Honey at 14
Woman in the Middle | August 8, 2014I am about to date myself here, but what is new? Do you remember the TV show James at 15? And the second year it was James at 16? Well I thought of that today when I decided to do a post on Honey at 14. It seems impossible that our little red dog turned 14 last month. I try not to think about it because, well, only so much time is left. But, on the other hand, to see Honey most of the time is to see the same dog we have been seeing since she appeared in our lives about 13 and a half years ago.
Honey was a stray that showed up at a friend’s house. They already had four dogs, the legal limit, so they didn’t want another. Poor Honey was so grateful for the food they gave her that she would bring them presents, such as an old shoe off of a neighbor’s porch. I fell in love the first time I saw her and spent the next few days convincing Hubby we desperately needed a dog. Needles to say, the girls were ecstatic, as all little girls are when told a new pet is coming home.
Honey has had two overwhelming personality traits in her time with us – speed and protectiveness. Honey is a Queensland Heeler mix. The Queensland Heeler was bred to herd cattle in Australia. Honey could herd anything she wanted to because that dog has speed! She still does, even at her advanced age. She bolts to the back door when she sees us open the door to let her in. Then she bolts through the garage and into the house. The other day she was in a particularly good mood, or was trying to get us to giver her snacks. She did her dancing dog routine most of the day, bouncing around and just being altogether cute. May I be so frisky when I am the human equivalent of her age.
Heelers are known for protectiveness and once again Honey, even though someone in her lineage was not a Heeler, has that trait in spades. The girls were 8 and 10 when we got her and just at the age when you start to leave them home alone once in a while to go to the store and such. It was always so comforting to know that if anyone came to the door (or, god forbid, though the door) they were going to have to deal with the Red Ball of Fury (as we liked to call her). The Red Ball of Fury was a bit of a problem when someone came over we actually liked. Yeah, we have friends who have never found Honey to be, shall we say, sweet and cuddly. But she was the perfect dog for us at the time.
Honey’s face is whiter than it used to be. She still loves to run but not quite as much as before so for the first time in her life we actually have to cut her toenails. Her insistence on finishing every meal the cat doesn’t finish has made her a bit pudgy around the middle lately. Her hearing is shot and she requires arthritis medicine to dull the pain in her elbows. But it is obvious she is still enjoying life. And that is Honey at 14.
Life is good for Honey. What could be better than living with loving humans who have opposable thumbs that open dog food? My cat Jake is 16 and I see the aging too. His jet black coat is loaded with white hairs and he has crinkles around his eyes. Either his vision or hearing (probably both) are a little off because it’s so easy to startle him even when you are talking to him as you come into the room. There is a sadness about aging pets but also such wonderful memories.
What a sweet girl….
Yes, to the right people she is sweet as can be!
Oh I know how much you must cherish Honey. This post made me cry for the dog loves we have lost and our last one – Rozie – who looked a lot like Honey. There is a big empty place now where a dog should be in our lives.
When are you going to fill it???
I like the name Honey and she looks good too
What an absolute sweetheart!
I believe that the pets choose their parents. Clearly, Honey chose well and you have all been the richer for it.
What a precious birthday story about Honey! She has big, serious eyes that say, “I mean it!”. That’s cute that she gave an old shoe as a present to your next door neighbors when they first found and fed her.