I used to have a long list of every breed I wanted to own one day, but eventually I found what works for me, and now my list is much smaller.There's so many to choose from.
Wow that's a good long lifetime. Is it a breed thing, or are you feeding him something magical? I always wish I could get longer lives out of my dogs.My oldest has been 14.
It's good you give him some one on one time. The old ones deserve that, and I bet he's in heaven with private time with you.
They are supposed to. My last rat terrier I put down at 14 because of diabetes. She may have lived longer, but I didn't want to put her through the shots. I'm a type 1 diabetic. I wouldn't wish that on my dog.
I do currently have 3 smaller dogs. We will see how they do. Frankie my old dog will be 14 in November, she's an Australian shepherd. I don't think she will make it that long, but you never know.
Adorable! Is that an English Cocker Spaniel? My favs are the American Cocker.. I had a black one a few years ago... the love of my life
You need one of every breed.
These are worn out & just hanging on Managed to get quite a shine on them in the last 6 weeks! 
Nice. I no longer ride. My horse got old and she's not with me anymore. I'm too crippled to ride anything else, and I definitely ain't riding my 2 donkeys.Harry getting new shoes tomorrow
View attachment 1905925
Nothing magical, LOL! Must be his breed or love! Yes sometimes I think he does like it but he’s never been a lap dog & just lately is a grumpy old man.
14 is still a good age. One of the yard dogs where I keep the horse had diabetes. Owner found it very hard work managing it but she coped quite well with the shots in the end. Very true on you never know with them.
He’s a sprocker so a springer cross cocker but yes English. Sorry to hear you lost yours. I have found the spaniels so endearing.... especially Keeper as he’s pretty compared to Tally who is a bit of an ugly bug.... very intelligent when their brains are in gear but totally bonkers when they are not!
Harry getting new shoes tomorrow
View attachment 1905925
Can’t even begin to imagine how that felt. I’m totally dreading the day when anything happens to Harry or I have to make the decision. At 23 it’s going to be sooner rather than later too that it happens. Harry is a thoroughbred ex racer. I’ve had him since he was 7. We are just happy hackers and always have been. Still get out on him 2-4 times a week at the moment but the old lad is feeling his age a bit with arthritis etc. Since March I’ve also been riding my friends coloured traditional mare whilst she has been cooking her baby. Done a bit of dressage and some showing on her which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed when I thought I wouldn’t. Some kind of evil competition monster came out of me that I didn’t know I had buried! 
Thanks.. and those are great tips... he is a year and a half now.. and he has changed some because when my hubs first started working with him nothing was working.. I think they take a while to mature..cuz he’s working with him now and it’s so much easier! This’ll be his first year duck hunting so here’s hoping
And awww that’s awesome!! He sounds like a great dog! That’s good he’s good at least! Lol but WOW is he full of energy!!OMG!! That sounds exhausting!
But their dog is similar! Always wanting to do something and go go go and always biting at the other one or whatever/whoever is in reach lol always wants to play and run etc. but she finally calms down/is sweet at night/the end of the day but even then she isn’t really calm she just wants attention/chills a bit lol and she’s similar, in the crate she is a little angel and quiet and the crate is really the only time she chills, but outside it, she’s crazy!! LOL about very sweet. Sweet but crazy haha except she has to be crated when they leave because she will eat stuff. The other one won’t and is left out but she will lol
Maybe he needs some mental exercise? Haha they say with smart/energetic dogs sometimes they need mental stimulation to help tire them out and also if they’re really physically fit exercise kinda stops working cause they’re so in shape they can go for hours LOL
Does he know any tricks? Some trick training or something where he has to use his brain may help.
I also like playing find it and/or hide and seek lol I hide food around a room or hide their toys, etc. and make them find it lol I usually start easy, like letting them see where I put it/put it right in front of them till they get it then I make it harder haha hide and seek, I hide them call them LOL
Both of those games involve using their nose, which is dogs main organ they use, dogs are nose, eyes, ears, so it’s good for them and fun and it’s also tiring having to use their nose and brain and think and smell lol
Also a puzzle bowl feeder or slow feeder may help. They have ones that are like puzzles and a few different puzzle designs so it’s like he’s “hunting” his food and using his brain and it’s tiring lol they also have toys and stuff that slowly dispense food a couple kibbles at a time so they’ve gotta work for it/figure out how to get it. And there’s also puzzle games and toys they sell too that they have to figure out/move stuff that you can put treats or their meal into lol or sometimes I just make them do tricks or obedience or otherwise work for their food haha either before putting the bowl down or sometimes just no bowl and earning it throughout the day lol
All those use their brain and nose and might really help even moreso than just physical exercise alone.
But they also sell little weights that you can strap onto each leg to add resistance and help tire them out LOL
Or a doggie backpack. Can be empty at first and then eventually can add water bottles or kibble or lightweight stuff. But even just putting the pack on before going outside, even empty, gives them the illusion of having a job to do lol I know he hunts so he does have a real job but still might help lol I once knew a Border Collie who refused to even go outside without her backpack on because that was her “job.” Lol it can really help.
Of course a lot of this is also probably still just puppy/adolescent crazies because he’s still young, right? It can take a while for them to chill/grow up and he may never LOL though hopefully he will. But either way, some of this mental stimulation stuff can really help wear them out in ways physical exercise alone never good and may help him to relax some. Because as I’m sure you know, some dogs can just run for days it seems LOL and also sometimes running or playing ball a lot can make them more wound up or cause a perpetual state of being hyped up lol a bone or chew toy or some chill activity occasionally may help too haha like the nose games are chill aha and require focus
Also I’m sure you don’t have time with all those kids and animals and everything but nose work is a really fun sport and easy to get into. Even if you never compete or anything, they have classes you can take or you can buy the scents online or even just make up some random scents and do the principles/games without the real ones lol
It’s fun though. I sometimes also like just hiding stuff in boxes or around the room lol fun making them find the right box haha
Eventually you can even add distractions like some boxes with food or toys but have them only fully committed to the odor lol
Sorry, now I might be getting a little too complicated.
.. we had a Lab that hunted at six months.. so our expectations were high as my hubs knows Labs and how to train them.. which is much different than the Boykin.. so it’s a learning curve.. 
... the rest are grown and gone...
Those 2 are a pair of cuties @oldhenlikesdogs! What a great age for their mother at 32. How sad that you lost her & your horse
that is awesome!! Maybe you need to get another horse and start showing!
