No New Tricks for an Old Dog

My Jake’s move into old age has a silver lining.  His loss of hearing now allows him to ride through a thunderstorm without completely unraveling.  

For almost a dozen years poor Jake has suffered unbearably with every clap of thunder, every bolt of lightning.  He has peed inside at the height of his terror.  He has scratched my legs with his claws.

But in his hearing-impaired state during tonight's storm he has maintained his cool.  He cocked an ear from time to time, but nothing really set him off.  

My son just played the game of throwing his Kong to him.  It used to be that Jake caught it every time, even when it was badly thrown.  But his eyes are dim and his reflexes are slow now.  He was willing to keep playing, but he didn’t score a single catch.  There’s no silver lining here, just old age.

I’m grateful that his hips still work and his digestive system seems good.  Not everything is failing in this dog who would be over 80 in human years.