I see a lot of myself in aging spaniel

Spot bit me last night.

I was feeding the dogs elk steak left over from dinner, and in an effort to grab the meat before Jem or Ace could get it, Spot grabbed me instead.

The old dog still has sharp teeth, the hole in my middle finger a testament to that.

Spot recently turned 11 years old. She still looks good -- fit and trim -- but her enthusiasm for everything except food and sleep is a bit lacking.

She only hunted a couple of times last season and those were easy hunts. She’ll probably only make a couple of special appearances in the field this year and those will be more for me than her.

It’s difficult to believe that the hardest working dog in the marsh is done.

Maybe that’s why Spot bit me. She’s tired of all the talk. She knows what the future holds.

For a while there we were aging together. She was slowing down and so was I. Over the course of perhaps three hunting seasons we were perfectly matched. I could keep up with her and she was content with my pace.

Dogs, unfortunately, age faster than people, and Spot’s nearing the end of her rope.

Her coat is not as shiny as it once was. Her nose is dry and cracked. She appears to have a hard time hearing, but that may just be an act. I do the same thing at times.

Like many seniors, she follows her own agenda, demands to be fed on schedule, and has her favorite chair.

She’s gotten quite vocal, barking when I fill her food bowl and barking when I let her out of the kennel. Spot only shuts her yap when she’s had her say. Commands of “Quiet,” appear to fall on deaf ears.

I fear, like me, she’s beginning to repeat herself. The other dogs look at her like they’ve heard it all before, anyway.

At times she’s a bit unsteady on her feet. She hesitates and gathers herself before she jumps. She wears the aroma of an old dog, and occasionally sleeps so soundly we have to wake her.

Spot’s best days afield are behind her, but she’s adjusting well to being a house dog, and has grown fond of the air conditioner.

I see a lot of myself in my aging spaniel. I just hope I’ve got more than a couple of years left.

Parker Heinlein is at [email protected]