Sucks getting old...

This is Ace...he is the old man of our herd of dogs :) He is ILP'd as a BC, which in reality now that I know more, there is no way in hell the boy is a BC. He has the work ethic of a jelly donut and although he WILL work stock...I think a cocker spaniel could show him up.

But he does try :) He has that going for him!

He is my first agility dog, first obedience dog and the one that got me started in it all...he has many titles...which in my world really don't matter much...they are exciting to get, but not something that is a goal...

He going to be 11 in January and the past year has really aged the old man. He has started having issues with his health and we can see it is really affecting him...He had to stop doing agility due to arthritis, which is just fine and dandy with him. Apparently when he stopped doing agility, he decided there were other things that need to stop....no more listening to the peoples...he isn't deaf (or at least CAN HEAR the damn food bad awfully well!)..he has just decided like older humans...to tell the younger folk to F off...K...well...if I give you a cookie will you listen.....Maybe. Maybe not....probably not. He has also developed some very interesting phobias or "issues"...the biggest (and the one that causes the most issues) is his fear of the fan. Yep--a fan. He hates fans now....to the point that if there is a fan in front of the patio door he will run THROUGH the screen instead of going around it. One would think that a person would learn the first time....well, not Andy apparently. All you have to do is move the fan...just move the fan Andy....seriously. Nope.....and once again he plows into the screen door. NICE. Great job Andy...great job.

He just isn't always with us anymore...off in his land of unicorns and rainbows I suppose. All the other dogs just ignore him...he used to be the alpha man on campus...not anymore...the puppy he helped raise (Zip) has taken over, as alpha and as his protector.

He was THE best puppy raiser..and now with the addition of the two girls, he has passed that torch on as well, preferring to not deal with the girls. He did a great job of raising Zip :) Zip's first time meeting Acer :) It was love at first site.

They were inseparable...best friends. And now I see them drifting apart...he sleeps more and more, is less active and she is in her prime...She will still sleep with him like this...she protects him, keeps the other dogs from bumping into him and in general takes care of the old man... Getting old sucks, what is worse is watching someone get older. Ace is the first dog I have ever had a working relationship with...which is much more than just a "pet dog" relationship...all the highs, all the lows...you share together.

We are trying to enjoy all the moments Ace gives us, all the fun times, all the running through screen doors...all the memories. He is after all the original, and the best :)

Here's to many many more years with you Acer pup!