Today is Tally’s 14½th birthday and the picture above was taken just a few minutes ago in our backyard.
When people ask how long Samoyeds live, there’s a stock answer: 12 to 14 years. Tally has surprised everyone. She has lived longer than her parents, grandparents, or littermates. I believe she has lived longer than any dog bred by her kennel and they’ve been in operation for 50 years.
She remains in good health considering her advanced age. She has aches and pains, none excessive. She loves playing ball in the backyard (she’s waiting for me to pick up and throw her a ball in the picture above). She has increasing difficulty in finding a ball thrown more than four or five feet from her these days. Some combination of vision and processing.
If we’d let her she’d try to run an agility course. Walking her around the block is about the limit of her strength these days although her spirit, vibrant and eager as ever, pushes her and me to do more.
A couple of times a week I need to feed her by hand. She just doesn’t feel like standing that long. It’s a labor of love I do for an old friend.
Beautiful dog! Older animals, like people, have a certain dignity about them, IMO. Maybe it’s their life experience that gives them an air of gravitas.
We have a 15 year old tabby cat, who is funny, limps a little, is terribly eccentric, and has become the matriarch of the household.
Whatever you’re doing, she looks merry.
That was exactly the expression of hers I wanted to capture. She’s a very mischievous dog. It took me a while to catch that.
This picture also sharpens the difference between her and Sally, the Great Pyrenees.
Jan
We had a buff tabby that made it to 22. Pretty extraordinary.
Recently we got a Havapoo (sp?). Never been a dog person, but I’m dead meat now. Love the dog.
I’m convinced that dogs that live indoors with their “pack” do appreciably better than dogs that don’t. They are social creatures and need that type of interaction.
It is the only real fault dogs have, IMO…that they don’t live all that long.
And the fault that birds have is that they live 50 years.
Drew
We’ve been ‘cat’ people our entire marriage — favor tabbies and main coon cats. 22 years for a cat is really good! The description of ‘buff’ made me laugh, though, as I could picture your cat with muscles like ‘Arnold.’
I don’t know what kind of dog a Havapoo is. But, pets can really grow on you. As a kid I was a dog person. But, had to let that go as my husband just wouldn’t even think of having one around. So, cats and koi fish are it for now.
It’s a “designer dog”, a mixed breed created by mating, presumably, a Havanese (a small dog a bit like a Bichon Frise) with a miniature poodle. Designer dogs can be great dogs. Or not. Since they don’t breed true it’s not really predictable.
Both Maine Coon and tabbies are great cats. I like Burmese, also.
Maine Coons are sort of the dogs of cats (just as Samoyeds are sort of the cats of dogs).
We don’t do “coons” around here.
Dave Schuler
You’re right about Maine Coons being like dogs, if only for their size. They are huge! Our Maine Coon was a favorite, and we called him our ‘Zen” cat, as nothing disturbed him, and he seemed to be in possession of all knowledge. Of course there was a little bit of fanciful displacement going on there.
Thanks for the info on Havapoos, too!
They are huge and handsome. I was a cat person until my husband talked me into parrots.
Animal masters never cease to amaze animal lovers like me. I can imagine the old slavemasters talking drivel about their slaves like this.
Jimbino, your inability to see any relationship as anything other than exploitative is worrisome.
Re: Designer dog
That is exactly correct. The name is unfortunate, but the mix is correct. Obviously a smart dog. As I understand it poodles are relatively smart dogs. But yes, a small fluff ball. Exhibits very characteristic poodle and Havanese traits.
Jan “Buff” tabby is just a variant breed. He thought he was a dog. Big, regal, ruled the roost etc. ive had cats in the house since I was 5 years old. The two best cats I’ve ever had were the buff tabby and a Siamese. When he was young we’d play with a “cat dancer.”. From a sitting position he could jump about 8 feet straight up in the air. Birds beware……