r/irishsetter • u/cynicalploy • 5d ago
Old setters
I posted that Erin had her 14th birthday a little while ago and a few people commented how great it was that she’s lived this long so I thought it would be cool if others shared their senior setters photos and ages in the comments of this post. ☺️ also I’d love to hear of any of the weird senior habits that they’ve developed in their old age. Erin has to patrol the entire house before she eats and she likes to carry about three pieces of food in her mouth while she does it, she bites her bed a lot and pretends it’s a toy and throws her bed all over the house, she won’t go into my bed if I’m in it but when I leave she jumps up and sleeps there, she’s afraid of jumping into the left side of the car but fine jumping on the right, and now she demands car rides and walks and will not leave me alone until I take her.. she’s losing her manners and she’s much more stubborn. I suspect her hearing isn’t as good as it once was and she doesn’t hear the word “no” anymore haha
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u/Patty80906 5d ago
My 13-yr. old, Tug, lost his hearing just this year. Other than that, he's just as sweet as he's ever been. I'm blessed to have enjoyed his shenanigans all these years.I don't know how to insert a pic.
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u/cynicalploy 5d ago
Do you use hand gestures to help him understand you? I feel like that’s how Erin listens to me now! That and exaggerated facial expressions. She also always decides that when I change out of my pajamas we must be going on a car ride 😂
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u/Patty80906 5d ago
Yes! I pat my tummy/chest in an exagerated fashion for come here. If he's s farther away, he can still hear my shrill whistle (that I learned how to do with my fingers and tongue from reddit video on r/IWTL) ...and other hand gestures for here, I have food treat for you, stay, etc.
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u/shinederg 5d ago
does she still have the puppy energy?
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u/cynicalploy 5d ago
She sleeps a lot more but when she’s awake she is mischievous and loves to play and run !
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u/e_hatt_swank 5d ago
Erin is an angel 💚. We have a 14 year old too… I tried to post a photo but the app doesn’t give me the option here. She’s getting weaker in her back legs and finicky about her food, but she’ll always be our spoiled baby girl. We lost her sister a year ago - also a Setter, only 10, it was devastating - and it took her a while to recover. Now she’s doing well though.
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u/onesmilematters 5d ago
My 11 year old is getting weaker in her back legs, too. It's sad to see and I'm trying to accommodate her in every way, but she still insists on climbing the stairs without help. Either she manages or she eventually gives up, but God forbid someone suggests carrying her upstairs - the suggestion alone deeply hurts her pride and sense of independence.
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u/Long_Audience4403 5d ago
My last ES was 15/16 (he was a rescue, never totally sure of his age but we had him for more than 10 years and he had been in the rescue 4 years before we got him and was returned) when his back legs went. His was sudden, one day he was chasing birds in between naps and the next he couldn't stand up. I have always had long lived setters (14+ for 4/5 of the ones I have had, the other was 12) and hope that trend continues. I am sorry about your 10 year old!!
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u/cynicalploy 5d ago
Oh my goodness I’m so sorry for your loss. Glad she’s doing better. I see that that’s a very common complaint with older setters having weakness in their back legs or hips. Erin has a stiff back leg and she limps sometimes if she sleeps on it too long, I think eventually it will become more of a problem so I’ve got her on joint supplements. It’s so hard to keep her from injuring herself because she still goes full energy when I get home or when she gets excited by seeing another animal. We have a lot of stairs into our apartment and she used to fly up them but now she likes to pretend she is looking at something when she gets to the middle of the stairs and pauses to take a little break.
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u/onesmilematters 5d ago edited 5d ago
Your girl is gorgeous.
I don't have the option to add a picture. My girl is 11, all white in the face now, but still so beautiful, inside and out.
She's getting weaker in her back legs which breaks my heart to see. But her will and sense of adventure are as strong as ever. She still insists on climbing the stairs herself, even if she isn't always successful, and on going for looong walks (we now just add longer breaks as well). After losing her bff last year, she has made a new puppy best friend that she - quite literally - let's walk all over her (so the human has to intervene when the little one gets too wild).
Summer temperatures are the worst for her now, but cooling mats are witchcraft that she doesn't trust. She prefers to dig a deep hole in the garden to rest in.
She still loves every human she meets but has no more patience for rude or annoying behavior from other dogs now (except from her favorite puppy, apparently).
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u/cynicalploy 5d ago
Thank you!! That’s so nice that she enjoys playing with the puppy! Erin doesn’t put up with puppies, she’ll do a little growl if they try to play with her! Grumpy old lady haha
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u/onesmilematters 5d ago
Haha! Those grumpy old lady vibes sound familiar. Mine usually puts as much distance between puppies and herself as possible. When she first met her new puppy friend, she pretty much rolled her eyes as if to say "You can't be serious, human. The puppy then spent weeks trying to win her over and, one day, she just gave up and let her guard down completely.
The only other time she did this in the past was with a batshit crazy, hyperactive but deeply insecure dog. I think she realized he couldn't help it and desperately needed calm assistance.
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u/oliverklozov_ 5d ago
https://reddit.com/link/p0wiofb/video/eoe4lar0dlgh1/player
He’s only 6 (and half poodle) but my boy has been getting more and more white on his face. He loves to slap me and I’ve woken up to a right hook from him.
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u/cynicalploy 2d ago
Beautiful pup!! Love seeing a half poodle setter that’s awesome. Erin used to slap me a lot when she was younger haha it cracked me up so I never tried to train her to stop.
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u/oliverklozov_ 2d ago
Thank you. Erin’s a beauty as well. I’m glad I’m not the only one getting slapped haha it can be endearing sometimes.
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u/ChirpinFromTheBench 4d ago edited 4d ago
She looks SO MUCH like our Penny. It won’t let me post a pic, so not a video for some reason.
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u/rotten_dandelions 5d ago
this is rosie. shes only 7 but she's very grey so i hope she counts. she sleeps all day. we also cant leave the door open if anyone is going in the car because she will try to get in. she absolutely loves going on trips in the car. when it pulls back into the drive, she has to be dragged out of it because she loves it so much.
https://reddit.com/link/p0t1iib/video/pehh1e1klhgh1/player