Archie finds it very difficult to get about these days. We had a scare with him last year, when we thought we’d lost him but we were able to pull him through the worst of old dog vestibular syndrome (odvs). Since then though, his life has changed. He struggles to get about, from a combination of arthritic stiffness and his lack of balance caused by the odvs.

We’ve had the “what do we do?”, “what’s the right thing for him?” conversations with the vet and his response is that as long as he can do the doggie triangle of getting from his bed to his meal and then outside to do doggie business then he’s not yet at the point where it’d be kinder to him to do the worst.

He manages the triangle with a differing levels of aplomb and competence. Some days he can’t manage to eat while on his feet, others he struggles past our (rather fierce) step into the house from the garden. Today though he’s been perky so we’ve had him out in the field for exploration. To be honest, the length of the grass and the flowering/seeding sorrel has proven difficult for him but overall he’s enjoyed the trip well enough.

The photo isn’t great but its subject matter is deeply important to me. He’s my boy. He’s not been the easiest dog to love, nor has he ever completely got over the spooks of his life before we took him on, but he wormed his way into my heart and now I find myself looking at him each day with a mix of fear and anguish. Is he alive when I go downstairs in the morning? (Long gone are the days when he would sleep on the landing.) Can he get up to go out first thing? (Again, long gone are the days where he would wait at the door to go out.) Has he got himself stuck somewhere that he can’t find a way out from? (Not an easy one this, he does NOT like being helped one bit.)

Is he happy? This is the key. As long as he seems to enjoy his triangle, I’m happy to watch it get smaller and less frequent. When he’s lost the pleasure in it then it’s going to be time to help him on his way with love and dignity. So, his photo in the sorrel is important to me.