The Old Mutt

This dog's name is actually Mutt. He'll be 15 in May - that makes him almost a hundred in human years. He's been a loving and faithful pet to the family and enjoys nothing better than having his "peeps" around him. He now suffers with arthritis so he's inclined to whimper quite a lot. As he's stone deaf it doesn't bother him at all but there are days when it all gets too much for me.

Pets certainly enrich our lives and Mutt and his sister, Maggie have been a great blessing to us. Sadly they won't live too many more years and it's going to be difficult deciding whether we replace them or not. But that's for another day.... For now we enjoy Mutt's eccentric behaviour. Every day as my husband walks in the door he starts shouting for his biscuits. If his bowl isn't filled to his liking he comes and tells him off and the same if the blankets aren't arranged well in his basket. Every morning he helps Mark "make the bed", which involves Mark throwing all the bedding on top of him and the game is for Mutt to escape. He loves the game and looks quite put out on sheet-washing days when he can't be part of the ritual.

So here's to Mutt, Maggie and other pets. They are a blessing.