I love dogs. They’re beautiful animals. They can add so much fun and joy to a person’s life that it’s impossible to describe – unless you’ve ….. been there, done that.
They show unquestionable and unwavering love and affection. Our 11 year-old Golden Retriever is no exception. On second thought, maybe he IS the exception, because he’s SO SMART, so obedient, so loving, and so well mannered. I absolutely love this dog. Not as much as the people in my family, mind you, and not at all in the same way, but if you’re a dog owner – and a dog lover – I’m sure you understand.
The average life expectancy of a Golden Retriever is 12 years. Mine is 11.
I remember buying this dog (a puppy) from a breeder, surprising my son, who was 8 years old at the time, as a companion for an only child. My son is 18, almost 19, and will be going off to college in late August. Our dog has provided years of joy, loyalty, and companionship. He’s gone on mountain hikes with us, swam in lakes and ponds, spent hours upon hours playing fetch, laid at our feet and licked our faces, and he’s forgiven us with doggie-love whenever we’ve left him in the back yard during a storm.
He’s obviously hurting, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. He struggles to get up, but he instinctively wants to follow us from room to room. He has some other ailments that I won’t get into, but suffice it to say, his better days are behind him.
We could pay to treat those ailments, but it would only delay the inevitable – by how much, who knows? It might, however, improve the quality of life for a while – for our trusted companion.
He relies on us for everything. He’s pretty helpless without us. For centuries we’ve domesticated dogs for our human pleasure and enjoyment. Do we own them anything in return?
Perhaps I should consider this: I can earn $1,500 in [i]X amount of hours[/i]. Is spending that amount of $$ worth the [i]more than X[/i] hours of enjoyment our dog will continue to provide?
As I think out-loud, it might be the best $1,500 I’ve ever spent. He’s going to make it to 16, and I’ll make it as comfortable as possible for him. What it might cost me pales in comparison to what he’s given us.