What Breeds Have You Had. . .

[Leah82]

We had the very definition of a mutt growing up (beagle, border collie and dachshund were in there to name a few). He died at about 16 and from memory he started slowing with arthritis down around 12.

My inlaws put down their cocker this week at about 15 and a half, from what I've been told she slowed around 12 as well. They probably left it a bit late to PTS though as they had to make a rush call to the Vet after she lost the use of her back legs this week despite years of chronic ear infections, deafness, dementia and heart problems

Ours are nearly 6 and 8 and aren't showing any signs of slowing down (expect at night time for Collie with his PRA). I suspect Sarah will take awhile to slow down as with her past she hasn't had much use of her joints up until now.

[Perry's Mum]

A corgi- Flash Harry - who was about 14 when he started slowing down and 15 when he died. Amber a border collie X was of unknown age but the vet thought she was about 15 - never slowed down and died of cancer about a year after I got her. Perry the Koolie is almost 11 and just beginning to slow down. Friskie the Koolie is 12 1/2 and shows no signs of slowing down. I know some other Koolies who are in their early 20s.

[littleduck]

I posted earlier about my old Dalmatian, here he is almost 14 years old.... very slow and going blind. We keep him calm and quiet, and give him plenty of love.

[MsKatie]

Heeler x - PTS at about 11 - cancer, staffy x - PTS at 16 - slowed down about 13 and started showing signs of age, kelpie x shepherd (?) - PTS - 14 - arthritis and aging signs about 12 but still enjoyed a bitey face with the kelpie pup when we brought her home. Currently - Bloodhound is 4, kelpie is 5 - think the bloodhound will slow down much sooner than the kelpie.

[nickyp]

Indi (kelpie x) is coming up to 14 (a guess because she's a rescue) and we've had her for 13 years. She's started to show her age in the last wo years. Physically, apart from a mild heart murder and deafness, she's in excellent condition. I think the deafness has made her anxious and she has slowed down a lot. She falls asleep whenever she sits still for more than five minutes.

Emmylou (kelpie x acd) will turn 13 on new years eve. She's still as bright as a button and we joke that she thinks she's still a puppy! She's always up for a game. Unfortunately her body is giving out. She has arthritis and bulging discs in her back and needs regular cartrophen injections and daily antiinflammatories to keep her moving.

[halfthewords]

Our first Bichon Frise was around 10 when she started to slow down, and died when she was just over 12. She had heart problems and a bad knee besides.

Unrelated, but my beautiful Rory pictured below was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma at only 1.5 years old and was PTS last year 12/12/12... I can't believe it's been a year already.

[Guest Clover]

Love the oldies.

[Kirislin]

AS an adult I've only had whippets and a whippet IG cross. Only the whippets have been with me to old age. Kiri and Iris both were put down within 5 weeks of each other at 12 years old. Iris had heart problems, and Kiri had liver diesase. I consider they died young.

Now I have 5 aging whippets, Penny at 14years 7mths is the oldest dog I've had. She's on meds for arthritis and is now thin and frail and her voice is a whisper, but she'll still instigate a game with the new puppy.

Kibah is almost 14 and physically could probably pass for a much younger dog, perhaps about 8yo? But she's gone deaf and does some odd things sometimes. Her appetite is good though so I'm actually letting her build up a bit of fat, not much, but just in case she goes off her food for a few days like Penny sometimes does, she'll have a bit in reserve.

Her daughter Feather is almost 12 and apart from a very grey face looks very good. She's not deaf or senile and is actually learning something new, to play. She's never been one to play with other dogs but since I got my puppy she's very gradually coming round to the concept.

The 2 boys Tag and Puck are Pennys sons. They just turned 9 in Sept and have started going grey in the face, but are still healthy and playful, much like their mother was until she got to about 11 1/2 so I hope they'll continue on for a while.

[cali]

Misty-border collie-nuts till the day she died(10-cancer)

Happy-border collie-she is 13 and the only reason she is slow right now is cuz she blew out her knee acting like an idiot.

Ladybug-collie x- really couldnt say as i didnt get her till she was 12... she remained the way she was at that time till about 2 months before she died at 15.

Rusty-JRT X- he has slowed down recently, he is nearing 11

Baby-Toller- shes almost 8 and no less crazy currently lol

The rest of my dogs are 1 and 2 years old ATM so cant answer this yet lol

[mita]

Sheltie, Shelley, from an excellent Qld registered breeder, age 15 yrs. Healthy all her long life, only deterioration in her last year. General aging. Her coat & colouring stayed beautiful right to the end. Even the pet cremation people remarked on how gorgeous she still was. They made a fan, tied with yellow ribbon, of samples of all the colour shades in her coat.

Danny, little tri-colour rescue Sheltie. Age not certain. A true heart dog, nicknamed Saint Danny. Died at age 13 yrs (approx), after series problems with pancreatitis.

Tibbie, Gracie, from an excellent NSW breeder, taken too soon at age 11 yrs. Perfectly healthy except for an infected anal gland that was healing. A vet prescribed a certain antibiotic because it was still a bit pink. The tibbie had an allergic reaction to this medication & died.

Tibbie, Angel, from an excellent Qld breeder, healthy all her life. At age 14 yrs, she was devoted to the above 'sister', tibbie. When that one died suddenly she descended into a grief that wouldn't go away. Old-fashioned as it sounds, many people said she died of a broken heart.

Little black mixed breed, Tessa, rescued as a puppy thrown from a car. Looked like a poodle crossed with a tibbie (but could've been anything).

Lived until nearly 23 yrs of age. Only behaved like an 'old' dog from age 19 yrs. At age 13 yrs, she got the nickname, Grandma, which became her official name, even on her council registration.

Edited December 6, 2013 by mita

[Guest Ams]

Sabrina, Doberman 10yrs, euth'd after biting a child. She had been attacked by another dog that week and I had an overseas student + baby staying with me, who let the baby near Sabrina whilst she was recovering. Baby fell over and landed on her injury, she snapped instinctively, thankfully pulled the bite or the child would have lost it's face. Left bruises from teeth under both eyes and chin of baby. Not the dog's fault but as I wasn't allowed to euth the baby and the mother couldn't be trusted to keep them separated I had no other option.

Baci, Shar Pei, died of necrotising pneumonia post surgery.

Ziva, Shar Pei, euth'd at 8 months. She had hip displaysia in both hips, elbow displaysia in both elbows and luxating patellas.

Anishinaaabe, Shar Pei euth'd at 18 months. She was frightened of everything. Life was 50 first dates. She would forget who I was if I left the room, would eat the walls if left alone but would fight other dogs (to the point of massive injuries) if left with them. I actually sold my house in inner Brisbane and purchased acreage to try and give her quality of live but it didn't work.

Asante sana, Shar Pei. euth'd at 4.5yrs.- Amyloidosis (end stage renal failure)

Askari, Shar Pei. euth'd at 5.5yrs - Insulanoma.

I always think a Shar Pei "use by date" is 6 years. Between 6 - 10 years you count your blessings and if you manage to have a Shar Pei over 10 then treasure every moment. I have rehomed a 15 yr old who lived another 12 months. He was bright, happy and just as obstinate as any youngun.

Edited December 6, 2013 by Ams

[Quickasyoucan]

My crossbreed - staffy x bc or kelpie is prob nearly 11. Still crazy but does get a bit sore if he overdoes it. Has had a few stomach issues but definitely does not act like an old dog yet. Still hates skateboards and loves to play ball at any opportunity!!! Only started going grey this year

[labadore]

Have only ever had Labradors and lost the youngest boy at 10 years of age to Cancer, girl 13.5 yrs to Kidney disease, oldest boy at 15 years of age and my current oldest lab boy is 15.5 years old and still going strong, walks every day, plays bitey face with my youngster (4 years old) everyday, chews on sticks and cardboard treats my youngster brings to him and still jumps around all excited at meal times :laugh: .

My other boy who I lost to 15 was very active right up to his 15th birthday, his stamina was amazing, he gave a lot of dogs half his age a run for their money, he hardly had any grey and was mistaken for anywhere between 7/8 years old and people would get a real shock when they asked me his age. He kept up with my younger dogs and often out walked, outran and out jumped them :laugh: Because of his activity levels and lack of grey it was very easy to forget how old he was, so when he did get ill and old age caught up with him at 15 years of age, it was sudden and unexpected.

My current 15.5 year old boy is still the boss and my youngster still adores him and respects him and gets bumped out of the way at the water bucket when my old boy wants a drink :laugh: and if the youngster lies on one of the old boys beds around the house and the old boy wants to lie on the one the youngster happens to be lying on, he walks up to the bed and the youngster jumps off and makes way for him :laugh: He suffers from arthritis, but is on catrophen injections, daily jointguard powder and fish oil capsules which all help keep him comfortable and he still loves his daily walks, and whilst his hearing has gone and eyesight not great, his sense of smell is as strong as ever. He can still clamber, sometimes with help from me, up onto the couch each night so he can be close/snuggle up with me, he runs pretty fast to out the door at meal times and jumps around all excited. He can still manage to cock his leg sometimes out on our walks and it makes me smile.

One of the reasons I love Labradors so much are their energy levels and their infectious, joyous enthusiasm for life, even well into old age. Whilst age may ultimately ravage their bodies and curtail their energy levels somewhat, their beautiful, legendary temperaments, joy of life, undying devotion and healthy appetites are with them their entire lives. :) Love my breed and I feel blessed that 2 of my boys have made it to 15 years of age and pray and hope my youngster does to.

[fluff1234]

We have had a cocker spaniel growing up, not sure what age he passed as I was younger, I am not even sure what he passed from.

We had two puppy farm labs then, the ones from the large pet store where they are all behind glass frames

I was again young and my mum bought them, they had LOTS of medical issues and both passes around 8-9 yrs old but again not sure.

I have had a rescue samoyed and a sammy pup, sadly we had to rehome, as we were emigrating and the older one was 11 and couldnt cope with the UK heat, I see in my mind he will always live, on the beach with the woman who just lost her elderley dog and whom he seemed to pick ( we personally rehomed them with help from rescue as we helped out the rescue from time to time and knew them personally)

[Adnil444]

My Mini Dachshund was a week shy of her 20th. She never slowed down

The Mini Foxy is 21 and a bit stiff in the mornings but he still plays with the Shihtzu.

The Golden is 13 and still a loony.

Wow - your dogs' ages are terrific - great to hear. They obviously have a wonderful life with you. :)

[Blackdogs]

My Mini Dachshund was a week shy of her 20th. She never slowed down

The Mini Foxy is 21 and a bit stiff in the mornings but he still plays with the Shihtzu.

The Golden is 13 and still a loony.

Wow - your dogs' ages are terrific - great to hear. They obviously have a wonderful life with you. :)

Yes. I want to know the secret.