Big Al's Spot (& Annie too)

I can't say it wasn't unexpected, but 10 months after first taking on the care of `Tazzie Wazzi` for a supposed two weeks to try to slim her down a bit, Taz died between 3.30pm and 4.30pm on Friday afternoon.



To be honest I'm really surprised how emotional I have been, but I guess domestic animals and dogs in particular have an inate way of wheedling their way into your affections. Thank goodness we have another dog to take care of (and direct our thoughts elsewhere).

Tazzie's cancer never seemed to give her any pain, as the only grumbling she did was after a titbit or the fact that she didn't have any food or Turbo not having any food so that she could steal his food. More often than not Taz would try to steal Turbo's food and very occasionally Turbo being Top Dog would start a snarling match. Taz would capitulate and crouch down, at this Turbo would be satisfied, his place in the pecking order secure and Taz would then continue to steal his food. It was as if she was saying: "Okay, Okay! you are the boss and I admit that,..... but I'm still going to eat your food."




Taz less than a week before she died.

Taz still loving attacking a hose 

Take that you nasty water. 

Taz doing what she liked best - biting water from a hose 

Taz at the beginning of us getting her 

My "aul da" has been over on holiday visiting his grandchildren, having had two weeks of that he came over to ours and I was able to put him to work giving me a bit of a hand. After more than "a few coats of looking at" and two years after buying a pallet of flooring the living room has finally been completed.



Having smashed the first pane of glass trying to remove it, we were a bit more careful with the remaining panes.

One ex-partition 

The lovely brown tiles (sic) are covered in flooring 

Two years after purchasing a pallet of flooring the living room is finished. The old laminate flooring is definitely not very trendy these days from what I can make out, but we have had to admit defeat with carpets. Dogs, carpets and my admittedly very poor domestic cleaning skills (or inclination to put them into action) have forced the issue.

High summer outside our back garden

It will not stay like this for long though.

Before too long it will look like this

It is hard at times to believe that we are caring for a dog on its last legs, especially if you see Taz gamboling along at a fair trot or when you mention the word "Walkies".

Taz has worried me the odd time in the past when she has gone off her food, but today she really had me worried, she was coming up to her first meal of the day and she wouldn't come and get it, her legs just didn't seem to want to work. Knowing how food orientated Taz normally is, you are very inclined to notice a change in attitude.

I phoned the emergency Vet and had a chat about her condition and habits he was able to reassure me she wasn't in any immediate danger. There was mention of having her put down if she was in pain and wasn't having any happy time, but I knew she wasn't in any real distress. I just put the bowl of water near her, put a dog blanket down for her and let her snooze away.

So just a few minutes ago I heard Taz moving about downstairs and lo and behold she was back up on her feet again and the way she devoured her evening meal has reassured me that she is back into some sort of form again, even if one of her back legs looks rather stiff. Maybe the heat today was just taking to much out of her and her delicate constitution.

It sure ain't no fun when you pets health takes a turn for the worse, its something we know is going to happen given her cancerous insulinoma. I've grown fond of the old girl despite (or maybe because) of her bin raiding ways and I'll miss her immensely when she does die. All this sentimentality after 10 months of having her, but dogs are like that, they tug at the heart strings, but I wouldn't have it any other way.