My old girl is breaking my heart.  Jet is used to an active life that includes cross country skiing and snowshoeing with me in the winter.  But at nearly 14 she just can't do it anymore, at least not very far or very fast.  Yesterday as I piled snowshoes up in the Living Room in readiness for an outing with friends Jet got up and waited with bright eyes and expectant expression.  It wasn't to be an outing suitable for her so I said, "Jetski Stays House."   Her face fell and she went back and lay down on her bed again.  And my heart broke.

I've been through this as well with a couple of dogs, but with mine after quite a short while they seemed to realise and it stopped bothering them. With Rufus my cavalier that I did a lot of obedience and long walks with I started a new routine that now cheers him up no end. Whenever I go out with another dog, be it for a walk or for training (Rufus can't even go for walks other than very infrequently, he can cope with the back garden but that's it -he's perfectly happy though) I give him treats as I come HOME. Now I'm not even allowed to take my coat off or go to the bathroom or do anything unless I first empty my pockets of treats and give them to Rufus, and it makes his day. To him now, me leaving him behind means lots of treats when I get back and he's adjusted totally.

Oh I do sympathise as have had two oldies go through this :(

All I did was make sure they go out little and often and let them guide me on how much they wanted to do.

I tended to find so long as they were fed, were kept warmand had a nice comfy bed they were happy. Oh yes and also lots and lots of cuddles :)

Lucy
xx

Perhaps you could do a mini-outing with her and then bring her back after a short while so she can rest and you can then start your proper trip :)

It is hard, isn't it, when they get older?  Jet still does go out for snowshoes and skiis.  We snowshoed yesterday, maybe a km in untracked snow up past her tummy.  I went first though, to pack it down a bit.   It is better for me too, to take her out first.  Otherwise I'm all hot and sweaty when I go out again and moving so much more slowly when hot and wet is not good for me.  Even when Jet and I have gone together first she would happily turn around and go right back out with me.  Dogs just don't know, (heck some people have a hard time grasping the concept) that the exertion they put forth now is what makes them hurt later.  I guess when the day comes that she doesn't even want to go is when I should really start to worry.  Thanks for empathizing.

So perhaps now you will have to do sledging in reverse - you could pull the sledge and Jet could sit on it :D

I always feel mean when I put my warmest coat on which I also wear for dog walking in the winter. Harley gets up and looks all expectant but if I am putting it on to walk to work he looks disappointed and has a look on his face as if to say "How can you be going out for a walk without taking me" :D

There is a little island off the coast of Ayrshire where tourists flock to cycle round it - think its about 12 miles or so.  We used to frequently go and take our lab with us, on a good day we could get round twice. 

By the time she was about 14 though she wasn't fit to walk it so we hired a bike trailer (one designed for small children) for me to tow her! 

I was admittedly cynical that she would take to this idea at all, but by the time we'd gone about 100 yards there was a very regal grey old lab sitting quite happily looking out, the wind blowing in her ears! 

She got out for the picnic and tea stops and had a wee wander about and a paddle in the sea but was quite happy to jump back into her carriage when it was time to move on!

Maybe I should try that.  I read about a man in Toronto who did that with his two little doggies.  And in the winter I could use a pulk, such as parents of small children get.  :)

My sister brought me one of those two children cycle joggers that you can either attach to a bike or push for my 14 year old three legged lab, it means we can just walk as far as we used too (as we have a 3 year old lab too) and when she gets tired she hops in for a ride its brilliant as it goes on the beach, over rough ground etc, but even though she is 14 and a tripod she can still run, all be it not as fast as a 4 legged lol,  see link below
http://www.dropshots.com/islander1963

What a sad story.  Made my heart break too and I don't even know you or Jetski.  It's sad when our beloved friends get old.  :(