Blue enjoying the garden, and showing signs of ageing,

Blue catches the ball

Each and every evening, Blue enjoys a good play in the garden.

This year the games are a little less enthusiastic, having spent some money on shrubs and flowers. Normally this time of year the game of ball normally costs flowers and shrubs their floral display, blame is equal on this, we both get a little carried away, either I kick the ball too hard or Blue is too enthusiastic to retrieve it, so for a while we play a less energetic game, so far only one shrub and two potted plants have suffered loss.

Blue recently turned five, and is now showing more signs of an elderly dog, the greying of the fur round the muzzle, the longer sleeps etc. this would not be too evident to the untrained eye, but there is a distinct difference. When Blue was a young pup we went for a walk along the Thames near Maidenhead, on the toe path we met a gentleman walking an elderly looking German Shepherd, we were very surprised to learn that his dog was only five years old. So now we see the same in Blue.

So he is showing signs of ageing, but is not an old dog, and in truth the energy levels and enthusiasm has been the same as they have always been. One thing that Blue does not have, stamina, he must have been at the back of the queue that day when it was handed out. This may be because of his back operation when he was a pup.

Recently in a few pictures it appears that Blue is not carrying his weight as good as he did in the past, so we will keep a close eye on this, sometimes we all look in the mirror and see a different us, but at 47kg Blue really can not afford to carry more weight, though not on a diet, the portions are slightly smaller mealtimes, and the treats are fewer.

The observations above do not mean that Blue is an overweight, out of condition old dog, they are merely hints of what is lurking with potential around the corner.

Blues mum religiously keeps a diary of each and every walk Blue does, as she has since the day of his spinal operation four and a half years ago. Likewise all his food is measured/weighed out, for this I doff my cap to her, it is an unselfish caring thing she does, not to mention ensuring he is walked three times a day.

So below are a few pictures of Blue enjoying games and relaxing in the garden.

Come and get it

On yer ead son

Here comes the ball

To see more of Blues garden games and more follow the link below of his Flickr photos

Blue relaxing in the garden and playing ball