Taking Chance on Old Doggie in a "Baby" Stroller

An old dog feeling young again and just enjoying the ride.

One of the hardest things about having a dog for many years is watching him/her grow older and not be able to do the same things as years past.

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My Pomeranian, Chance, is nearly 20-years-old now.

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Up until two and a half years ago, I used to walk him and his companion dog, Tina, two to three miles in Central Park every night.

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Sadly, we lost Tina last year, when at the age of 21, she lost her ability to walk or even get up from a sitting or sleeping position. I knew the end had come when she no longer wanted to eat.

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It's always extremely tough when that day inevitably arrives when one must learn to say, good-bye to a loved, companion pet of many years. Our dogs and cats literally become our family and that is especially true when our adult human children marry and move on to their own lives and families.

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Fortunately, my daughter accompanied me the day we had to bring Tina to the Animal Medical Center for euthanasia and we were fortunate to have a very caring and compassionate veterinarian. Tina's departure from this world was peaceful and without pain.

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But, it was still heartbreaking and wrought with grief.

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Fortunately for me, I still had Chance to come home to.

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But now Chance too, has reached advanced senior age and like Tina, has slowed tremendously over the past year or so.

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I rarely do walks in the park anymore with Chance as it requires great effort on his part. Though he still loves going out, the old bones are simply not capable of long hikes. Supplements help, but do not turn back the hands of time.

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Still, I have greatly missed walks in the park with my dog(s). More importantly, I know Chance has missed them.

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What to do -- if anything?

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With the weather turning cooler now and Central Park not quite so mobbed with dense crowds, runners and cyclists, the thought occurred to me last week about the possibility of purchasing a doggie stroller for Chance.

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Of course, I worried that such might be out of my budget or worse, Chance simply wouldn't take to it.

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Chance has always been a funny dog about avoiding furniture and even the doggie bed I bought a couple of years ago.  (My cats use it.)

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Nevertheless, I decided to look into the matter.

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Shockingly, doggie strollers are actually inexpensive and affordable (or at least on Amazon.com, they are.)

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I found and ordered a pretty blue, doggie stroller from the Internet site -- and then thought myself completely insane for doing so.

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"Chance will freak out in it!  It will be too heavy and cumbersome to lug up and down stairs. He won't fit comfortably. I still won't be able to take him on the Reservoir path. The stroller is so cheap, there must be something wrong with it. I'll just waste money for something the cats can't even use."

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Yes, I thought of a million things that could go wrong, the biggest being my beloved and senior Pomeranian being utterly terrorized and traumatized. I could envision Chance struggling and tearing to get out and perhaps even having a heart attack in the process!

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Of course, 90% of the stuff we worry about never happens.

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The stroller arrived a few days ago.

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But, it wasn't until this morning, (at the crack of dawn no less), that I finally garnered the gumption to give it the old college try.

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Getting both, the stroller and Chance to the street wasn't the big deal I thought it might be. (The stroller is lightweight and easy to carry.) I walked Chance a couple of blocks while pushing the stroller. (Also not hard).

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And then finally the moment of reckoning: Putting Chance in the stroller and heading to Central Park!

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I had done a short trial run in my apartment to be sure the fit was OK and it was. But, Chance had been a bit nervous at home. Would he totally freak out in the streets?

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Chance was a bit fidgety and a little whiney at first. Oh, oh.

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But, once we started moving along, he settled down and finally seemed to find a comfortable position.

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By the time we got to Central Park, he was sitting upright, alertly looking out through the protective netting, and had a wide smile on his face! 

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There was little activity on the Reservoir at that early hour on a Sunday morning. What few runners there were, actually smiled and chuckled at the Pomeranian in a small, "baby" stroller.

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I could not have dreamed or begged for a more perfect morning.

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Migratory geese on the water, the raccoon family settling in their dens to sleep for the day and my happy old dog enjoying a "ride" in the park.

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It was like a trip back in time, as it had been so long since I had been able to enjoy quality, guilt-free time in Central Park with my dog. (Our recent walks had been short and seemed a struggle for Chance.)

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Chance and I were in the park for a little over an hour and both, he and I enjoyed every minute.

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When at last we were back home, Chance came out of his stroller, tail wagging like a puppy!

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Yes, 90% of the stuff we worry about doesn't happen. And yes, sometimes a little optimism and positive thinking goes a long way.

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So glad I took the chance for Chance. He is one very happy old dog now who for the moment, is feeling young again!  -- PCA

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