The Rhea Family: Sadie's 9th Birthday

Happy 9th Birthday to our big baby, Sadie Mae Rhea! No words for how much we love her.

Sadie is a HUGE part of our family. I thank God everyday for her companionship, love and loyalty.

9 year old Sadie-isms:

Sadie sleeps in Clayton's bed every night. Clayton cries if she isn't there (if Sadie is vacationing at her grandparents) and Sadie on the foot of her bed brings her comfort.
Each morning, Sadie leaves Clayton's room and gets in our bed by my feet until I get up. I let her outside and while she is pottying, put her breakfast in her bowl (1 cup of Fromm Mature Dog food and a glucosamine pill for her joints). She comes in from being outside and goes straight to her bowl, eats breakfast quickly, then comes and "thanks me" for breakfast by rubbing her head on me while licking her lips. Then she gets back in Clayton's room until Clayton wakes up. I know Clayton is awake when I hear Sadie jump off the bed and slowly make her way into the den. Not far behind her is sleepy head Clayton. For the rest of the day, she spends it following me around the house from room to room.
Clayton loves giving Sadie treats. We keep her treats in a kitchen canister. She can hear the clank of the top from across the house and comes running. Clayton thinks it's fun to hold her treat hostage and run around the house giggling as Sadie chases her hoping she will give up the game and give her the treat already.
Sadie enjoys being in the yard while we are outside and is still my yard helper after many years. Some days she likes to sit in the sun and watch but other days, she likes to find a tennis ball and throw it at my feet so I throw or kick it for her. I've had to dump out many bags of leaves searching for Sadie's ball when it has gotten bagged on accident since she throws it in the leave piles I'm picking up.
She loves going for walks but tugs on the leash for awhile at first because she is so excited. Sadly I sometimes I have to leave her at home because it can be difficult managing her pulling, a stroller and now Clayton and whatever means of transportation she has decided to use on our walk. Plus, I am a worry-wart about cars while managing everyone.
She loves moseying around the yard. "Big Dog" as my mom calls her just lumbers around my parents yard and checks everything out. She does it at our house as well just doesn't go as far.
If Sadie hears a four-wheeler start up, she gets excited. She loves running around it while you drive which stresses me out because I'm afraid she will get hit. So I yell at Harris to go slow. Since her two knee surgeries I don't let her run around it much anymore because I'm worried the pivoting may cause her to reinjure it.
I'm extremely protective of her already when it comes to cars, four wheelers, etc. but have gotten a lot more strict with her since her knee surgeries. We hid her favorite frisbee and haven't thrown it for her since and limit throwing the tennis ball for her. It breaks my heart because this is her favorite activity. Since she has one leg with a bad knee and the other with a bad hip, her back-end isn't the most stable so I'm really cautious. I also don't let her play too hard with other dogs for this reason as well. The pivoting and jerking of her knee is what worries me.
She hates riding in the car which really saddens me. She used to be my riding buddy and went everywhere with me. She began panicking when we lived in Nashville and were driving back and forth so much. But then it ended when we moved back to Memphis. Well, it began again now that we live in Tupelo and drive back and forth a bunch. I've tried everything that I can think of to calm her. She shakes and pants so much it panics me that it is too much for her older body. If we know we are coming back to Memphis shortly, then she stays at my parents to avoid the drive. And I give her medicine if I know we will be traveling later in the day since it takes so long to kick in. Gosh I would love to figure out why she panics.
My favorite part of my car-riding buddy (when she would ride with me or has finally calmed down enough) is when she sits in the front seat and when I make a left-hand turn, she puts her paw up on the door arm rest "bracing herself." (I'll have to post a video.) It's too cute.
When she sees me pick up Clayton's plate to put it in the dishwasher, she runs over to it knowing that I usually give her some of the leftovers....there is always uneaten food on Clayton's plate.
Around 4:30/5 everyday, she knows it's her dinner time and she starts trying to remind me. She is on high alert and will look at me and then if I get up, she runs to her food bowl. Or she sits by the backdoor knowing that I will get up to let her out and then fakes me out by running in the kitchen. And if you ask her if she's eaten, she is known to be a storyteller and hopes to fool you into feeding her again. Harris often gets fooled when he comes home from work.
A few signs of aging are a little bit of grey hair around her muzzle but not much and a few grey hairs on her tummy. She is a lot more lumpy these days with some fatty deposits and a large one on her tummy. She has a new wart on her right eye as well and some on her body but are covered by her hair. Her hearing is slightly diminished as a car can pull up and it can sneak up on her. I like to say she is just a more sound sleeper.
I believe she is a little depressed during the winter since we aren't outside as much, but she still has energy and likes to play outside and run around the house when the occasion arises.
She is still our trusty watchdog. If someone comes in our house uninvited, they will certainly leave quickly. Her hair stands up on her back and she is ready to defend. Thankfully, we've never had to prove her ability but I know she will defend us. It's funny because she doesn't always defend herself when we are gone and will timidly come walking up wagging her tail like I'm embarrassed but glad no one came to get me while we were gone.
Sadie hates anything foreign on her body except for her collar. Hats, dress-up, etc. and she acts like you are abusing her.