Sally Muir - Old Dogs

Pavilion Books

An imprint of HarperCollins PublishersLtd

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

First published in Great Britain by Pavilion Books

An imprint of HarperCollins PublishersLtd 2021

Copyright Pavilion Books 2021

Text and image copyright Sally Muir 2021

Sally Muir asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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Source ISBN: 9781911663195

eBook ISBN: 9780008591632

Version date: 2022-08-04

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Everyone loves a puppy, but there is something infinitely touching about the grey muzzle, milky eyes and wobbly legs of the older dog that really tugs at the heartstrings. There is also the shared life, the years spent getting to know one another and understanding each others little ways.

When I started this project I put out a call on social media for people to send me photographs of their old dogs, and I got hundreds. They were wonderful and often came with heartfelt and heartbreaking descriptions of the dog, notes on how much their owner loved and appreciated them, and quite detailed accounts of their canine idiosyncrasies. It was a struggle choosing which ones to paint. Id like to thank everybody who sent me photographs, and if I havent been able to include them, Im really very sorry, I would have included absolutely all of them if I could, but I just couldnt fit them all in.

My whippet, Lily, is now 14, and is the longest-living dog Ive ever had weve grown grey together. As shes got older, Ive come to appreciate the joy of the senior dog. Weve come to understand each others language if she were human, wed definitely be finishing each others sentences. Apart from the thickening waist and cloudy eyes, Lily is now quite shaky on her legs, but she still valiantly follows me from room to room and up and down the stairs all day, as well as just standing next to me and occasionally poking me gently in the leg to reassure me that shes there. Or to reassure herself that Im there, who knows?

Like elderly humans, she has become a slightly more exaggerated and uninhibited version of her younger self. Shes always been a thief but will now steal blatantly and entirely without guilt. Shes also quite averse to going out in the cold or wet and has been known to pee on the carpet while steadily looking you in the eye. And now, more than ever, she loves a routine. At the same time every evening she hauls herself off the sofa where she sleeps with her chin on my leg to prevent my escape and flings herself onto the carpet for a slow and stately back scratch, before her nighttime snack.

Lily wont be with me for much longer so this book, which has taken five years to put together, is a tribute and celebration of her and of all old dogs and their owners who love and appreciate them in all their grey, smelly, lumpy, opinionated glory.

Betty, rescue Bichon, went through a lot in her former life and is full of anxiety, but shes a trooper

Ambrose, the best dog ever charming, brainy, independent and loving

Wobbly Walter, a big character in a tiny body

Odin, one of the Galgos del Sol oldies; he loved a bum scratch and had his own armchair in the Spanish home for retired galgos

Beba, a street dog from Argentina

Lily, looking more miserable than she actually is she doesnt like wearing a coat

Connie, princess and great friend to my girls, has the best eyebrows in Bath

Alfie Rae Razamataz Bobby Haylor, 16 years young

Tiny old Bedlington, completely bald tail

Lily, serene and gorgeous, aged 14 possibly not her best angle