Aging

Lucy is aging. But as all dog owners know, watching age hit your favorite hound is hard. Her hearing is definitely waning. When she sleeps, she's out. Laying in the back yard soaking up winter sun rays is a pleasant experience; she doesn't feel the need to wander out of the yard although the gate may be open. Look at that beautiful white muzzle.

Her tripping continues and recently, tripping off her front leg has nearly brought her to the ground. Growing up we had a great old hound named Clem. He was an enthusiastic sneezer and I remember once he sneezed with such gusto, he hit his chin on the sidewalk and broke off a tooth. With Lucy's tripping, I'm afraid this might be a similar fate. It shocks me when it happens. There she is trotting along and all of a sudden, she crumples. She's back up rapidly and continues along. I have to remember that for her, it's merely an inconvenience. For me, it's a sign of something I'd hoped was a long, long way off.