55+
profile
Man’s Best Friend Ages Too As Bailey ages, I notice he’s become set in his ways, a creature of habit, not unlike his human counterparts By Nancy Haus
M
an has traditionally are neutered at around 6 months, that as soon as we got home. Six months seemed a little young to be neutered c l a i m e d t h e d o g a s didn’t give us much time. his best friend. And We all felt sad that he had to compared to his human counterpart, why not? They define have a surgical procedure and, of but we decided he wasn’t going to unconditional love: a pal, a buddy course, I — the mom — got roped into become a daddy, just our pal. A yellow Labrador and golden who misses you as much for the taking him to the vet. He stayed for few minutes you go out to get the the day and then it took a few days retriever mix with a lot of creamnewspaper as he does if you’re gone to recuperate. When I picked him colored fur, we chose the perfect name for a week. up, he seemed a little lethargic and immediately. It would be “Bailey,” as He doesn’t get mad or try to get disoriented, just like I do after having in Bailey’s Irish Cream. We went through the trials back at you if you forget to feed him or a surgical procedure, and he slept and tribulations of raising a if you ignore him, and he’ll newborn but potty training sit at your feet or cuddle was the hardest. We never with you with no need for quite figured out whether he commitment. He smiles and didn’t get it or we didn’t get sometimes looks sad, but he it. It took quite awhile for always loves you. And who him to get the hang of it, and can beat that? he much preferred doing his We knew the moment thing inside — preferably on we saw him that he was the rug — and particularly in the perfect addition to our winter. We had many heart-tofamily and that we had hearts about it. Barking was his to share our home with other (annoying) problem, and him. At 4 or 5 months old, at age 14, he still barks, at times we were truly bringing a for no apparent reason. trembling baby home from As a puppy, Bailey ran the hospital. We took turns through the house with my holding him tightly in the sons chasing after him. With car to help him feel more so much energy, he’d run secure; he seemed confused so fast that he’d slide on the about where he was headed hardwood floors and hit his with this bunch of strangers head on the brick kitchen who’d taken him from his wall. He probably had many crate full of buddies. concussions over the years. He’d had his shots so As my kids grew and left we didn’t have to put him for college, and my husband through that ordeal. But we left for a new life, it was just quickly decided as a family Bailey and me, and he became that it would be best to have Fourteen-year-old Bailey has been with the author’s my protector. He slept in my him neutered. Since males family since he was 4 or 5 months old. 32
55 PLUS - March / April 2011