We have two dogs, a sixteen-year-old Chihuahua-dachshund mix and a twelve-year-old Chihuahua. They don’t fight with each other as much since Janet died. Both of them have lost weight too.
This was their second loss in the last year. Our sixteen-year-old black lab succumbed of basically old age. They all got along pretty well, except when the little dogs tried to walk between the lab’s long skinny legs. I think she was afraid they were going to trip her. Other than that, they all decided the Chihuahua could be alpha leader. Why, I don’t know, except for the fact that attitude seemed to carry more weight with them than actual size.
The lab slept on a big pillow on the floor. The little dogs slept on the bed between us, sometimes closer to me, sometimes closer to Janet. I took them to the vet’s office until Janet retired, then she took them. After the chemotherapy began, I started taking them again. Janet spoiled them by giving them locally made treats, only available at a particular street vendor. She also bought their dog food at a specialty pet store.
I still buy the special dog food, but I haven’t bought them the gourmet treats since Janet’s death. Which I think is all right with them because their appetites are off anyway.
When it’s bedtime they sleep on Janet’s side of the bed. If it’s thundering and raining outside the Chihuahua cuddles close to me. I notice every now and again they sniff at her pillow. So when I change the sheets I don’t change Janet’s pillow case. Its scent may be their last link to her. I wouldn’t want to take that away from them.