Gail reflects on some changes in Bertie

Greetings to all Bertie's loyal friends!  Don't panic, this post does not contain terrible news, I simply felt like taking some time today to reflect on how things are with Bertie, now that he is over ten years old and so has truly entered the 'senior dog' phase of life.

These reflections were prompted by a gently lovely poem I came across a couple of weeks ago. It's not new, and many of you may already know it, although I didn't. It is by Rudyard Kipling. Each verse covers a stage in a dog's life. 

"HIS APOLOGIES"

MASTER, this is Thy Servant. He is rising eight weeks old.

He is mainly Head and Tummy. His legs are uncontrolled.

But Thou has forgiven his ugliness, and settled him on Thy knee...

Art Thou content with Thy Servant? He is very comfy with Thee.

Master, behold a Sinner! He hath committed a wrong.

He hath defiled Thy Premises through being kept in too long. 

Wherefore his nose has been rubbed in the dirt, and his self-respect has been bruised,

Master, pardon Thy Sinner, and see he is properly loosed.

Master - again Thy Sinner! This that was once Thy Shoe,

He has found and taken and carried aside, as fitting matter to chew.

Now there is neither blacking nor tongue, and the Housemaid has us in tow.

Master, remember Thy Servant is young, and tell her to let him go!

Master, extol Thy Servant, he has met a most Worthy Foe!

There has been fighting all over the Shop - and into the Shop also!

Till cruel umbrellas parted the strife (or I might have been choking him yet)

But Thy Servant has had the Time of his Life - and now shall we call on the vet?

Master, behold Thy Servant! Strange children came to play,

And because they fought to caress him, Thy Servant wentedst away.

But now that the Little Beasts have gone, he has returned to see

(Brushed - with his Sunday collar on) what they left over from tea.

Master, pity Thy Servant! He is deaf and three parts blind.

He cannot catch Thy Commandments. He cannot read Thy Mind.

Oh, leave him not to his loneliness; nor make him that kitten's scorn.

He hath had none other God than Thee since the year that he was born.

Lord, look down on Thy Servant! Bad things have come to pass.

There is no heat in the midday sun, nor health in the wayside grass.

His bones are full of an old disease - his torments run and increase.

Lord, make haste with Thy Lightnings and grant him a quick release!

When I think of my experiences with Bertie, and before that with Hamish the Westie, this poem rings more true than almost any other I have come across. I smile every time I read verse 3. 

Over the past few months, I have increasingly noticed how Bertie's distance vision is deteriorating, and possibly his hearing too, although selective deafness is definitely a factor with the latter... So anyway, he is approaching (not too fast I hope) the sixth verse in Kipling's poem. I suspect he is developing cataracts, and will have this checked out when non-urgent veterinary treatment becomes possible again.

I have also observed slight behavioural changes since I have been home much more due to a combination of lockdown and retirement (which in my case happened in the same month!) Bertie has become a bit more overtly affectionate and attention-seeking than previously. This could be due to the change in routine, but I wonder also if his confidence has been jolted by his not being able to see so well, although otherwise his health thankfully continues to be excellent.

Anyway, Bertie has been working on his 'plaintive head tilt', which he now deploys when he suspects I am about to leave the house without him...

"Leave him not to his loneliness" the poet instructs the Master in verse 6, and of course I will do everything in my power to ensure Bertie feels safe and happy as old age approaches. To me he is the dearest little fellow in the world, and without him, our extended period of 'lockdown' would have been so much harder.