An elderly dog struggles to move: the family takes turns sleeping with him on the sofa to comfort him
Adopting a dog is definitely a life-changing choice, from every point of view. The saying which goes that "a dog is man's best friend" is definitely the mirror of reality: offering shelter, love and care to a puppy means accepting a new member of the family, a new friend. A faithful and loyal family member, who will never turn his back on anyone in his pack. Catherine Morrison's family decided to adopt Spike in 2012. At the time, the little dog was 6 years old and had been rescued from a shelter. Over time, Spike had to face two heart attacks, which he survived with a few ailments. Today, at the age of 15, the dog struggles to move and certainly can't reach his "parents" bedroom upstairs, as he once did. For this reason, the family sleeps with him on the sofa, taking shifts every night.
via The Dodo
When the Morrison family adopted Spike, they firmly believed the dog should only have access to the lower level of the house. The first night, Catherine's dad made sure that the dog gate to the stairs leading upstairs was perfectly closed. Spike wouldn't be able to reach the second floor, according to their predictions. Obviously, they were wrong: after a couple of minutes of whining and complaining, Spike didn't think twice about jumping the gate and reaching his "parents" bed. From then on, his favorite place would be in their bed.
His second heart attack, however, particularly tried poor Spike, who is now elderly and limited in his movements. In his condition, he is absolutely unable to climb the stairs that lead to the bedrooms and, even if they closed the small gate, the family is worried that the dog might try to jump it. To avoid further physical harm, the family decided that each of them would take turns sleeping on the sofa, downstairs, with elderly Spike. That's one way to prevent your dog from feeling too lonely.
A routine that began when Catherine went to college and which continued even when she came home. In this way, shifts between three people allow at least two of them to sleep better. Catherine's dad, however, never fails to bring food, water and special care for his old four-legged companion.
The dedication the whole family puts into making Spike's life as comfortable as possible is truly admirable. Who wouldn't do this for their dog?
