Please tell me about your "mature" Springers......

[keeperscottage]

So my lovely Molly Springer was nine at the end of April....she's still crazy and "plugged into the mains", seriously naughty, into everything, a thief, bossy with my other dogs.....but she's NINE now - can't believe it - have a framed photo of her on the mantelpiece of when she was puppy - how time has flown! SO....please tell me about your "mature' Springers! I actually cried (to OH) a few weeks ago because I can't bear the thought of losing her! She's my little friend, snoring by the side of me on the sofa at the moment...

 

[Mince Pie]

Not a springer but I have a nutty Welsh sheepdog who's approaching 8 with no signs of slowing down yet!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Big dog, Brig, was 11 last week. He has developed a bit of an obsession with chasing crows recently, maybe because we have changed where we walk him and there are loads of birds. He's still as active as ever, but has become grumpy and is now a bit funny about being loomed over/picked up. He has developed several fatty lumps, but nothing that affects his movement. He's very food motivated still, loves his walks, no major changes to the way he behaves or anything. He has arthritis in one paw but isn't lame. Pic from yesterday:

I have two littermate springers, too, can't believe they're four next week! I'm holding onto my brother in law's pup for him this week, they're all finally getting on:

I know what you mean about the whole ageing thing, having the puppy has made me realise that my 'youngsters' are no longer youngsters!

Do you have specific worries or is it simply the awareness of time slipping past and the girl is getting older? What has your vet said when he last saw her?

 

[keeperscottage]

Would have posted earlier but couldn't connect to the Forum - other sites fine, but not the Forum!

Broke_but_happy, your lovely boy is just a mere puppy at eight, ha ha! Cinnamon Toast, no, there are no health problems and, when chatting to my lovely vet last year, she laughed and said "Eight - that's no age!"! Like you say, it's just time slipping by.....

I have littermate Springer sisters, Libby and Ruby, they were a BOGOF - went to buy Springer bitch puppy, daughter and I couldn't decide which of the two bitches to choose, so breeder said that as she'd had problems selling them as they weren't docked, and as we seemed such nice doggy people(!!), would we like two for the price of one!!! Well, daughter likes to tell people how my voice said "no", but my eyes said "Yes please!". So we came home with two adorable bundles! That will be a massive seven years ago come October! We still refer to them collectively as "the puppies"! And daughter's lovely Goldie is eight this year and my beautiful Large Munsterlander was seven last week..........can't believe it - how time flies!! They're all very healthy and, gosh, the Munsterlander is SO fast! But, I remember when we acquired our dogs, all young, we laughed that they'd all be old at the same time and that time is fast approaching!

Baby Molly

Littermate puppies

Sofa full of dogs - Molly first left!

Back to Molly, the dog this thread is all about, she's lively, very naughty, cheeky, a terrible thief, dominant......I could go on! But I still worry about her age......(and we can't stop ageing, can we?? Must get some anti-wrinkle cream for myself, ha ha!!)!

Incidentally, OH's spoilt, pampered poodles are 11 (standard) and 13 (toy) and are as fit as fiddles!!

 

[Mince Pie]

I know the feeling, I look at both the dog and the pony (who I got in the same year as the dog, when he was 5 - he's now 13!) and wonder where the time went. Feel a bit sad to think of them getting old but neither seem to want to act their age yet lol!