The Tenth Toby-versary

This time ten years ago, I was meeting Toby for the first time.

When I got him, I never DREAMED I’d have him for ten years. Heck, when I posted about my eighth Toby-versary, I doubted I’d be here.

Whether we’ll see an 11th Toby-versary is anyone’s guess. If I had to place a bet today, I’d say, “no.” (Ask me on a day when he acts like a puppy, and you’ll get a different answer.) His heart disease continues to progress. He’s slowing down physically. He walks like a very old man a lot of the time. He’s very, very sleepy, probably from his heart disease as well as simply from old age. Long story short, I know he’s winding down.

We’re trying to keep him having fun and moving as much as he is able. This is one reason why we enrolled him in nose work. LOOK! Twelve-year-old dog doing nose work!

I also learned a bit about tracking last weekend and Toby did a few “baby tracks.”

We don’t have illusions that Toby will be end up a champion nose worker or tracker. In fact, we may not do much more of either. (He has just three more classes.) But he’s having fun, which makes me happy.

So, we’ll see. He’s 12 now (on Nov. 19), which is on the high end of a Cavalier’s life expectancy. The vet says we’ve done a great job with him. I think we’ve done a great job with him. I just wish he could live forever.