Our wonderful dog Bailey’s absolute favorite activity is taking a walk. After work, we’d come home and after dinner take a walk in the spectacular weather we’ve been having in the Memphis area (although admittedly hot and humid for a Sheltie). Bailey likes walks so much we’d have to spell the work W-A-L-K, because when we said that word, she would get all excited and would find her leash.
Unfortunately, in a really heart wrenching change, Bailey does still get excited if you ask her to if she wants to go on a walk. The bad thing is that at best, she makes it to the end of the patio or driveway. Then, she just looks up at us with sad eyes as if to say, “Mom, Dad, the thing I want most in this world is to go on this walk with you. But I just can’t. I hope you understand, and I’m glad you asked.” We still take walks, but somehow there is a serious void without Bailey.
Our only consolation is that Bailey’s next favorite thing to do is go on a family road trip with us. When it’s time to stop for fuel and a rest room break, she is the first to get out and absolutely pulls you back to the vehicle. No way is she being left behind! We have an upcoming trip to Minneapolis for our nephew’s wedding and Dean’s parents 50th wedding anniversary in central Iowa. We are looking forward to taking Bailey on that trip, with the knowledge it will likely be her last as the cancer appears to be advancing once again.
The other thing that has signaled a change is that Bailey often is walking and her legs simply give out. The phone rings, or the door bell rings, and in the past she could just run up a storm. Now, it is common where she gets excited and starts running, then her legs give out and she desperately tries to regain normalcy. While her past youthful spring is gone, we continue to be grateful that overall her quality of life seems to be good. She does have difficulty breathing, yet she is a happy dog and a happy part of our family. What more can we ask?
I can’t help thinking that while she is just a dog, Bailey could teach humans a thing or two about loyalty, unconditional love, and doing the best with what you’ve got. Seems to me, the world could be a better place if we’d learn some canine tricks.