In 1996 my husband and I decided we’d like a dog for both company and to give us an incentive to go for a walk each day. We had a very small section at the time and needed a dog to suit. We also decided to re-home an unwanted dog rather than purchase a pedigree animal and wanted an older dog instead of a puppy. With this in mind, our first port of call was the nearest SPCA. We visited on several weekends, but most of the dogs were larger ones with definite Pit Bull ancestry. Not quite what we were looking for.
Our search led us to the Humane Society next. Yes, they had three fox terrier-cross dogs that required homes. One was a confirmed digger, another was younger and quite nervous, but they thought the third dog might suit us—a female of around three years. She had lived on a farm and her owners had moved to a town. Her determined straying became a problem, and she needed a new owner. Would we like to meet her?
The following weekend we drove to Orewa, north of Auckland to meet our prospective dog. The first time I saw Scotty I thought what an ugly little dog. She looks like a fox terrier but is a little larger. She has a black head and a white coat with mottled black spots on most of her body. On her back toward is rump is one large black spot about the size of a tennis ball. She still has her tail, which pleased us very much since my husband and I like dogs with tails. It’s the personality factor for us. The interesting thing is that my husband thought she was a plain-looking dog too, but if anyone dared to say that to either of us now, we’d argue long and loud.
We ended up taking Scotty home with us. She settled into our routine very easily, the toilet training no problem at all. We decided we’d walk her morning and night and we’ve kept that routine up until recently.
From the start she never barked much. She didn’t like magazines near her, especially if they were rolled up or having her head touched, although she’s grown out of this. Scotty has a delightful personality, and I’ve never known her to bite anyone. When my husband used to work a lot of nights, Scotty would disappear around our usual bed time. I’d go to our bedroom and find that she’d jumped on our bed and dragged back the duvet cover and sometimes the sheets. I’d find her curled up in a ball, fast asleep. It was like having hotel turn-down service, but she only did it if my husband was working nights.
Fast forward in time. We’ve had Scotty for thirteen years and she’s now almost sixteen, a good age for a dog. Throughout the years, her health has been excellent. She has slowed down a lot, her face turning quite gray and both her eyesight and hearing greatly reduced. This year she’s lost a lot of weight and developed problems with her spine, losing much of the feeling in her hindquarters. She’s having trouble getting up and down, sometimes requiring help to get to her feet. She tends to lean on walls and other items of furniture for balance. We’re closely monitoring her condition and she’s on medication, which seems to help a little.
I’ve read that the measure of quality of life for a dog comes in the form of three questions.
1. Does the animal still have a healthy appetite?
2. Is the animal in pain?
3. Is the animal able to continue with normal toilet procedures or do they lie in their waste?
Scotty has always had a good appetite and this continues. She never complains and remains happy for us to pick her up if she falls over or for a cuddle. Mostly she’s pretty good with her toilet practices, although I have to be vigilant if she’s inside. If she goes to sleep in her basket sometimes she can’t move quick enough to get outside in time.
Her lack of mobility is a problem though. When she walks her spine is arched and her fur along her backbone is very erect all the time, as if she’s angry or about to attack. If she lies down for too long, she finds it difficult to get up and often falls over. When she is moving around she often turns in circles because her hindquarters don’t function as they should. And as I mentioned earlier, she has lost condition despite her good appetite.
While she seems relatively happy, there is no doubt her health is deteriorating quickly, almost weekly. It’s not fair to prolong a dog’s life (or any pet’s life) when their life lacks quality. The day is fast approaching when we’ll have to make the decision to have her put down, and it’s breaking my heart. She’s offered faithful companionship, given us incentive to exercise and even inspired the first book I sold to Ellora’s Cave. Life won’t be the same without her small furry face around the place.
