Sammie lives with old dogs and old people

Our poor Sammie the border collie.  She's 1 year old now and lives with a bunch of old people and old dogs.  We didn't think about that when we got her.  At least I didn't.  It's not really fair to her.


Just this past month I took our 11-year-old beagle, Baxter, to the vet because she had weakness in her hind legs.  The culprit: bad back.  Both Paul and I have that too.  She was given a hefty shot of steroid and 10 days of anti-inflammatory.   Paul takes anti-inflammatories for his hip.


Then Mika, age 10, should be taking anti-inflammatories too.  She is slow to get up after a nap.  Stretching first her front legs, then stretching her back.  Worse, she has lumps and bumps beneath her hide that we pretend are not growing.  The vet told us to watch for that.  We always agree that she is OK.  I do that a lot.  Ignore some signs of my own aging.  Maybe it will go away.  Mika, like me and Paul, is wiped after a visit from the grandkids.


Which brings us back to the pup.  I don't know if we are good for her, but she is good for us.  All four of us oldies.  She patiently waits for us to play ball.  By patient, I mean sits staring at you with her ball until you - dog or human - to play.  Often she gets you to move by nudging ball with her nose - her way of throwing it - and barking at you to get it.  She is "on" all day.  Just open the back door and step one foot out and she already has flown to the farthest point of the backyard before your second foot hits the ground.  She is watching for your next move, which she desperately hopes will include a ball. 


We haven't found her off button, but it miraculously kicks in around 7 every night.  Good thing our off buttons are set at the same time!