Whiskey will be 14 years old in April, and we've had her since she was 7 weeks old.
This is the only picture we have of Whiskey as a little puppy.
The day we got her, we walked to pick up the kids from school, and I had Whiskey hidden inside my jacket. That sounds funny, doesn't it! I had Whiskey inside my jacket pocket!
Our son Alex was 8 years old at the time, and had one of his first Little League baseball games that evening. Whiskey came to his game with us, and she became a fixture at his games for years to come.
Whiskey at 7 months
At 9 months old, Whiskey was fixed. Other than regular checkups, she didn't have to go to the vet again until she was 4 years old. However, when Whiskey was 4 years old, she came down with an infection called leptospirosis. This is a bacteria that attacks the kidneys, and can quickly lead to complete kidney failure. Most people who are told that their dog has this disease, decide to have their dog put down because it is expensive to treat, and the dog often doesn't survive even with treatment.
But by this point, Whiskey was part of the family, so we made every effort to have her treated. She spent over 2 weeks at the local veterinary hospital, at a cost of over $2,000. But she survived. In fact, we had her kidney values tested 6 months later, and the doctors couldn't believe that there was no sign of any permanent kidney damage.
Then, about 8 months later Whiskey was having problems going pee. Turned out she had bladder stones! Another $800 fixed that problem, and a change of diet ensured that it didn't return!
Whiskey at 4 years old
For the next ten years, Whiskey was a big part of our family. She came with us everywhere she could, and she's always been a good traveller in the car. She came to all of Alex's baseball games, and even cheers the team on by barking everytime someone hits the ball. We take Whiskey everywhere with us. She loves to go camping, and she seems to love the motorhome.
Not a happy Whiskey...having a bath
Whiskey in her muslim outfit!
Whiskey digs herself a cool hole in the sand when we're at the beach in Mexico!
We've had many enjoyable years with Whiskey, and although we know she's getting older, we hope that she's around for a few more yet. Her health is good, and she still has enough energy to come for long hikes with us, and she sure can run when there's a squirrel to be chased after. She has lost about 90% of her hearing, but her sight and smell ensure that she doesn't miss out on much.
For now, we limit our travels to North America in the motorhome. There will be plenty of time to explore the rest of the world when she's gone.
Whiskey, doing what she likes to do...picture taken about 5 minutes ago!
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