Make the most of the time I have left with my very old and very sweet dog

BJ is clearly down another rung. He kind of wobbles when he walks and spends most of his time asleep. Still, he follows me from room to room when awake and eats. Over the holiday he seemed to want to spend more time outside in the sun (when we had sun), but it was cold, so his time was limited.

We had a warm day with sunshine and he seemed to want to lie in the sun. So I took my tools and went to work. I was shocked at the state of his coat. He’s licked so much his undercoat was all matted along his haunches and I had to cut out most of it. Now he looks all skinny and ragged. But he’s more comfortable.

I groomed Dolly, too, but though it looked like snow in my yard you can’t tell to look at her.

Is Black Jack, still with me.

And he’s doing ok. He and Dolly are sleeping and I even managed to get Clark to come in. He was so glad to see me! I think he may have felt like I was gone forever.

BJ is having trouble stabilizing his hindquarters. He’s been with her since Thursday as I went to FL to see my brother. I was supposed to pick him up tonight but I just got home and he has to go back tomorrow through Thursday due to my SO’s surgery. I’m very worried. She said she had to carry him up the 3 steps from her backyard. But he’s still eating and following her around the house, albeit while his hind legs slide out from under him.

As I am going to FL to see my brother this weekend. Dolly will return to my daughter. I really miss him when I have to leave.

He sleeps most of the day, only getting up to follow me around. His nocturnal outings have resumed, along with the urgency that pulls me out of a warm bed a few times each night. He’s even started coming into my studio with me! He’s never done that. He would lie outside the door for as long as I was inside but now he comes in.

Which is good for me as I get to sleep but I’m afraid it does not bode well for him. He seems exhausted.

You know the ones = they look like lampshades? He is tearing himself up with the chewing and the licking and nothing seems to stop it. He’s bloody and going bald! It’s gotta hurt. I hate doing this but if his skin can just heal a little maybe he’ll stop.

Dolly is my daughter’s dog and also BJ’s pup though she’s white. I might have to keep her when the kids go home. She’s mostly an outside dog there and with their nice new home and all my son-in-law is going to want her to stay out even more. She needs to be inside. To be fair my daughter has a nice little room inside for her dogs that they can go in and out at will. I’ll just miss her. They’re both at my feet now, asleep.