Junebug enjoys daily 23-hour naps on her Daddy’s bed — and pillow.
Hi, hi, HI! My name is Junebug, and I’m a little dog who owns two people you may know. You might call them Sherri and Mike, but I call them Mommy and Daddy when I bark at them. I’ve owned them for 16 years now, and that’s something like 112 years in a dog’s life, so Daddy asked me to write this story about what it’s like to get old.
I thought he was talking about himself being old, because he’s wrinkled and gray-haired now, but I figured out that he was talking about me, and ...
BARK BARK BARK BARK!!!!!!!!
Okay, I’m sorry, but I saw a squirrel in my backyard, and I HATE them because they chatter when I’m trying to take a nap, so I had to bark them away.
Wait — you think I don’t consider Mommy and Daddy MY owners? Well, why should I? Take a look at my life: I don’t pay for my food or my toys. When I’m hungry, they feed me. When I’m tired, I sleep on their bed or their couch. When I need to poop, they open the back door, I do my business, and when I’m done, they put it in a little plastic bag and keep my yard clean. I don’t do anything, and they do all the work.
So — who owns who? Yep. I am their owners.
But I pay them back. Whenever it rains, or thunders, or lightnings, I BARK and WHIMPER and even TREMBLE. Not because I’m afraid — not me! — NO, I’m warning them that the SKY is about to explode and they need to be careful. And when squirrels or deadly birds come close to my house, I BARK.
It’s hard work, but they’re worth it.
But I’m supposed to tell what it’s like to be a “senior” dog. Look, it’s not hard. The main thing is to pay attention to your pup-dog (or kitty-cat). Has anything changed? Are they eating and drinking? Are they limping, or acting like they don’t want to move? Do they yelp when they eat, like something hurts their teeth? Do they shake their heads, or paw at their ears? Does their poop (or pee) look different? Do they cough? Do they have any bumps or lumps or sores? Do their eyes water? Do they limp or whine when they walk or run?
If any of that happens, you can visit somebody named Doctor Google, but it’s a lot better to find a dog-doctor you trust, and take me (or your dog) in for a check-up. They listen to my heart thump-thump, and they listen to me breathe, and then they stick things — well, I don’t even want to talk about THAT. But they just make sure I’m all right.
June is very proud of her Medal for Bravery (it’s a rabies tag, but we don’t tell her that).
Old dogs can develop problems, let me tell you. I’m something called a Jack Russell. I don’t know anybody named Russell, or Jack, so I don’t know what that means. But I have a long back, so dogs like me can get spine problems when they grow older. Something called Arthur Eye Tiss [Editor: arthritis, an inflammation of the spinal vertebrae, which ...] HEY — who’s telling my story, you or me? Anyway, sometimes my back flares up, so we go to the dog-doctor, who gives me candy that I take with my food. Also, my Mommy and Daddy have made steps that I climb to get up and down from the bed or couch, and don’t strain my back. Why, they even carry me up and down the steps when we go to bed upstairs!
So, what I’m trying to tell you is that ...
BARK BARK BARK!!!!!!!!
Oh, that was the mail person. I always scare them away, but they still come back.
Let’s talk about my favorite thing: FOOD. Smart dogs like me know that if anything falls onto the floor there’s a good chance it might be food, so I gobble it down. But sometimes, I get a tummy ache, and even get diria [Editor: diarrhea, a common digestive system complaint, which can be caused by ...]
Stop interrupting! If my stomach aches for more than a day, or I stop eating, the dog-doctor can run tests and maybe give me a bottle of candy. [Editor: Junebug means antibiotics or anti-inflammatories to calm the digestive system.] But sometimes, I need to change my diet, and for older dogs they have special dog food, and it will make you feel better really fast!
I could say lots more, but it’s time for another nap. Your people have to pay attention, make sure you feel good, and take you to the dog-doctor for your check-up and shots.
I can’t read the label, but Mommy says she feeds me something called Hill’s Science Diet, which helps old dogs, but they make all kinds and flavors. You can ask Doctor Google, or the dog-doctor.
While I’m talking about food, I should talk about teeth. Dogs can’t hold teeth-brushes because we don’t have thumbs. And if we get holes in our teeth called cavities, they HURT, but dog-dentists don’t fill them. Instead, they make you go to sleep and they pull the bad teeth. That can be a real problem with old dogs, because some dogs don’t wake up! [Editor: older dogs sometimes have serious reactions to anesthesia, so always consult with your veterinarian.]
So, take care of your pup-dog’s teeth. My mommy even brushes my teeth — with dog toothpaste and a special brush. I don’t mind — it tastes good!
Older dogs can get also problems with their eyes. One day, the dog-doctor shined a light AS BRIGHT AS THE SUN into my eyes and told me I had cat-racks [Editor: Junebug has cataracts, a clouding of the lens]. Let me tell you, that can make it harder to see, but I’m not blind. If you’re lucky, wherever you live might have an op ... opth ... opthlama — well, it’s a special dog-eye-doctor that can treat cat-racks or other problems with your eyes.
Oh, and I mentioned ears? If I start shaking my head, or tilting it, or scratching at my ears, I might have an ear infection, or tiny bugs called mites that itch! But don’t worry, the dog-doctor can treat that, too, with ear drops. Those are cold!
And old dogs can lose their hearing. Mine is still good, and I can hear things my owners can’t. Sometimes I’ll sit and stare at a corner, and they will say, “Junebug, what in the world do you hear?” and I won’t say anything, and it really spooks them after a while! They’ll say, “Do you hear something IN THE WALL??” and so I like to do that a lot!
The main thing is to take your vasinations. [Editor: Oh, you know what she means.] The dog-doctor gives you shots — and they don’t really hurt, but I like to yelp so Mommy and Daddy feel sorry for me — so you don’t get sick with rabies and other bad things. That’s real important if you get around other dogs, like in a kennel when Mommy and Daddy go on vacation, since you can get diseases from them. The other pup-dogs, I mean. Not Mommy and Daddy.
But after you get your shots, they give you a medal to wear on your collar! They said mine honored my “extreme bravery” for that time I rescued all those children from the school fire. I sometimes think they are pulling my leg — HA, I told a dog joke there! — because I don’t remember that. But I AM brave about keeping those dangerous squirrels away.
As I grow older, I like to sleep a lot, and I don’t have a problem with that, but Mommy takes me outside, even when it’s raining or my favorite shows are on MeTV — like Lassie or Perry Mason, so I will get some exercise. They don’t walk me around the block anymore, because I don’t like to put Mommy or Daddy on a leash, and I’d jump this way and that way, yanking them around, and they looked silly.
Okay, whew, I could say lots more, but it’s time for another nap. Your people have to pay attention, make sure you feel good, and take you to the dog-doctor for your check-up and shots. So, I’d — BARK BARK BARK!!! — oh, more squirrels! Can’t I get any rest at all??
A pet is a major commitment; don’t adopt one unless you’re prepared to pay for their food and healthcare. Pets aren’t toys to be discarded when you tire of them. Please consider adoption and rescue agencies, the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County, and Memphis Animal Services if you’d like a furry friend. Our city has many excellent veterinarians; ask other pet-owners for recommendations. For food, treats, and other needs, Hollywood Feed offers almost anything you require. Prescription meds — including flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives — are available from your veterinarian or online at chewy.com.
