Before I even begin, please don't be alarmed. Tag is sitting at my feet and sassy as ever.
This is Donna posting instead of Taggart today because I wanted to share a few things with you. I'm doing it on Tag's Tuesday because I knew you'd likely be here to see what he's been up to this week.
If you've visited in the past couple months, you know that my boy turned twelve this year. That's not real old for a small dog, but even so, my boy has been slowing down. Climbing the stairs is getting more difficult for him, and he has to be really motivated to come to the second level in the farmhouse anymore.
I've noticed while Handsome was in Florida that Tag was listening to me less than he usually does, and in more recent weeks, I've determined that he's suffering significant hearing loss. He usually barks like crazy when the mailman drives up, and he knows because he can hear the van (it's kind of noisy). He'll run from the back to the front of the house, and bounce up to look out the windows in the dining room. Lately, he doesn't hear the van, so unless he's lying in the back entry and sees it, he doesn't make a peep.
When we're outside, I keep him on a lead because unless I whistle a high whistle, he doesn't flinch, turn or react to my voice at all. If he's off-leash, he watches me a lot. I'll use a hand signal for him to come to me, or use that whistle to get his attention. He's always startled when Bella barks, and I think that's another indicator, as he must not be hearing her infrequent, but still present, low growl. Also, if I walk into a room, it's the floor vibration he reacts to, not that he hears me entering. If he's sleeping, me walking into a room doesn't wake him up, and most times when in his kennel, he now faces the back of the crate to sleep. That's new for him, but these are all signs to me that he's suffered a significant hearing loss.
Even though we let the dogs out last thing at night, I'm also having to wash his bedding about every other morning now. I think that his weakened back end accounts for this as well as his hesitancy with stairs.
Please don't feel sorry for us...dogs live in the moment, never feeling sorry for themselves. We're watching over him to make sure he's okay and that he doesn't hurt himself, or be in a situation to be hurt because he either can't mobilize or hear to keep himself safe. It's always been our jobs to be his guardians, even though he'll always consider that his responsibility.
So, if you come to hear of Tag's latest big adventure, please don't be disappointed if he only tells you that he had fun smelling the flowers in the fields that week. At his age, he's the equivalent of a 74 year old little man. We'll treat him as the senior he is, and continue to do our best to give him a rich and comfortable life.
He'd be really upset with me if he knew I was telling you all of this, so I hope we can keep it between ourselves. Tag will be back next week. I just told him I'd cover for him so he could have a little vacation. He said, "As long as there's bacon, Mom, I'm good!" He is good. That's the most important thing I'd like you to take away from this. We're all good, and we thank you for coming by each week to read what he writes. It really is his voice, and if you lived with him, you'd surely know I'm telling the truth.
So, until next week, please think good thoughts, and please come back in seven to see what Tag has to say for himself. Thanks for listening. Love from Tag's Mom...
