Old Dog

In his younger years Jaden’s exuberance for life got us both in quite a bit of trouble.  Over the years as he ages,  he has slowly  picked up a few important lessons about life as a dog—-

Not all dogs are friendly.

You do not swallow pennies.

You do  not roll around on your tail unless you do not intend to use it.

You do not jump into a pond while still attached to your owner.

The tree does not move out of your way, you have to do it.

Now that he is  no longer a puppy , he is possibly a bit wiser but definitely crankier.  I guess this behavior is excusable as according to the expert this disposition is normal for “old” dogs.  It is a sign of  low tolerance and lack of patience towards the young.  He certainly has made it clear that he cannot stand foolish behavior.  He has been around our complex long enough and believes he is the alpha dog and will not hesitate to let the others know and respect this fact.  Any time when he walks through the grounds of our town house, he has this air that he is in charge.  Even though he will put up to an extend with the youthful energy and the yappiness of other dogs  but when they act out of hand, he will step in and put them at their places.

One thing I am glad is that even though he is older, his nature has not change much. He is still the same mellow yellow.  At times he might show his annoyance at the other dogs by being aloof, but he does have a tender heart for those who are sick and weak.  There is this new dog Willy who just moved in the area and he is  very sickly and hardly walks.  Every time when our paths crossed  Jaden will slow down his steps with Willy.  And once when we had a sick dog staying with us, he would lie right next to watch over his ailing friend until he finally recovered.

There is this saying that a dog is like his owner, and I do find some similarities between us, such as the fact that I am cranky and will not tolerate the daftness of others.  I do stay away from those who intend to make fools of themselves.  Jaden reminds me that even though old age can get hold of us, it does not necessary change who we are. As we get older, we should get wiser and more loving.  Like a bottle of wine it gets better with age.

The most important thing as I have learned, is that when we do leave ourselves wholly in the Hands of God, some things definitely will change for better.

 

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