They say ‘you can’t teach an old
dog new tricks’, but how old is old in doggy years? Today our dog Mini
celebrates her 5th birthday and in just the same way I have an ever
increasing spattering of grey hairs on my head her chin is flecked in white, so
is she now old?
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| Baby face www.frenchvillagediaries.com |
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| New Trick www.frenchvillagediaries.com |
Using good old Google I found
myself on the Pedigree Dog Age Calculator page and at five years old Mini is 40
in human years and is considered an adult – next year at six, she will be 47
and considered a senior! I guess just like me she is middle aged rather than
old, which also explains how over Christmas we were able to teach her a new
trick. Clever Mini will now sit and give her paw, although somewhat hesitantly
and only for food, it is still a real breakthrough for a dog who doesn’t normally
like her paws touched. She still enjoys a good sprint across the fields
following the scents of deer, hare, heron and grouse and at any opportunity
will charge down the garden chasing and retrieving her ball/shoe/non-squeaking
squeaky toy.
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| Catch! www.frenchvillagediaries.com |
Chewing is still one of her favourite things and over the years
she has eaten her way through a number of things including my feather duster, a
couple of chair legs and Grandpa’s artisan made saucisson (over Christmas). She
loves to travel with us, has her own safe space in the car and we don’t hear a
sound from her, even for the twelve hour drive to the UK.
We certainly hope there will be
plenty of life in the old dog yet! Happy Birthday Mini you have given us many smiles.
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| Walkies! www.frenchvillagediaries.com |
Being of Royal blood, hard to let help touch the paw.
ReplyDeleteYou should see the look she gives us - you must be right!
DeleteOur old dog Ben used to do this trick, but only in French! He was taught it by a French student with the key-words `Donnes la patte!` and to say `Give us your paw would earn only a puzzled look!
ReplyDeleteAh, bless!
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