14 Year Old Lab/Retriever Cross - New Lease of Life Each Year on the Beach

Hooks Golf Handicap

Our old girl has started to hide when her lead comes out.
She used be a great training partner when running 5k's but the past few years that's been well beyond her.
Until we get down to the mobile in Wexford like the weekend just gone.
Once she's back on the beach again & off the lead she's like a puppy, would blast up & down the dunes for hours, chase every stick into the sea.

I wonder what the psychology is that takes all that pain away & releases all those lovely endorphins.
It's like having a new pet again.

Graces7

Amazing! My wee dog is a rescue, Bassett /JRT cross and wired to the moon at 14 years old.

When she sees I am putting boots on etc sh e goes ballistic, and when we leave the dwelling,races off at a speed of light.

If we reach the turn off to the shore, I stand and watch as she vanishes at high speed, ears flapping, tail flying. Makes the day bright. My mobility is fading but the lanes and fields here are safe and empty.

Bells21

Hooks Golf Handicap wrote:

I wonder what the psychology is that takes all that pain away & releases all those lovely endorphins. It's like having a new pet again.

That's so lovely to hear, and so many lovely beaches around Wexford (not that I'm biased lol).
I suppose it could be down to resistance i.e. if walks etc are generally in an urban concrete area, there's no give in the surface where as on sand there would be a bit of give in it, so may be more comfortable for them to move on. Or I could be talking out of my bum and your dog just adores the beach!!!

Hooks Golf Handicap

Perhaps it's the concrete and tarmac that has put her off.

Perhaps it's that she's off the lead and the freedom it gives.

Great to she an old dog so happy.

TG1

We found the same with my old collie!
He lived in the family home in cork and at 9 was starting to slow down. We all moved out and the parents retired to Wexford, and took him with them. He actually lost about 6 years in the move and stayed a puppy until he got about 14.5.
we put him down just after he turned 15, but I really believe that would have happened years before if he hadn't moved to the coast. He lived for his two hours on the beach, and had us all there in rain hail or snow!

em_cat

OP that’s so lovely to hear an oldie enjoying life so much, we took our terrier mix to the beach once, he freaked out and ran back to the footpath and point blank refused. Enjoy

aonb

could it be the fact that hes on soft sand making such a difference?
Low impact.
My old guy we stopped walking on the lanes around our house - he was much happier walking on the headlands around the fields - grass and mud walks only.
Lovely to see the oldies getting a spring in their step.

tk123

aonb wrote: »

could it be the fact that hes on soft sand making such a difference?
Low impact.
My old guy we stopped walking on the lanes around our house - he was much happier walking on the headlands around the fields - grass and mud walks only.
Lovely to see the oldies getting a spring in their step.

Sand is actually harder on them as it’s an uneven surface. Bailey has walked out of the vets 3 times now with bones cut/broken set in place with pins and plates - they’re very good at hiding their pain and forgetting it if the mood takes them so i always err on the side of caution to avoid injury!.. and stop him hiding away at walk time!

Jeff2

I'd check is the dogs nails are long and it's easier to run on sand but then again if my dog is on the beach she runs wild at the start.

volchitsa

Could it be the fact of being off the leash and free to run without losing sight of you?

We walk at the beach a lot, and she loves it alright, but very much now wants to play ball there, which is what she associates with the beach it seems. She races onto the sand and waits for us to throw (even if we don't have one with us!)

Walking in town is fine, but she's young so obviously wants to walk anyway. But it's just a walk.

But recently we were in a large forest area with big open spaces and a big pond as well as paths, and she just loved it. She saw rabbits (I think) and hared off up a hill after them, I was afraid she was gone! Then she had a go barking at swans, she had such a ball. Unfortunately it's too far away for us to go regularly, but I would say she probably preferred it to the beach.

So basically I'm wondering if it's the freedom to run that makes them forget the old joints, or if it's really the beach itself?

Graces7

volchitsa wrote: »

Could it be the fact of being off the leash and free to run without losing sight of you?

We walk at the beach a lot, and she loves it alright, but very much now wants to play ball there, which is what she associates with the beach it seems. She races onto the sand and waits for us to throw (even if we don't have one with us!)

Walking in town is fine, but she's young so obviously wants to walk anyway. But it's just a walk.

But recently we were in a large forest area with big open spaces and a big pond as well as paths, and she just loved it. She saw rabbits (I think) and hared off up a hill after them, I was afraid she was gone! Then she had a go barking at swans, she had such a ball. Unfortunately it's too far away for us to go regularly, but I would say she probably preferred it to the beach.

So basically I'm wondering if it's the freedom to run that makes them forget the old joints, or if it's really the beach itself?

Good question. My dog is almost never on a lead as this island is deserted. And I potter round the back field with her several times a day. But she knows that when my boots and scarf go on? That she can run and run and run. You are right re it not needing to be the beach although so far not got her there when the tide is out. It is the the lanes than get her racing off. A wonderful sight.

volchitsa

Graces7 wrote: »

Good question. My dog is almost never on a lead as this island is deserted. And I potter round the back field with her several times a day. But she knows that when my boots and scarf go on? That she can run and run and run. You are right re it not needing to be the beach although so far not got her there when the tide is out. It is the the lanes than get her racing off. A wonderful sight.

Yes, ours just loves to run at full tilt, even jogging with her isn't the same, she loves doing that because she does it with us, but when you see her racing off by herself, or coming running back towards us afterwards, there's just a sheer pleasure in the freedom that I think she doesn't get when jogging (I mean attached by a jogging leash as it's partly on roads with passing traffic).

It's a pleasure to watch, isn't it? She does these giant leaps through long grass, just having a blast. Same as the OP's dog racing up the sand dunes, that's why I thought of that, I think a lot of dogs need to run, and walking, even long walks, just doesn't quite do it for them. Well, our dog does anyway.

Graces7

volchitsa wrote: »

Yes, ours just loves to run at full tilt, even jogging with her isn't the same, she loves doing that because she does it with us, but when you see her racing off by herself, or coming running back towards us afterwards, there's just a sheer pleasure in the freedom that I think she doesn't get when jogging (I mean attached by a jogging leash as it's partly on roads with passing traffic).

It's a pleasure to watch, isn't it? She does these giant leaps through long grass, just having a blast. Same as the OP's dog racing up the sand dunes, that's why I thought of that, I think a lot of dogs need to run, and walking, even long walks, just doesn't quite do it for them. Well, our dog does anyway.

So well put that I am sitting here smiling! Yes the freedom to RUN. Stretch legs and heart and lungs at full pitch. LIVE!

The first time I took her to the lane that leads down to the shore! She just looked then took off..I stood and laughed... in sheer joy with her. And now every time I open the gate she is the same.

When she gets too far ahead, I call her and she turns and races back to me. Just sheer exuberant joie de vivre.

The field at the back here is overgrown with rushes and she leaps over them..

boomerang

Is she on any medication or supplements for arthritis, OP? If not, consider it! Surely a contributing factor and could put an additional spring in her step.

Topbike77

Have you heard of grounding? Coming into direct contact with the Earth through sand, grass and mud can have an enormously positive impact for both humans and animals. Could have something to do with it

volchitsa

Graces7 wrote: »

So well put that I am sitting here smiling! Yes the freedom to RUN. Stretch legs and heart and lungs at full pitch. LIVE!

The first time I took her to the lane that leads down to the shore! She just looked then took off..I stood and laughed... in sheer joy with her. And now every time I open the gate she is the same.

When she gets too far ahead, I call her and she turns and races back to me. Just sheer exuberant joie de vivre.

The field at the back here is overgrown with rushes and she leaps over them..

Yes, that's it exactly isn't it? They really lift your heart, I find.

We never had a dog before, we got her for my son mainly, who's on his own a bit now his brother and sister are away at university, and I really didn't expect to get so much out of having her myself.

Capercaillie

The Tintin has had a new lease of life living beside the beach. The pimobendan, furosemide, benazapril and spironolactone also help! Tintin 16 years and 8 months today.
https://youtu.be/D2H8_9c5l1Q

Graces7

volchitsa wrote: »

Yes, that's it exactly isn't it? They really lift your heart, I find.

We never had a dog before, we got her for my son mainly, who's on his own a bit now his brother and sister are away at university, and I really didn't expect to get so much out of having her myself.

I think too it is the sheer freedom when they run loose. No lead, no discipline,. We are within sight and reach but not attached,

At first I would try and see if she came back without being called, and she does.Loves to touch base but then off again..

DBB

Capercaillie wrote: »

The Tintin has had a new lease of life living beside the beach. The pimobendan, furosemide, benazapril and spironolactone also help! Tintin 16 years and 8 months today.

Jayney mac, Capercaillie, he's still trottin' along like a young fella! Great to see him moving so well, particularly a gent of such advanced years