Since October I’ve been walking the dogs on and off on a
daily basis. After Christmas, I noticed that Mona started getting really tired
half way through our walk.
This got me thinking… we’ve had Mona for about eight
years. We rescued her from a family member, who got her from someone else. Mona
was used as a breeding dog for years before we got her. So, with this
guessmathiation that puts her at around 13, maybe 14 years old.
Every morning I drive me and the puppies to the park,
where we walk the park three times. In the beginning of January, I started
placing Mona back in the car after only one walk around, because I knew she
couldn’t keep up – and I felt awful about it.
A few months back, I heard about a cat stroller. And I
thought, “That would work”. So I
started looking online and at local pet stores to see if I could find a
reasonably priced one; but had no luck.
Then, over the weekend I went to the swap met with my
family and guess what I ran into?! A doggie stroller, after a little haggling I
got it for an unbelievable price of $25.
As soon as I got home I set the stroller up and ran
outside to grab Mona. I slowly adjusted her to it; letting her see it, getting
her close to it, moving it around her, me holding her and moving it. After a
couple of minutes I placed her in it, without closing it up, I played with her,
petted her and gave her kisses. I then zipped her in and pushed her down the
street and back. To say she LOVED IT
would be an understatement.
So the next day, I walked Mona (and the other dogs) one
time around the park and then we headed back to the car and I pulled the
stroller out of the trunk. As soon as the stroller was out of the car and in
the upright position, Mona walked right to it and sat next to it panting – she
knew what it meant. I threw Mona in, zipped her up and she was ready to go. The
other dogs on the other hand…
It took Boo a couple of minutes to get use to being
hooked up to it, but she adjusted quickly. However, Parker being the baby that
he is, acted like he was going to die. It took him a full circle around
the park to realize that the stroller wasn’t going to kill him and that he couldn’t escape from it.
After a couple of days, all the dogs seem to have
adjusted well. I’ve gotten a few weird looks and laughs with pushing a puppy in
a stroller around. But Mona loves it and I don’t have to leave her behind. It’s
a win, win.
With all the new adjustments to accommodate Mona, it’s
really made me realize how fast time is moving. I’m slowly starting to realize
that Mona is slowing down; she’s become less active and sleeps so much more. My
sweet little psycho angel is coming to the end of her life – and that frightens
me.
All I can do is continue to give her all my love, care, attention
and make the rest of her life as amazing as possible… And continue to spoil
her.
