Posted on 07/17/2007 3:42:49 PM PDT by Lokibob
1992
I decided to write this tribute to my dog Crystal. She is now 15, going on 16. That is 112 in dog years. But instead of tallying it in dog years, I prefer to say I am 462 doggy years old.
Crystal is a Lab-Samoyed mix and 100% love.
In 1992, I was deeply involved in a divorce, and in my depression, I remember saying to my son Zack …”I do not want any women or dogs in this house”.
About 2 weeks later, Zack came home with a little fur ball. He dates her for a couple of weeks. So much for women around the house. Then his cousin gave him Crystal.
She has a pink nose, and long white fur, however, when she gets wet, the golden lab marking appear along her sides.
Zack brought her to the Great Salt Lake Beach for a kite festival and a dog Frisbee catching contest. Now, Crystal had never seen a Frisbee, so he didn’t enter her in the contest, but he registered her with the Salt Lake Animal Control so he could get a free Frisbee.
Crystal is a few months old, and had carved a place in my heart when Zack announced that he wanted to go into the military and could I watch her for a couple of months. Ya, sure….
My next door neighbor had a black lab, Crystals best friend. His name was Smoky, and it was really funny. They would sit on the front lawn, side by side. If there was a noise, both heads would turn to look, like a dog and her shadow. Smoky moved away when Crystal was about 5 years old.
Crystal, by this time knew a bunch of tricks, like shake, give me 5 and some of her animal body parts. I’d say “Where is your pit?”, and she would raise her front leg (so I’d rub her pit), or I would say “Look at your butt,”, and she would turn around and look at the rear end. . Of course, sit, lie down and roll over was in her list.
She would sneeze on command as well as yawn. BUT….The real trick was…
I would say “Dance like the girls at the Dead Dog Saloon”.. and Crystal would promptly hump my leg. This was a funny trick down at the Dead Dog Saloon except, for some reason, the ladies at the Dead Dog didn’t appreciate it.
My taking a shower had always confused her. I can see it in her eyes. She just can not wrap the doggy mind around the fact that I take off my outer coat and then get into the shower.
Once, I was getting into the shower, but first I had to clean out the drain. So…. Naked… I was on my knees over the tub, doing the drain cleaning, when Crystal took the opportunity to greet me doggy style.
Imagine, a cold nose taking a sniff on an unsuspecting me.
One day, about a year after the kite festival, I got a phone call from the Salt Lake Animal Control. “Do you still have the Samoyed?” I said yes, and the lady said ‘ We are searching for a Samoyed that will catch a Frisbee, to use as a stand-in for another dog in a major movie”.
WOW, Crystals chance to become a movie star. She could buy her own dog food. I told the lady that she was not well trained but I would work on it over the weekend and get back to her.
With visions of megabucks dancing in my head, I went down to the store and bought some Frisbees and some chicken stock. I figured she might appreciate the smell of chickens better than plastic. HOWEVER, I forgot the old saying “White dogs don’t jump!” Crystal also knew that if she waited long enough, a Frisbee would hit the ground and she could go over to it, and lick off the chicken broth. Faded dreams of immortality.
If I accidentally left her outside when it started raining and got wet, when I brought her in, she would promptly run into the bathroom, and pull the towel off the rack, drag it out to me, so I could dry her.
When Crystal was about 10 years old, she had a mid life crisis. All of a sudden she would not obey me if I called her…. Except when I called her “Smoky”. I’d say “Here Crystal, and nothing, but if I said “Here Smoky“, she would happily come to me. This lasted about 2 months, and she was adamant about me calling her “Smoky”. Finally she started answering to Crystal again.
When I go to bed, Crystal waits until I get in the hall. I open my legs and she runs through them into the bedroom. She never was a “bed sleeper”, but would sleep on the floor at the foot of my bed.
She helps around the house with chores. She pre-washes the dishes before they go into the dish washer. (I can hear you all now, EWWWWW!!!!). LOL, she pre-washes the dishes, but it is very difficult for her, because she has no opposable thumbs.
Now she is 15 years old, and spends most of her day conserving her energy (read sleeping).
She has gone stone cold deaf, a genetic trait I did not know. From what I read, white dogs seem to go deaf in their older age. As most of my readers know, I am having difficulty with my eyes, so, it is pretty funny to see a blind guy trying to lead a deaf dog.
Since she has gone deaf, it is very difficult to make her understand the tricks I want her to do, so I don’t make her perform very often, and only the tricks that she can understand with hand signals.
All during this “Crystal Biography“, I have spoken of Crystal in the past tense. That is because, in her old age she is hardly the dog she once was. I also wanted to write this happy biography rather than a sad obituary.
In addition, her hips seem to be going away. Stairs have always been difficult for her, but lately I have to lift her hind legs up so she can scamper up them. She is still very healthy, but I know that our time together is not very long. I try to get her through the seasons, one season at a time.
.....Bob
Doggie prayers.
My three girls (2 yorkies and a pom) have really helped me with 'empty nest'. Nothing like unconditional love a dog can give.........
I have two old dogs, Tut and Ra, who now wait at the back of my truck for me to lift them up to go for a ride. (to see my dogs,click on my name)
There is nothing like a loyal dog.
Give your dogs a nice ear rub from me.
.....Bob
I'd like to post a story I'd written many years after my own dog passed on. (Just for later on, though).
See post 5
....Bob
We found that giving her glucosamine and chondroiten (sp?) helped her to run about as if she was still a puppy.
Crystal is beautiful.
She was *great* on the rebound.
Scratch Crystals ears for me, and tell her an old dog lover wishes her well from deep in the swamps of Georgia.
Our story of losing our girl of 14 years, and getting a little ball of lightning after we couldn’t stand the quiet in the house are detailed here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1777582/posts
A couple of things that might help your baby? The glucosamine/condrotin idea is worth trying- some people swear the addition of MSM and Yucca extract ( you find it in horse medicine ) makes a bigger difference.
Ramps, if you can fit them, are easier for an old dog to negotiate, and carpeting ( indoor-outdoor for outside ) either the steps or ramp may also help.
Dogs tend to lose their hearing as they grow older. Take her to the vet regularly and get blood tests to maintain her health and keep her going.
If I accidentally left her outside when it started raining and got wet, when I brought her in, she would promptly run into the bathroom, and pull the towel off the rack, drag it out to me, so I could dry her.
No way!
She has gone stone cold deaf, a genetic trait I did not know. From what I read, white dogs seem to go deaf in their older age.
I didn't know this. I have an old white German shepherd. You're right, He is deaf and going blind.
I try to get her through the seasons, one season at a time.
Ha! *smiling*
You are a big sweety!
I have my old guy on one anti-inflammatory a day, and he's more comfortable, and happier. You might want to ask your vet. As far as I know, it is the same stuff they give humans, but don't quote me on that.
Here's a picture of my old guy taken a couple of years ago.
.
Backhoe, are you feeding the Main Stream Media (MSM) to your new puppy?
Shame on you!
LOL! Sorry, couldn’t resist. ;-)
How’s the canine Circular Saw?
Thank you for sharing your wonderful dog with us.
It was a labor of love, and as I said, I’d rather write a biography, than an obitury. Besides, it will be incorporated into my autobiography in the works.
BTW, part of it (Greenland) is in my FR profile (click on my name below).
...Bob
Thank you so very much for sharing that.
I am crying now.... happy tears.
Think I will go sit on the couch with my two dogs.
All the best to you and Crystal.
Thank you for pointing me to your homepage, you were a busy young man.
You may have served with my brother, I will show him your page, when he next visits me.
Our pets are special and important parts of our lives.
Samoyed dogs are different, a more basic dog, or the ones that I have owned were.
Smart, oh so smart, Snowball and Fluffy wore out the seats on the dunebuggy, by sitting in it, so that if it headed to the desert, they would be ready and not miss out on the trip.
Last evening, he met a tiny little black boy who was peddling a trike down the sidewalk-- many puppy kisses from him, and giggles from the little guy on the trike...
...but I still haven't cured him of stealing rags out of my back pocket, yet...
His "Mother" claims he learned pickpocketing when he was in stir at Animal Control, but I think he was born a sneak thief...
Just found this. Enjoyed your tribute.
You need to investigate rimadyl, it can make those achey hips feel much better.
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