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Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

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Average Age of Australian Shepherd Breed

by Gail
(California)

My Aussie is almost 12-1/2 years old and starting to show his age. He's still pretty happy, but has arthritis in his hind legs and now the vet wants to remove some of his teeth. I'm wondering what the average age is that this breed can live. I've heard between 11-13 years is about average. I want to prepare myself as much as possible for that day! Thanks.

Comments for Average Age of Australian Shepherd Breed

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14 years old
by: Lisa

I have two friends that each had Aussies that lived to be 14. i have had othet Aussie owners tell me that was about the average age as well. I have two myself.

Average age of australian shepherd breed
by: Kathy

The average age for Australian Shepherds is 12-15 yrs old however some live shorter/longer lives. My female aussie is 13 yrs old and is pretty healthy and peppy for her age... she keeps up pretty good with my 8 yr old male aussie.

Life Expectancy
by: Harley's mom

We just lost our 10 year old male Aussie. Apparently he was suffering hymotoma from a tumor which caused his heart to fail.

We thought our wonderful dog had a few more years.

My best friend
by: Anonymous

My best friend Milo is an aussie, he is going to be 15 years old in June 2014. He is hard of hearing and cant see real well. The tragic thing with him is his hip displeasia. Its taking its toll. I go to the vets to get cordisone shots every other month, along with anti-inflammatory pills. Sad to say his quality of life is slipping. Am in a quandry as to what to do for him. I will miss him when he is gone. Greg.

15 1/2 years old and counting….
by: Anonymous

Our female Aussie will be 16 in summer 2014. Her mother lived to be a few months shy of 20 years. They both were standard AKC Aussies, but on the small side. We've been told larger sized Aussies don't tend to have the longevity of smaller ones. Our senior girl is hard of hearing and sleeps a lot, but she still enjoys walks. She was an avid frisbee catcher until she was 14+ years. Good luck to you with your senior dog!

15 and counting
by: Anonymous

My Aussie Bosco turned 15 on Sept 2nd, 2014. He was going strong until last yr. and could no longer hike with me or go on long walks. We still walk a slow mile everyday and everything else is o.k. He is also the smartest dog I have ever known.

Slowing down baby
by: Anonymous

We lost our first Aussie when 9, due to tumor. The blood line. Our current baby is 13.5 and seems to be slowing down. Much sleeping. Eating & pooping, stellar. loves to go out. BUT, is losing bladder control. Any thoughts?

My Baby
by: Anonymous

I am trying desperately not to cry while I write this. My baby girl was just shy of her 15th birthday and we put her down 3 days ago. Worst day of my life. For the person who posted about losing bladder control, she had that problem for years. Proin from the vet controlled it awesomely the entire time. The dosage is something we adjusted continually to fit the problem. Keep it in her system and she'll be fine. Our baby girl was getting too weak and in pain. We made the hard decision. She broke a leg when she was 8 and broke 2 teeth (loved to chew on ice!), but we overcame that with glucosamine chondroitin and fish oils. I swear that gave her all the more years that we had. For the last year or so she was either getting hip dysplasia or degenerative myelopathy, her back legs were almost useless, her front legs began giving out, we had to help her up stairs. She could no longer go on walks and she cried constantly. I am thankful for the 15 wonderful years she gave me and I will miss her for the rest of my life. But again, for those out there with Aussies, please remember not to keep them alive for you, when you know they are tired. They will stay here for you, they will fight through their ailments because of their sense of duty. It will be up to you to let them know it's okay to go, that they can rest until you meet again. Hug your Aussie tight- time goes by faster than you can imagine.

Dusty my 14 1/2 year old
by: Anonymous

I have a great Australia Shepard and he is almost 14&1/2 years old he has been the best dog ever but he has become a little slower with his age now but when it snows he still acts like a puppy. I have been a single mom all of his life and he is our protector and the man of our home losing him will kill me. I would recommend this breed to anyone!!! They are loving, caring, & loyal dogs with an awesome temperament with kids of all ages!!!

Happy Senior
by: Shell

My Aussie just turned 16. She has bad arthritis due to her younger years of playing frissbie and sleeps quite a bit. But I must say she is doing pretty good for her age and I am grateful for every day! She even underwent major surgery for a mass on her spleen at 14 yrs of age that was predicted might be cancerous, but it was benign. Sophie is my miracle baby and I'm so lucky to still have her!

Unusual eye problem in 13 yr old Aussie
by: Valerie

My dog, Skydog, is going to be 13 this month. He has blue eyes and has been pretty healthy, except for occasional limping and weakness in back legs. His blue iris on rt eye has turned outward and has adhered to itself. All you can see now is the black pupil. He does not seem to be in pain, yet has started to yelp on occasion. The eye specialist wants to remove his eye as there is nothing else to do to see what is causing the problem. They cannot see a tumor in the eye. Has anyone elses dogs had this type of problem? Has any one had to have their dogs eye removed? I am extremely reluctant to have this done.

11 yr old female
by: Anonymous

Our 11 yr old female started having issues a week ago and has quickly gone down hill. Started as loss of back limb control, so she would sit for a few mins and then be fine. That happened a couple of times, took to vet. Diagnosis of possible seizures. She has gotten weaker and was given heart meds for a faint murmur yesterday. Today she can not stand up, has voided on herself and is not eating or drinking. We have appt. In an hour. So heartbreaking.

Aussie three
by: Kim

Our Sadie will be 15 years old next month. She has been momma dog to all our kitten and puppy rescues. One of the best things we have done for her is add Dynovite to her meals and she gets 1,000mg of Glucosamine Sulfate. Her fur is beautiful again. She gets around good but we do help her get up do to her hips. She is a precious furry friend. We also have a six year old Aussie and knowing that our two older male guard dogs are slowing down, we added a young Aussie named "Chance" to the pack. Our two big boys and old Sadie are training him well. He is 64lbs of pure delight. This is a wonderful breed.

Our Zoe
by: tdl1501

She is 11.5 years now. Both hips taken out due to severe hip dysplasia as a pup, 6 and 9 months. She's 34 pounds, Aussie mix from a shelter in Texas. Probably some Border Collie and some happy Golden in her as she loves everyone.

I hope our herder lasts a few more years as she passed her ten year senior blood panel with honors, is on good food and sleeps well, at least 18 hours a day. She's always prettier than me, even wash and wear!

A wise Japanese woman petted her yesterday and said she was very soft, is old and treated well. Also that she is lucky. I consider that a sign for a long life with us.

Lost mine at 9
by: Anonymous

My Aussie lived a full and fun life. He loved to play with the squid key tennis ball. He would bounce it like a little basketball on the patio. He lived 9 years. He had cancer, kidney problems, and valley fever. He was always looking for a quick game of throw the ball or keep away. I miss him!

My wonderful, loving Aussie!!!
by: Bonnie Fields

My Chelsey is 10. And with all of her fur. I didn't notice she has lost weight. As I was petting her today, I really noticed that she is Skinner then She has been. Which prompted me to go on Google and see others comments. I have noticed she does sleep more. And isn't AS active as she use to be. Chelsey is ABSOLUTELY the most AWESOME, SMART, LOVING, KIND, SWEET, LOYAL dog I have ever had!!! And was wondering if there is something I can give her to pep her up?? I don't want her to get any health problems, if I can buy something to help her. Before she gets any kind of pain????

OUR BABY, "PEANUT MARIE"
by: Mommy & Daddy of Reno

She almost made her 11th birthday. But she got tired. I feel like dying today myself as she was a VERY BIG part of our lives and of my (Mommy) wake up and go to sleep routine. We just let her go to Heaven yesterday so the wounds are still very open....I know we will get through this. We will always remember her from day 1.

Peanut Marie (Sissy) 11/4/2004 - 7/14/2015. RIP Sweet Baby Girl.

Chester Boy
by: Anonymous

My Chester is a sweet Black and White male Aussie. He loved is Frisbie and glowies and would play non stop with his toys and can identify all of his individual toys. The age has caught up with him, he has severe arthristis and has a bad problem with lifting his legs up from the back. I look at his eyes and tell him he still looks so cute and is still the man around here. My husband will fall apart when he does leave is and go to the angels. He is our best friend. He is a dog that does not give up and is as sweet as can be.
Rona NJ

BEST FRIENDS
by: Bill Fosbinder

My CJ is the best dog I have ever had. He is smart loyal and loving. people laugh when he walks by their chair he will give them a kiss on the hand or elbow as he goes by.He tells time better than my old alarm clock . CJ is 10 and has some stiff mornings, but he is happy happy. I cant imagine a morning without his routine. I make coffee and fill a pencil bag with treats. i let him out and when he is done he grabs the bag off the counter and takes it to my chair .we have coffee and treats like this EVERY day for 10 years. wish i could adopt every Aussie that is homeless, but the next best thing is to sing their praises and hope for them all.

Aussie 17 Going on 18
by: Aussie with an Aussie

Our Aussie, Kayley, is 17 going on 18 in December! We are so surprised. Four years ago, she began to lose hearing, and while she could still walk well, had trouble going up and down stairs. We took her on a three mile hike two years ago (aged 15) and she almost passed out, so we didn't do that again. Now, at aged 17, she cannot hear, has frequent accidents, and spends most of her day sleeping, or pacing back and forth through the living room or walking in circles. She is always smiling though. She has a hard, hard time standing up, but she is still aware and seems happy. Often I think, how is she still going? But somehow she is. We like to say that our Kayley still has a lot of fight left in her!

lazy, but still going strong
by: Ben

My grandfathers dog is named roscoe and is about 14 1/2, hes extremely sluggish but just lost 20lbs so we think he will be doing better soon. He doesnt have any issues other than weight and we both hope he will be around for many more years as he is a very funny dog and keeps my grandfather company.

My Girl
by: Anonymous

My Aussie was 14 in August slowing down with her arthritis lost her hearing but follows hand commands with ease and swear she reads lips on certain words like potty outside and TREAT she is the best loving dog we have owned hope to have her few more years love my girl

15 year old Aussi
by: Kim

My Aussi Sara turned 15 February 2015. She is from Heaven Sent Farms in Florida.. Sara has been a fun and energetic pup.. The last couple of years she has been on supplements for her hips and front legs.. We came home yesterday to her not being able to move much because her front leg is stiff.. Yesterday she layed under the oak tree at 6 pm and was in that same spot at 5am.. That is her favorite place.. Sara loves being outside, you bring her in and she sits at tbe door and cryes to go out.. So in order to keep her happy and outside my husband carried her to our screened in patio we have a large cushion and a fan on her.. She does not seem to be in pain.. She just seems tired.. We are taking her to the vet Monday, the last thing I want is to have her put to sleep in a steril exam room.. I know my sweet Momma Dog would love to fall asleep under her favorite oak tree.. Send a little prayer for our sweet girl..

Hardest Day
by: Deb

Our aussie Sydney is 16 and we are putting her to sleep today. She has had a great life but the last few years have been hard for her. 7 years ago she had surgery on her ACL. She recovered pretty well from that but we always worried about her. We have faithfully walked her 3 times a day since. A couple years ago now her other ACL went but we didn't do surgery as she was so old. She has been doing okay with pain meds and joint supplements. She lost her hearing awhile ago. She walks very, very slowly now and falls easily. She still eats okay some days but has started to skip meals and sometimes vomits up her food. 2 weeks ago we discovered a golf ball size, hard, immovable lump on her upper front leg. It has grown a little in size. As a family, we all decided it's time to end her suffering. It is getting harder to watch her decline. We know she's in pain even with all the medication she's on. This is so hard. She has been in our life for so long. My son can't remember life without her as he was 4 when we got her. She has been the best dog and friend. I am trying to think about her not suffering anymore. I know it's right to do this but it's so, so hard.

14 and a half.
by: Kim Iverson

Sabrina turned 14 on August 2015. Yesterday (December 1st, 2015) we chose to let her go. She had a tumor on her side, directly above her right leg. Her kidneys started to fail. She slept most of the day, couldn't see very well, and hadn't been hearing well for a few weeks. Her walking was difficult, she randomly fell at times, but she was incredibly happy and still going strong despite those setbacks. On her good days she ran with the younger dogs still. Sabrina was the "nanna" to all our dogs, cats, chickens, and parakeets that we had throughout her life. Her coloring was unique for an Aussie and she was a dog who I could trust the opinion of more than anyone else. She loved everyone but for those few people who she knew intended me harm, she went up there with a Doberman in terms of fierceness. The vet told us he could help make her comfortable so she could be with us for Christmas, but we chose to be selfless instead. As I told my older brother last night, I will have plenty of spontaneous combustion moments now, which I have. I think of her fur, I cry. I think of her hugs, I cry. So this one is gonna take me a few days to finally stop the tears. She was a once in a lifetime sort of pet.

My dear Crosley
by: Stew

Crosley was my running partner and companion. We had him put down at 11 and 1/2 years after a football size mass was discovered encompassing one of his kidneys. It has been close to a year since we lost him but we are still in the grieving state. He seemed to be in good health and was still at 80lbs which he was most his life. (yes he was a big Aussie and a pure breed) We miss him so much and are dealing with our first Christmas without him.

aussie - 15 years
by: Amy

My Australian Shepherd was over 15 years old when i made the decision to put her to sleep. She had congetive heart failure for the last 2 years which i never would have guessed but the symptoms started witha a cough. She also had some arthritis and stayed on Previcox which was a miracle pill along with the Theophylline for the heart. For over 2 years, this kept her going just fine. She had some teeth pulled over the years, but had a healthy appetite. She could still run when she heard the dog next door outside, liked walks and was a loyal companion. long story short, her cough got worse, and xrays revealed her heart had enlarged to the point it was pressing on her esophagus causing more cough and choking. The vet wanted to try lasiks to relieve fluid and a cough suppressant, but she indicated it was a short fix. Sometimes you just 'know' what the best answer is. I did not want her to choke and suffer at the end of her life. I never cried so much in my life. Missing her terribly

International Aussie Tincup is 9 and going strong
by: Brent

My family has been blessed with the best dog ever and an amazing international life. We started our journey with our Australian Shepherd in Florida as a puppy, and he was a bit of a challenge with two small children under 5, but with training for both the children and Tincup we became a stronger family. In 2009 we moved to Switzerland on my expat assignment, and had a Swiss Chalet just above the town of Lausanne. Tincup was a constant in the children's lives and helped them adapt to their new surroundings. He also loved to chase the wild foxes up the mountain. We then went to part 2 of our adventure and moved to Sydney Australia in 2011. Luckily, because we started the Quarantine process prior to moving, Tincup only had to spend a month in Government Quarantine in Sydney, but we counted down each day like Christmas was approaching. Once he moved in to his new home in the Northern Beaches of Sydney, he learned to chase bush Turkeys and Bandicots. We lived 3 years in Sydney and taught many Australians what an Australian Shepherd was.. Actually not an Australian dog at all.. We now live back in Florida and also have a small farm in Alabama and have since adopted a Mexican street dog that appears to be an Australian Shepherd and Corgi mix...Tincup is older, and I don't do 5 mile runs in the outback, or climb Swiss Alps, but he lives a pretty charmed live and we love him very much!!

Domino
by: Anonymous

My aussie is almost 11, and was just diagnosed with dilated cardiomiopathy. I am devastated about it because he has always been so strong and healthy. He is a very large aussie, weighing in at 65 pounds, and is very talented. He swims every day in the summer, plays frisbee like a champion, has titles in AKC Rally, and Agility, loves riding my 4-wheeler, helps me teach Obedience classes, and is a trained Service Dog. I can't think of a whole lot that this dog doesn't do. His list of tricks is miles long. It breaks my heart to think he may only be with me for a few more months, but his life has been full, and I wouldn't trade this time for anything else in the world. I wish you could meet him. God love aussies!

My Baby is 13
by: Stacy

My Bogey is a 13 year old Aussie/Border Collie mix. He is the BEST dog. Unfortunately, his heath is deteriorating and I have made the decision to have him put to sleep this weekend. He shows no obvious signs of pain, but his back legs barely support him anymore and the light in his eyes is going out. He sleeps all the time and doesn't have the desire to go outside too much anymore. This is a dog that has been riding in the "Bogey Mobile" and hanging out at bonfires his entire life. We are having a farewell bonfire for him Friday night so all of his friends can come and say goodbye. He is loved by so many. Saturday we are having a friend that is a vet tech come out and put him to sleep (in the car, of course) before he takes his final ride to the vet's office for cremation. I don't want him to die in a clinical setting. I want my other dogs to be present when he takes his last breath. This has been the most difficult week of my life, but I plan to give him the best last few days. I love him so much, he is my true soulmate. Thank you for sharing your stories of love and companionship. This was very therapeutic for me.

Maxie girl 13
by: Anonymous

My Maxie girl turned 13 on March 24th unfortunately she passed away on 4-4-16. It was the saddest day ever. She was such a great and loyal dog. She was healthy and going strong until January . That's when things took a turn. She had a mass growing on her right shoulder which grew quite quickly . She stopped eating and did nothing but sleep . I took her to the vet and they did testing . Her red blood cells were very low. I chose to put her on antibiotics and steriods.... She was like a puppy again . I thought we had so much more time with her ..... A month later it started all over again . This time we went to bed and she passed in her sleep 💔 RIP my sweet baby

Our puppy boy
by: fiddlemom

We recently our beautiful puppy boy, Chief, on April 4th. He would have been 10 in August. He really lived life to the fullest almost every day. He loved to go for walks, hike in the woods and visit our little downtown area and restaurants. Everyone who knew him loved him. I always said Chief was so full of puppy joy. He was just romping and playing the evening before he died. We were devastated. He did have 2 autoimmune diseases, but they seemed to be under control. The next morning he just wasn't feeling well. Called the vet and was told to bring him in mid-afternoon. By early afternoon he was much worse. We rushed him to the vet and he died on the table 15 minutes after we got there. He will be missed and loved forever. Aussies are the best.

Best Dog Ever
by: Beth

We lost our beloved Aussie just before her 16th birthday. She was declining and had lost ability to use her back legs. She suddenly had a seizure, lost ability to stand and was suffering, so we had to put her to sleep. She was so affectionate, smart and would look at us with such loving soft brown eyes. We miss her terribly and know there will never be another dog like her.

Brody
by: Anonymous

We had to put down our son's aussie yesterday. We had him 8.5 years and got him from a shelter. We think he was about a year old when we he came to us. My son is a forester and they went to work together most days. While my son was at university we had the dog at our house which is why he feels like he was "our" dog. He was an amazing friend and kept my son safe from bears, cougars, moose, and even once when there were wolves on two sides of them howling. He had so many unique traits and was truly one of a kind. He lived a great life full of loyalty and devotion. His death was quite sudden and unexpected. He had a tumour on his spleen that ruptured. One day he was trotting around the back yard, the next day we had to put him down. Devastating.

Gracie
by: Karen

My Gracie died last week. She had just turned 6. I thought I had at least another 5 or 6 years. My heart is broken!!!!!

Zoey
by: Anonymous

I just lost my beloved Zoey today. She was 3 months shy of 16 years. Very active until her last year. Such an amazing breed. I also researched age of Aussies to prepare myself. Feel so lucky to have had so much time with this wonderful dog.

Our beautiful Sydney
by: Dave Knight

I write this with a heavy heart as we had to put down our beautiful Sydney 3 days ago. It took till now for me to write this as my heart ached too much and all I've done is distract myself since. We rescued Sydney from a rescue agency as a puppy. her mom and litter were taken from an abusive farmer. She was 14 and was the most loyal and loving companion. We called her the shadow as she would follow my wife around and made sure never to let her guard down. She was a best friend to our other dog Elsie and this has left a giant hole in Elsie's world as well as they had never been apart for over 14 years. We had kids and Sydney was the best babysitter ever. Babies would hang off her face and she would never get upset or react. The end came quickly as she had struggled with hind leg function for a few years. We think she had a seizure and she quickly went down hill from there. She could no longer lift her tail and could barely control her back end. We would wake up and she would be lying in her pee. We made the tough decision to take her pain away. She looked so scared at the end and we wanted to leave her with some dignity. We might have been able to keep her alive for a few more days or weeks but at what expense to her? She dissevered better then that. She was the best dogs EVER! May she find green fields to run through and streams play in in a place that if forever warm.
RIP my Syd.

Loosing my best friend !!
by: Thom

Bob, our Aussie that just turned 13yrs on Christmas day has been declining the last few months. He had been limping on front right leg and after going to vet a few times finally got it x-rayed and he has cancer growing on his upper right leg and seems to be growing fast. I don't want to let him go but he is hobbling very bad! I work out of my home and he has to be where ever I am and seems to know what I will be doing before I do it, like going to mail box etc. I am trying to put off letting him go this week, but it is not fair to him, he just wants to lay outside in the cold rain or shine, and would probably wonder away and pass quietly if we would let him!! Can't believe I am saying this, goodbye my old friend, you have been loyal, playful, loving, and most of all you have always been there and just wanted to be involved in what ever we were doing. Rest in peace BOB !!!!

Two Aussies
by: Helen

I have two Aussie's and one is 10 and the other is 6, the 10 year old is suffering from arthritis in the back legs and it's hard for her to walk but she still tries her hardest to go outside and walk around the yard. The 6 year old still acts like a puppy and he is the guard dog of the house, love both to bits. I hate to see either one go but I know that day will eventually come.

Hanging in there
by: Anonymous

My Aussie red Merle is coming up on her 15th Birthday. Last 2 years have had ups and down. Arthritis main culprit but she doing well still has quality. Feb 4 we will celebrate her birthday.

My loving Frisko
by: Penny

My Aussie lived for 13 and a half years. it was hard for him to walk he started to pee in the house he was eating less, I think he was coughing. I knew it was time and I wanted him to not to be in pain anymore and to go on to doggie heaven. he had a great life I took him on a lot of walks but like all Aussies their back hips start to go. do not make your dog live longer for you if your dogs in pain or isn't doing much of anything it's really time for them to go don't make the dog live for you let the dog go for him. I just put my dog down on January 19th 2017 it was very hard and I'm very sad but I know he's not in pain anymore. My loving Frisko Nabisco who really love to Disco.

Old girl
by: Russ

Love of my life came to Us in march of 95' .. she was born on Valentine's Day... she will be 21, on feb 14 2017... I know she is old, back hips are... well... weak... I know the day will come.... and I guess they can lay me beside her... because I think I'll just die without her...

16 year old
by: Anonymous

We have a Australian Shepard that is 16 she's having problems eating. What types of soft dog food would yall recommend?

The average Aussie lives 12-14.
by: Anonymous

I have been involved with them since 1983, my first was a Windermere dog, and lived 19 1/2 yrs. The rest have been Los Rocosa, Slash V, Twin oaks and WW need dogs, that on average go to 16, with no major health issues. My big boy Bruce is 23" tall, and over 70 lbs, not fat, and is now a little over 16. Love these dogs.

Still going
by: Michele

Our Lovey is 17 and still going! She is deaf as a post and arthritic, but loves to wander around the house looking for people food, laying by the back door to bark at deer, and basically enjoys the life of a senior citizen and does whatever she wants. She still loves getting scratched behind the ears and a gentle rub on the back. Sometimes she just lays on her pillow and stares at the wall. Lots of heart and we love her.

My first dog
by: Anonymous

Our male aussie Zen lived to be 8 years old. He had a blood disorder that causes him to bleed out on my parents bed. Best dog i ever had! It will be a year in 6 days. Miss him so much. Got 3 more aussie at home! Our female is 6, both boys are still puppies!

Spend as much time with them
by: Anonymous

We had one that just passed this Monday and he was my best friend he was great in every way. He is missed every minute of of every day, one word of advice spend as much time with them as you can and show them the love they deserve they are great pets. I had ours was 13 years old and past this Monday from cancer and internal bleeding he gave us no sign that something was wrong, he was fine and was his normal self in the morning and night time he started to shake real bad took to the vet and told us that it was best for us to put him down I will tell you that is the hardest thing you will ever do and you will question yourself if that was the right decision to do. I miss my best friend ever minute of every day. We love you Rico

Do Not Know What To Expect w/13 year old
by: Setterhome

I am a setter person, I never had a pup like Hannah and after 12 years she still has me wondering on how to deal with her. Is this breed/mix so stoic that they will actually give until their hearts fail? Hannah: Aussie & Queensland Healer mix. Found on an oil well site in OK. Female, age est.'d 7 -9 mo's. Finders thought she was ES Boudin field setter-came to me to foster. Rescue ascertained she was not a setter. But, I kept her on.. Vet: Brown Tick fever, broken lower leg, pelvis broken in 17 places, & severe Demodectic manage. Because of the tick fever & mange, vet would not set leg or pelvis. He said that putting her under to repair the leg & pelvis would aggravate the mange and tick fever. Set the leg in a cast and really did a great job of manually manipulating the pelvis. Had to cut off her really lovely tail because of the weight. Not a good start, but after 13 months she was back on 3 1/2 toes. Today, she is dealing with the slow growth of cateracts in both eyes, bladder control, severe arthirites, auto-ammunine issues, thyroid and heart issues. She takes 13 1/2 pills per day (not including monthly heartworm), she sleeps more, but her ears are attuned to the other pup and household. Now a days, she is free to run off leash two days a week for 30 minutes and is walked 0.75 to 2.5 miles four days a week (depending on weather) 30 to 90 minutes or when either dog needs to head home. Hannah is head strong and has a need to be leader. She took care of 12 pups at most times. She was alpha and off leash trained and had acres and acres of land to oversee. Today she does not. She now has one other pup and a quarter of an acre to oversee. She has developed fears that she never had seven years ago and she is more clinging. I truly am afraid that if I turn her loose in the brush, that she will drop dead and I will not find her. I have put three cow bells on her and while she may not like it, I recall her every five minutes if I loose site or hearing of her. My fear and Hannah's need to run the area = my fear of loosing her. While Hannah is the strangest pup who ever entered our group, she is the best pup whoever call my home their own.

17 yrs 2 months
by: Anonymous

My Jasper is 17 yrs 2 months and we are putting him down tomorrow :( The last 2 years he has had something crop up every 3 or 4 months that we address and treat. He survived eye removal surgery 6 months ago and his blood work was almost all normal last month! But now he has thyroid issues added to his long list of ailments and he can't stand on his own over 50% of the time now, he is now wobbling and falling a lot when he is outside for bathroom, his loss of sensation (and potty) in the back due to old spine and nerves, completely blind due to cataracts (even before the surgery), he will only lick food (not eat) so pill taking has become a struggle and I want the last days to be meaningful versus painful so I can remember the happy times. He could probably live another 3 to 6 months, but they won't be happy months for him (or me). Best Dogs - - - they truly give unconditional love and 17 years is a LOT of attachment! Hug yours today!

Half my heart...
by: David

Left my life May 31st, 2017. I thought he would live forever! He did have a life, he was my service dog! He went to Disneyland on most of the rides, traveled all over to a point were TSA new him!
Yes, we had a couple health issues due to an autoimmune problem, well at least after 27,7500 dollars that's what they what they told me. THANK GOD FOR HEALTHYPAWS insurance. I only paid out of pocket maybe 5,000. I would pay anything to have him back.
May 31st he was vomiting. Okay, he has done that and we get a pill. Not this time!
COLTON MAXWELL
9-22-07 to 5-31-17

Almost 17
by: Marcus

Lost Marley a week before 17, what a great breed to bring so much love for so long!

Piper left too soon
by: Tamara

My beautiful blue merle Aussie girl left on 6/16/17 after having x-rays for some back pain issues she experienced that morning. Diagnosed with arthritis in knees (blew her CCL 12/15, but opted to do conservative management instead of surgery) arthritis in spine and hips (not displaysia). She would have been 11 yrs old on 7/110/17. She did not need to die that day, PLEASE, if you take your beloved pet in for any procedure where the use anesthesia, do NOT take them home if they cannot walk out on their own. Two vet techs carried her out and said this was "Normal" and she would be fine by morning. Well she never could walk that night and was incoherent. Around 9:30 that night she cried out a few times and was GONE!! I am beyond devastated!! This was the same vet who x-rayed her leg with the CCL tear. I take responsibility for believing them that she was just groggy and would be OK...DON'T ever take your beloved pet home if they can't walk out on their own. I don't know if IV fluids and monitoring would have saved my babies life, but at least we would have tried. I don't know how I will ever love another dog like the love we shared. She took a piece of my heart and soul when she left. I have never been without a dog in over 37 years and this is the loneliest I have ever felt in my entire life. It is hard to function, I left my job because she came to work with me each day and it was to painful to be there without her.

Dusty the super dog
by: Tracy

my Aussie Dusty lived two months shy of 17. he played frizbee until he was 15. he went on daily walks after 15. he developed osteoarthritis in back knee and couldn't hardly get around on three legs. i put him to sleep. he was always healthy. i fed him holistic and natural foods and glucosamine biscuits. he fathered 10 pups at 9 years old. i just recently had to put his daughter to sleep. she was 13.

18 in 3 weeks
by: Anonymous

I have an Aussie girl that will be 18 next month. The vet continues to be amazed by this dog. She still goes on daily walks (although she is quite slow) and enjoys her breakfast and dinner. Kind of unbelievable to us but we are happy for every happy healthy day.

our sweet belle
by: Anonymous

We chose to get a miniature Aussie when our other dog needed a companion. When the Aussie met our other dog they got along perfect and became close friends and buddies. Playing and chasing each other. One day one would be the Alpha and the next day the other. She was so sweet and kind and the most loyal dog in many ways. So protective of us and her buddy but never mean to anyone or any other dogs. She was auburn brown, with a star on her chest and little white paws. Every night she would stand by the bathroom and wait to get her teeth brushed and she loved having her ears rubbed so much. Getting her fur brushed was a treat she could look for every Monday and would jump and run around in circles with anticipation till she got brushed. She could sing in harmony with our other dog happy birthday to all our family and friends. The most funny thing I remember about her was when she would lie down on side and start to fall a sleep her left hind leg would rise up and down as if to say rub my belly but not really is was just a cute habit she had. The vet said she was so healthy eyes, teeth, fur was beautiful and still had plenty of energy but he was concerned she had lost 10 lbs from July to January and wanted to monitor her. He watched her for a couple for weeks noticed her red blood count had gone down and she was slowing down but still seemed healthy. Than the next few weeks got bad. She was having more difficulty getting up the stairs, and squatted but nothing was coming out and she is usually a pooping machine so when we saw this happening we knew something was up so we took her to emergency and an ultra sound showed a tumor in the bladder and urethra and unable to be operated on. We did not want to say good by yet she was only 13 years old but I guess that's pretty old in dog years. The next few weeks we tried meds, cbd oil, pumpkin, olive oil and lots of love. She seemed to be doing really good for awhile but we were hoping to get another month or so out of her but we got two weeks, not enough time, but were happy times. We have been through snapped back legged but healed by the Lord, Cancer and again healed by the Lord but this time God said it is time for her to go home. She started squatting more and more and stopped pooping and so on. Started breathing real hard and just running in and out of doggy door. We knew it was soon. Belle knew too, she sat i front of us and stared at us intently while the other dog was licking her face saying good by. I could almost hear her voice saying I want to go home and it;s ok to let me go. Please let me go and I love all of you so much and what a wonderful life I have had. We said our goodbyes and it was such a sad time since she is our family and it still hurts but no more suffering, no more pain and we have great memories of our wonderful Belle girl. Miss you always and forever.
Bells family

P. Diddy
by: Carol Johnson

I have a miniature Aussie. His name is P. Diddy.
He is now 14 years old. He has poor eye sight and hearing, and sleeps a good bit. His hind legs are beginning to give out some. We just go on short walks around the yard. He doesn't seem to be in any pain. His legs will just give out for a minute, and then he gets right back up and goes on. Thanks for offering this site so I can tell you about it.

Brokenhearted
by: Anonymous

Our beloved Meggie passed at age 15 yrs and 8 months. We made a tough decision and all of us are suffering heartbreak. She had lost control of her bladder and bowel, was losing her sight and had such a hard time to get up. Meggie was beautiful red tri who followed us everywhere. So loyal and loving. The pain of losing her is all consuming. Sleep well Miss Meggie...June 21, 2002 - February 21, 2018.

15 in June
by: SB

My baby girl will be 15 in June. She wasn't the hyper type, was a fairly mellow, happy, loving girl. She injured her knee a few years ago and we've had times of having to help her up the steps or stairs. She lost her hearing over the past 2 years but catches an occasional loud sound. She responds to hand commands. Over the past year, she's gotten Vestibular Disease bouts. I thought it was a stroke or seizure, but the emergency vet said it is common. It occurs in the inner ear or the signals between the brain and ear. My girl gets it every 4 to 5 months and takes a couple of weeks to get past the worst of it. Symptoms are inability to walk, stand, darting eyes, shaking head, anxiety, walking in circles. They feel like they are flipping and are trying to right themselves. During this time I help her to get outside with a sling support, drag her on a rug or support her hind legs. I wanted some of you to know this happens and that it isn't a stroke or seizure always. Please get a second opinion. I've slept in the living room for a few weeks now so that she knows I am there (because she does keep looking for me). But she's almost better from this last bout and never stopped giving face washes and smiles. At 15, she still tries to play with me, it's so cute. She's still hanging on.

Charles
by: Anonymous

We have a male that is now 18 years old, and still gets on to the younger ones. He still plays around a little, but sleeps most of the time. It's going to be a hard one when he goes. 18 years makes him more like my Brother than my best Friend. Hope everyone else has this kind of Blood line, he is a Pure Joy to have in our life.

18 Years
by: Anonymous

I have an Australian shepherd breed and she is 18 years old. Her name is Molly and she has no energy anymore. We always say she still has a sparkle in her eyes when it's time to eat.

Life years
by: Anonymous

I had two Australian Shepherd who both have passed. My Red Tri Female passed at age 13 and her litter sister Blue Meryl passed at 14.

They were both wonderful Dogs!

Payton the Wonder Dog
by: Pam

We just lost our 13 year old Merle Aussie last night. He had slowed down a lot this year but still liked to eat and chew on treats. His back legs were very weak and could not chase after rabbits any more. He was the best smartest wonder dog ever. He would follow me wherever I went. Ate popcorn and corn chips with me. My heart hurts but I know he is waiting for me. Gooday sweet baby dog. See you over the rainbow bridge

vc female austy
by: Anonymous

vc is 16 yrs. old her bak legs quit but eating ok to hard when she has to go potty. we will have to send to doggy heaven its sad we love her.

Aussie life span
by: Chris

My Aussie will be 19 years old in 2 months. A hip issue (limp) but still going strong and likes to still play at times.

Just lost my 14 year old.
by: Anonymous

We just lost our 14 year old Aussie baby boy after a harrowing 2 day decline from a seizure last Friday. This is the worse part of being a pet parent. I have a horrible hole in my heart right now.

Ripe age of 15 1/2
by: Anonymous

Hi, My beautiful Aussie girl lived till she was 15 1/2 and she left this world fighting. She was arthritic, blind, deaf and still had a lot of love in her. I now have an 8 year old male and a 2 year old male, and I sure do miss my girl. Anyway, as long as you take care of them and keep them moving!!! they can live a long long life.

18.5 years
by: Anonymous

We just lost our sweet Australian Shepherd today. She was the best dog ever. She was almost 19. So loving and loyal.

Our girl "Goodness" passed today
by: Anonymous

Said goodbye to my "first baby", our sweet dog, Goodness, today. One of the most hardest and emotionally draining things I've ever had to do. My first and only dog. Had her before I met my husband and had children. She went to work with me every day before I had my children.
My heart hurts. 💔 Goodness was (still is) a very loved dog. Part of this family in every way. Always at my side. In my hard times & good times. She always cheered me up and especially when she knew I needed it most. Her back legs were giving out. She was in pain. But would choose to stay with me I know, because of her devotion. But I cannot be selfish. Her quality of life was deteriorating. Wouldn't want to go outside much. Lost that sparkle in her eyes. Rarely followed me everywhere around the house, like she used to before. Heartbreaking. Nine sweet years with the best furbaby I could ever ask for. Doggie heaven gained the best pup ever... and I believe that I will see her again someday. Love you Goodness.

Sadie
by: Cindy

Our Aussie Raider is 17 and had to have one of his eyes removed. Two days after surgery he was happy as can be. I too was afraid of the surgery especially with his advanced age, just find a Vet you feel comfortable with and one that has done this kind of surgery often.

life span of Australian Shepard
by: Dave

My Australian Shepard Pete just turned 11. He was strong until a month ago where he got pneumonia. We have been to the vet twice how for antibiotics but so far no joy. Pete has lost weight and although still eating his energy is about 40%. We love this dog so much and we just hope he can beat this pneumonia. His age might be why he isn't improving too much.

15 yr old going strong
by: janice

My boy is is one month shy of 15. A Lethal White. born deaf with one eye. until a yr ago he out ran anything in the dog park. now he runs in spurts. he is extremely healthy with a touch of arthritis.

My Cody
by: Judy

My 9 yr old blue Merle Cody had a cancerous tumor beneath his pelvis which was difficult for the vets to find. I believe he had this tumor for awhile but it took him in two weeks. His breeder said he’d live to 14. I was very sad this didn’t happen. I was broken hearted when I lost this sweet boy. Three months later I bought a Black & White mini Australian Shepherd we named Tucker. These dogs will hang on to their pain and then die rather quickly. Cody was a wonderful companion dog.

My Sweet Boy Scout
by: Anonymous

My Scout (a blue merle) is 11 this year. He is the sweetest boy and I so lucky to have him. He is starting to move a little slower and sleeps more these days but still enjoys a good walk. He has a bit of a limp and is having a bit more trouble getting up. Just like me.
I love him with all my heart.
Dana

Sound, healthy senior Aussie
by: Anonymous

Lika is our fourth Aussie in the past 30 years, and she came to us as a rescue @ 12 months (owner died suddenly, with no family or friends who could take her.) Both parents were purebreds; sire was from a line of ranch dogs in WA, dam's line in WA were all conformation and agility champs. Even as experienced Aussie owners, it was a learning curve for us when she joined our pack! She has ALL the traits of her breed, magnified to the nth degree, and has needed tasks and activity with people and dogs every day. Now, at 14 1/2 years, those are mostly barking at squirrels in the yard and herons stealing fish from our ponds. She's quite deaf and blind, a bit arthritic, but still as keen as ever to please us in whatever way she can (though not too keen on interacting with younger dogs anymore.) Apart from some metacam everyday for her arthritis this past year, she's been healthy and disease-free. Good genes & conformation help, but I think that maintaining the same body weight throughout her life, plus consistent feeding with high quality kibble (salmon + potato) and minimal treats/human food has made a huge difference in the length and quality of her life.
Our vet says she likely has another year, but who knows? As long as she's getting around and not pottying in the house, we'll adapt our lives to make hers the best it can be. I just can't imagine life without an Aussie now, but we know that day is coming.

19 and counting!!!
by: Jene Cates

I think Buddy wins the prize. He turned **19** years old in November 2018. What I love is the smile that keeps going. He’s still playing at the park but sleeps the entire next day. The hearing is weak but the love is the overwhelming.

are beautiful fred
by: lou

We have Fred for almost 9 years. We took him to Mississippi with use for 2 months. The last week we where here Fred got sick. Took him to vet found out he had cancer. 3 days later went through his first chemo 4 days later we lost him. We are so broken Fred was are baby. Like every our Australian Shepherd was our life. Everywhere we went he went. life will not be the same. All I can say is they go way to soon.

my boy chili
by: Colorado Kid

my awesome boy is a red merle and he will be 14 this summer. he has had laryngeal paralysis for a good portion of his adult life. i chose tie back surgery last may and he pulled thru fine. the trouble is the same nerve runs back to the hind end and causes severe weakness. a few weeks ago he collapsed and spent the day at the vet. he was anemic and dehydrated from an infection, probably related to AP which can happen after tie back. well, he collapsed again a week later and i told myself that he was ready. my vet thought another round of antibiotic cocktails is worth a try. he is slow and very food fussy but i spoil him so its all good. he needs a boost up a couple stairs and a lift into the jeep but he wants to please me and i indulge him. its wintertime here in the rockies and im hoping he can hang in there till summer. i wont let him suffer but i love him so. im a single older guy with no kids and he has been by my side for almost a quarter of my life. i will be lost without him. best wishes to all of you that have posted your aussie story. they sure the best.

Zoey
by: Anonymous

My Australian Shepherd mix is 18 years old. Had her since I was 16. She's my best friend. Her back legs are going out she couldn't get up this morning. I'm gonna have to put her down. she is in a lot of pain. She was loyal, protective, and the smartest dog I know. I think they understand what you say. It's cool.

I love you Zoey.
You will be missed.

My sweet Hunter
by: Anonymous

I have a 17-year-old Mini Aussie. Hunter is the best, most loyal and sweet friend I have ever had. He has grown up with my children Hunter is still with us but I'm afraid his quality of life has really gone downhill in the last two years. He has hip dysplasia and arthritis. He has a hard time holding his backside up when he goes to the bathroom. He still has bladder control but can't lift his back legs to pee anymore. He is almost blind and deaf. He can only hear very loud, high pitched sounds. His weight has continually gone down despite eating enough for two dogs. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing by not putting him down. He still plays on the floor and rolls around and smiles when hes doing that. He sleeps a lot. He doesn't cry. He sometimes trips on his front legs while walking. His nose stays very dry despite everything we try. He has been an awesome friend, but I don't want him to suffer. I've had other dogs that have lived to be very old and when they seemed over it there is a look. I haven't seen that look from Hunter yet. He's an extraordinary dog. Can't imagine life without him. Any thoughts would really help. Thanks

Never Forgotten
by: Anonymous

I miss you Bogey. I miss you every single day. You were my true soulmate. I will never forget your smile the day we let you go. I never imagined how lost I'd be without my best friend. It's been 3 years and I still have not fully adjusted. My promise to you is to do my best to help save death row shelter dogs and give them a purpose. I will give them the best 2nd chance they all deserve. I love you, my bestest good boy! Come back to me soon! 🐶

Sweet Ella
by: Colleen

Our Aussie is 15.5, She has difficulty standing up sometimes, and sometimes she stands up easily by herself. Her eyes are cloudy and hearing is not the best, but she appears to love life and is always ready for her treat or her meal. The heat of summer bothers her so she spends most of her time in the house with air conditioning. Ella is the smartest most loving creature and definitely a precious member of our family. I wish I could slow down time, but also am so grateful for all the years we have had with her. If not for her hips, she would be in perfect health. She has been a great companion for our youngest daughter who is now 19 and a loving mother to our 13-year-old Cocker Spaniel and 7-year-old cat.

Good bye our sweet baby girl. We love you
by: Anonymous

Our Aussie died this morning. We got up and thought she was sleeping but she had died shortly before we found her. She was 13 yrs and a large part of our lives. Our grandkids would hang on her and she just let them. She was loving, caring, devoted, intelligent and the best friend we ever had. I will miss our routines. My heart of broken in two. We will never forget you KeeLee.

Sweetest, most social, loving, loyal dog
by: Anonymous

My Bosco blue merle Aussie was a male with tons of personality, spirit, energy, and playfulness. He lived to be 14. Losing him has been devastating. He loved to be close to me and with others who came over. It’s only been two weeks and I can’t believe he’s gone. There will never be another one like him. Every day he was a blessing. I could never do too much for him. This breed is one of the very best!

Dusty
by: Tracy

My boy Dusty went to sleep two months shy of 17. He was still mentally sharp. His hearing and eyesight had faded and he developed osteoarthritis in one of his hind knee joints. He tried to function on 3 legs but he was in too much pain. He quit playing frisbee between 14 and 15 years old. But he still went on daily walks. I started him on glucosamine biscuits at 6 years old. He ate holistic food and treats. The couch or my recliner was his bed when he didn't sleep with me.

My Rose, the love of my life! 💕
by: Carol

Our 1st Border/Aussie, Megan, lived to almost 15. My present one, Rose is 10 years old, never been sick, acts like 1/2 her age! Bossy, super smart, healthy, very active, loves me like no one ever has! She eats raw meat, brown rice, veggies, (fresh peas off the vine,) apples and whatever treats she can con me out of! Hoping she lives as long as Meg did.

Letting go
by: Anonymous

My Mini Aussie is over 15 years old. She has traveled all over North America with me and has ridden in either the hatch of my 16 foot closed cockpit kayak or on the bow of my sit-on-top.
She is circling constantly, most of the time with no purpose. She is now 90% deaf and can't be in sunlight due to photophobia. She is in cognitive decline and vet thinks she may have an intracranial mass. Her anxiety is so pervasive that I am letting her go peacefully tomorrow.
It is her time to move on to the Great Mystery.
I will miss her always.

Age of Aussie
by: Darcy White

We had to put our guy down last night. He turned 14 on 12/31/19. Good life but sure wish we had more years.

Hannah
by: Anonymous

My baby Hannah almost made it to her 14th Bday. I came home yesterday and noticed she was falling all over the place and her head was tilted. We have been dealing with her hip problems for just over a year. She was completely blind from the age of 12. In these last few weeks she kept falling down the stairs cause her back legs were giving out. She was such a loyal, loving and caring dog. I had to make the choice of letting her go. I could not watch her in pain anymore.

We are blessed
by: Anonymous

We have 4 Aussies, all rescues, 2 with papers. Their ages as of January 2020 are 6 & 12 for the ones with papers. Our 12 year old Rusty has a collapsing trachea and wasn't expected to live more than 8-10 according to our vet and Texas A&M veterinarian school. We taught him to lie down to eat and drink and only use a harness (i.e no collars). At 12+, he is still going fairly strong, but occasional bouts with breathing problems. BB (Busy Body) was just beyond puppy stage when we adopted him. Based on our experience with aussie rescues, that would make him around 3 when adopted and 15+ now. He was an active frisbee boy until a year or so ago. Now has arthritis, but still loves to chase squirrels, deer and soaring birds over our 1/2 acre fenced back yard. Ice is our good ole boy with estimated age at 17+. He's losing his hearing & eye sight but still makes a lap around the fence line twice a day on his own, sometimes in the twilight. He sleeps a lot but seems to have the desire to keep living as long as we love and pamper him (e.g. a Sunday drive around the countryside). We have to help him stand up occasionally, but it's worth it to see his big "Cool Hand Luke" smile. We're retired and been able to give them all constant attention, including daily vitamins and Nutramax Cosequin joint health supplement for years. They have also never been kenneled in their lives with us. Not sure what more we could be doing for our boys, but they do seem to want to stay around forever.

11 And Going Strong
by: Will C

Our pack of 4 dogs in total, with one Aussie is average age 9.5 with two dogs that are 11. All eat prey model raw with regular probiotics, collagen broth and offal meals. They all are going strong. We are expecting that they will all be 15+ no problem, with the goal of 20.
The Aussie Roland is 30 lbs, and has eaten raw since he was 8 weeks old. Pretty much a cure all in my opinion. He has some broken teeth from bones but has had them capped. Otherwise. Happy as a clam.

update
by: Anonymous

I'd forgotten that I wrote an entry a year and a half ago, when my rescue girl Lika was 14.5 years. Well, she'll be 16 in a few days, and though she's wobbly on her pins, her appetite and pottying are fine. Low-dose meloxicam and gabapentin keep her arthritis pain under control, and much of the time, she has a happy, keen expression in her eyes. She's almost completely deaf and wants to be near her people. And yes, she wants her diet minced and mashed.

I understand there's a statistical relationship between a dog's size and life expectancy, so I'm more than surprised that Lika has lived so long. She's a big Aussie (though her weight has always been stable, and never heavy). None of her forebears or sibs lived this long either. We'll be sad to lose her, but we know the day is coming.

Sadie, Queen of the Pillows
by: Tammy

Our Sadie was adopted as a puppy from a shelter. She's not a purebred Aussie but she has most of the characteristics of the breed - a glorious gunmetal blue merle. Per the shelter, her birthdate was April 27, 2005. As of today, she's 15 years plus a little over 2 months old. She's very hard of hearing, has some cataracts, and her rear legs are weak. She sleeps a lot these days. I believe she may have some memory issues at times, forgetting that she just ate dinner or went potty. But she is a love bug. We know her time with us is limited and we will all miss her dearly when she runs ahead on the path, once again. <3

Help with 13 year old Aussie
by: Kay

My 13 year old Aussie has started using my rug inside instead of going outside to "poop". Since he was a puppy he has been good about going outside and has never urinated in the house.

I can be sitting nearby and suddenly become aware of his "accident".

He was my husband’s constant companion until three years ago when he passed away, but he is now my constant companion and I am at a loss as to what I can do. He is definitely an inside dog and doesn’t stay outside for long periods.

Can anyone relate to this problem and give me some ideas?

tough old girl
by: JD

Our previous Aussies (3) lived from 12 to just over 14 years, but the one we have now—from the same line as two of them—is 16.5 years this month (Nov 2020). She still looks 8, but her hearing, sight and mobility are all compromised. Still, she's content, eats well, copes well with daily analgesic, and seems mostly happy. I should add that her sire was from working stock, and she's still got the smarts and quick reactions you'd expect. Best of all, she's never had any serious or chronic health problems—which is becoming rare with this breed. We'll miss her when her time comes.

Max
by: Kay C.

My Aussie is 13 now. He was my husband's constant companion and when he passed away , Max became mine. He’s never more than two feet away from me. He loves to go riding but it is getting a little difficult to get him in the car.

He eats pretty well but likes it more when I put rice or green beans in with his food.

Jackson’s at 13
by: Talara

Reading these comments really helped prepare me to send my boy Jackson on his way yesterday. He was 13 years old. 10 days before he passed, I took him to 16 acres where he had a fantastic time running around. The next day he was lethargic, but I expected that because he was an old man and did not stop the day before. On Monday I noticed he hadn’t ate anything. Long story short, after three vet visits and a compassionate explanation my Vet, I made the decision to send him off with dignity. We brought up his favorite toys, got his paw prints, and gave him all the scratches. I cried like a baby when he was gone and gave him one last hug. I will miss him forever, and I keep on crying. The day after I had to reset a password and the question was "what is your pets name?" Jackson was an attention whore, so I know this was his way of telling me not to forget him.

14 year old baby boy
by: Anonymous

Found out today our baby boy of 14 years has a large mass on his spleen. Knew something was wrong. He has not been himself. He lives for food (his nickname is scarf) his ball and the pool. He hasn’t been interested in any of it for a couple of weeks. The vet told us last week that he had bronchitis as we noticed his breathing to be off but when they did blood work — well that told a different story. We will have to say goodbye to him soon. We cried like babies tonight thinking about it. He has been such an amazing intelligent playful, lovable, spoiled rotten child and I will miss him so much.

Toy Aussie 15yo.
by: Taina

My Trains usds already 15 years old. She’s doing good, I think she’ll last 2 more years or so. I can tell she’s feeling old, she eats less, her eyes are whiter, falling teeth and molars. Skinnier and walks more than run. All this sounds sad, but she looks happy, she looks that she will love little more time.

She’s my life and has been 15 years of great time and love.

Tinkerbell
by: Lacey F

Had our girl for 17 years and 2 months before we made the heart breaking decision to lay her to rest on Wednesday, 6-14-23.
She was a teacup/mini Aussie only 15 pounds. She lost her hearing at 11 and lost vision in one eye at 13. Other than that, she was in generally great health. No other issues throughout her life besides having her teeth cleaned often because she had horrendous breath. She was having trouble getting around the past year. Sleeping a lot, having accidents in the house, wandering back and forth throughout the night like she was lost & seemed to have stiffness and trouble getting up and down in her back hips. We miss her dearly. My kids literally grew up with her. We are devastated but knew it was the right decision and right time. RIP Tinky!! We ❤️ you and will see you again when we get to heaven!!❤️😭

My Levi
by: RB

In about 9 hours my son and I take my companion of 14 years on that last ride to the vet. I've been trying to be the strong one for my wife and step-daughter, but I'm dying on the inside.

This is my third time saying goodbye to a four legged friend but that by no means makes it any easier. I have been blessed with the fact they lived long lives, though.

His arthritis and several other problems are taking away from his quality of life, and I worry that something will happen when nobody is around and he'll suffer until found.

Still, even at this moment, I'm wrestling with the thought of this being the right thing. We all wish for that peaceful passing in the night that rarely happens.

It's late, and I'm looking on the web for solace. I appreciate reading all the similar stories and being able to add mine.

"Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really." – Agnes Sligh Turnbull

Thank you.

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