Happy 4th of July! and Happy Birthday, Josh!!
Today I thought I would do an update on Riley since many people have been asking me about him. I don't post much on Riley anymore because he doesn't get into trouble like he used to. But because this blog is named after him, it's about time he made the headlines.
This is a photo of Riley from this morning. He is contemplating whether or not it is worth it to get his feet wet in the grass to go potty. He's thinking to himself...I can hold it until the sun dries things out.
As of today, Riley is 14.5 years old. In dog years, that's 101.5! He is doing amazingly well for his age.
I could do a rundown of all his ailments like we "seniors" do when we get together for lunch with our friends:
He's got arthritis in his front left leg. It turns in when he is standing on it. If not for his Carpofen and Dasuquin medications, he would not be doing stairs.
Riley is 99% deaf. The only thing he occasionally hears is a loud clap or bark from Roman or Lucy. He is very adept at reading lips and following sign language.
His other senses aren't as sharp as they used to be either. His night vision is poor, he doesn't always see food that has dropped on the floor, and he can't sniff out his favorite treats anymore.
Not in the too-distant past, Riley could easily walk two miles through Hudson Springs Park with me. Now on a good day, he can walk 1/4 mile at a very slow pace. He still loves his walks however short they may be.
Riley has always been a jumper. The breeder we got him from named him Tigger. And believe it or not, he can still jump when I'm getting his food into his bowl or I'm dissecting a rotisserie chicken. Thank you Carpofen.
My sweet boy has always loved being right by my side at all times. That hasn't changed. The difference is that at least two or three times a day he loses track of me and starts to panic. Sometimes I'll duck into the bathroom and he doesn't see me exit. He'll run into the kitchen, then the foyer, then maybe upstairs if I don't catch him in time. I can't call him because he can't hear. I know it's not funny, but sometimes it makes me chuckle.
One of the biggest changes I've noticed is that Riley sleeps more, and he gets into a very deep sleep, especially at night. Sometimes in the morning, I have to shake him hard to wake him up. I'm not going to lie, I wish I could sleep like that.
As I write this, Riley is in his usual spot. On duty, awake, and watching me for signs that I might get up and go downstairs. I say hello, Boo. I call him Boo.
I have begun to feel guilty if I need to run from one floor to the other because he'll always get up and follow me. Then I re-think it and reason that it's giving him more exercise that way.
So if you have been wondering how Riley is doing, for 101, he's great! Do I wish he was a puppy again, you better believe it. But I tell him all the time that I'm not as young as I used to be either. We are growing old together and we will take it one day at a time.
He's still as handsome as ever.
You don't have to wonder...yes, I am crying as I type this.
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