Old dog getting senile?

[dynimagelv]

I had an 18 yr old siberian...Beaux....Beaux had had a stroke....walked in continous left handed circles....one night I came home from work, Beaux bolted out the front door and spent 20 minutes in the front yard walking in circles.....he thought he was running away.....I let him do it cause he was happy....he lasted another 6 months before he could no longer stand up and we had to end it.....he was happy til the very end....cause he could run away.....

[Va-Cat]

Originally Posted by jimboburnsy

All that dogs have is relish for life, the love of their "human caretakers" and their natural dignity and noble spirit.

I don't think that a good steward allows his or her dogs to live without dignity, but it's a tough call and one I'm not in a position to make any decisions on.

Some good points but I'd add that a good steward also doesn't decide to end a life because of inconvenience.

[brightdoglover]

A few of my seniors have gotten dementia. Barking at nothing, getting stuck behind furniture or in corners. My one-tusk senior George goes out and doesn't come back in. He'll be standing out in the yard staring. He can't hear me call, so I clap my hands, he looks up and seems surprised to see me, and lumbers over.
Incontinence and stuff, that's not dementia, bu it's physical failing. Sometimes it's a neurological spine atrophy- I've had this.

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by Va-Cat

Some good points but I'd add that a good steward also doesn't decide to end a life because of inconvenience.

Nor would they prolong miserable life without dignity. I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing.