this product will help keep them mobile. My Bobby is living proof :)

I don't take her out on wet cold days anymore and she only gets a long walk in the woods once a week with short walks in between and that seems to suit her well. 

When you have an old dog you do value the time with them a lot more than when you have a young dog pestering you all the time.  You know the clock is ticking and an era is drawing to a close. That is why I do everything I can to make her golden years happier and more comfortable. I love her and having lost Buster unexpectedly in January this year it's made me more attentive to Bobby and Buffy. 

Thank you for reading my updates about my Border Terriers. I hope you and your dog(s) have a great day. If you think this article is useful you can make a small donation to me here  Thank you for your support.

Best wishes.

Mike

(updated January 2017).

#dogs #BorderTerriers #dogcare #ilovemydog #dogsupplements

Ageing Border Terriers & Supplements

As I write Storm "Angus" is battering Britain, it's a cold and dark morning. It is raining hard and has done so all night. Both my Border Terriers are reluctant to go out and are happily dozing and snoring in their comfy bed. I often wonder what they dream about as their legs twitch and their lips curl; maybe they are dreaming of their last leafy walk through our local woods sniffing and exploring? 

Bobby is nearly entirely deaf now and suffering from the early onset of arthritic hips and she has stiff back legs and she sees the Vet regularly. She is still a happy and cheerful Border Terrier and will still chase birds and rabbits if she see's them but she is slower and tires quicker. She is sixteen years old and I think doing great! I wanted to tell you all partly why I think that is in this update.

Sometime ago my Vet recommended the doggie version of Glucosamine Sulphate with additives, it's a YuMove product. Now I buy this one from YuMove on Amazon as it's a lot cheaper than getting the same one from the Vet (her idea because they have to add overheads and I am a monthly visitor). When I first started Bobby on them the difference was noticeable in just four days as she became more willing to move about and she was able to jump up onto her place on our Sofa. Now over a year later she is still a bit stiff in the morning but during the day she is virtually free of stiffness.

I can thoroughly recommend YuMove! One tablet a day keeps her fit and active and at just 22p a day, (prices correct for November 2016). You get two months supply of 60 tablets for £12.91 with free delivery. They make Bobby more mobile and able to still do the things she likes to do (chasing birds and exploring through the woods); and I think it is absolutely worth it. I believe every dog over twelve years old should be taking one of these a day. 

If this sounds like a promotion you are absolutely right; anything that makes my best friends life better and more enjoyable is worth telling the world about. If you have an old dog that suffers with stiff legs and joints and is becoming arthritic this product will help keep them mobile. My Bobby is living proof :)

I don't take her out on wet cold days anymore and she only gets a long walk in the woods once a week with short walks in between and that seems to suit her well. 

When you have an old dog you do value the time with them a lot more than when you have a young dog pestering you all the time.  You know the clock is ticking and an era is drawing to a close. That is why I do everything I can to make her golden years happier and more comfortable. I love her and having lost Buster unexpectedly in January this year it's made me more attentive to Bobby and Buffy. 

Thank you for reading my updates about my Border Terriers. I hope you and your dog(s) have a great day. 

Best wishes.

Mike

#dogs #BorderTerriers #dogcare #ilovemydog #dogsupplements