Everyone warned me about getting a puppy at my age
- col-lee-elliot-aging-graciously
- July 17, 2023
- 426
Willow is 6 months old this week. My blue merle female Rough Collie weighs 40 pounds, her shoulder is about at my knee, her coat is still shiny and fluffy, and her sweet little face knocks me out every time I look into her eyes. Playing is her main goal in life. Mr. Bill, the only stuffed being that has survived teething, is her favorite toy. He cries, “Oh, no,” when she squeezes him, sometimes for what seems like hours.
When I am not available for play, she plays with grumpy Sam, the Yorkie, or her best friend Kitten, the domesticated feral cat. The rest of the time, she entertains herself chewing, fetching, and carrying rugs, blankets and towels outside. She obeys commands, unless there are deer at the fence, and has been pretty much house-broken since the day she moved in. I did not count on the fact she loves to dig, eats the raspberries off the bushes and can jump into the 3-foot-high garden boxes but not into the car.
Everyone warned me about getting a puppy at my age. All of the what-ifs sounded ominous, being tripped and falling, being pushed down, not having the energy to train. I’m so glad I ignored them. I have found new strength in handling Willow and great joy in watching her grow. She sits for brushing every day and doesn’t mind having her teeth cleaned or her nails trimmed.
I cannot imagine life without dogs and cats. From my first dog when I was 5 to this very minute, I have rarely been without either. When I lost my last Collie and Yorkie, I tried to fill the void with brother and sister Yorkies. The little girl’s early loss left Sam, who is still with me, devastated, and me needing that big Collie. I waited two years for just the right girl, Willow. The family who breeds these Collies is warm and loving and socializes their puppies. I can’t say enough good about the way they care for them.
Many of my friends feel they are too old for a pet. Absolutely true, they interrupt your life, and their needs have to come before yours. I know that for some, health or traveling are often factors, and truly, there is usually some — make that a lot — of extra cleaning, but for me, the benefits far outweigh the problems. These creatures have so much love to give and give it so unconditionally.
I like to tell people who think they can’t manage a dog or cat to get a small pet, a bird or a goldfish. You might not think you can get much love from a fish, but they know it’s you who comes to the bowl, and they swim right over to you. Give it a name and you’re hooked.
There is so much loneliness in the world. Why not give a place in your home and in your heart to a special little — or big if you are strong enough — creature that can bring you so much joy in return?