Today is Tally’s 15th birthday. We’re grateful to still have her with us. This day has crept up on us unexpectedly and all too soon. She’s slowing down. She has aches and pains (don’t we all?). Her sight and sense of smell are failing. She continues to love life and still enjoys doing the things she loves the most: chasing a ball and simply being outdoors. She would be out-of-doors 100% of the time if we allowed it.
Tally has lived longer than her parents, her grandparents, or her littermate. To the best of my knowledge she has lived longer than any of her full or half siblings or cousins. I attribute her longevity to good genes, good luck, our vigilance and attentiveness to her health, the excellent veterinary care she has received from her lifelong vet, Robbie Drell, and her own indomitable spirit.
Here’s another picture of her, this time inside.
Tally at 14½
Tally is 14
Tally at 13
Dog Picture of the Day
The Pack Plays Together
My Girls
Happy Birthday, Tally!
Dogsledding Chicago, 2007
Fall, 2006
A fall hike
Chicagoland Samoyed Club Summer Specialty Show, 2006
Our weekend away
Take your dog to Ben Pao
Chicagoland Samoyed Club 2005 summer specialty show
Snow
Take your dog to dinner
Tally
From my front porch looking in
There are many more posts in which Tally is mentioned (you can search for them in the search bar at the bottom of the page on the right) but those are the ones with pictures. Her life summed up in blog posts.
Tally is lucky to have you as an advocate and friend, Dave.
For all of us who love our dogs (or cats, or …)
In India, an old man who had lived a very long life died. As it happened, his dog, who had been his companion for many, many years, died on the same day.
The old man and his dog arrived at the gates of one of the infinitely many Hindu heavens where Brahma was waiting. Brahma proceeded to question the man about his life. Had he lived his life in simplicity and with charity? Had he striven to repay hostility with kindness? Had he always tried to be truthful. And so on.
The old man answered all of Brahma’s questions as best he could. At the end of the interrogation, Brahma said, “You have answered all the questions and passed the tests. You have lived your life cleaving as close as mortal flesh can to the precepts, all of which come down to the one precept of acting toward others always with loving kindness and compassion. Therefore, you may enter. But your dog cannot. This is a heaven only for people.”
The old man said, “Well, if my dog can’t come in, I won’t come in either.”
Brahma smiled at him and said, “That was the final test. You both may enter.”
I don’t believe the provenance of that story. I think it’s an elaboration of a wisecrack attributed to Will Rogers: “If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
I don’t know if he actually said it but I do agree with the sentiment.
However, it does bring up a subject I don’t think I’ve ever posted on but is definitely post-worthy: how people attribute wisdom. We attribute wisdom to the Greeks and Romans. The Romans attributed wisdom to the Greeks. The Greeks to the Egyptians. I don’t know who the Egyptians attributed ancient wisdom to but I’ll bet they did it. I may try researching it.
I don’t what the provenance of that story is. Does it matter?
Not really. Just remarking.
It’s sort of the equivalent of “Once upon a time”. I find the ways in which stories evolve interesting.
Uh, ‘don’t know’.
@ Dave Schuler
… I don’t know who the Egyptians attributed ancient wisdom to but I’ll bet they did it. I may try researching it.
I have never studied the Egyptians, but I should. Almost 3,000 years of history is amazing. It is humbling.
Lovely- the dog and the bond you have with her.
I don’t know who the Egyptians attributed ancient wisdom to but I’ll bet they did it.
By the end of their run probably to themselves!