Kublai in Winter

Kublai winter days are slow and steady. He is now my fluffy old boy dog. Sleeps a lot and is somewhat of a loner. Genghis and Sassy follow me always wanting my attention. Not Kublai, I have to pick him up and hold him for awhile, while the other two get antsy watching Kublai being held. He squirms wanting down and I lower him to the floor carefully with both hands supporting him, he growls at the other two is I release him. Genghis kisses him and dances about while Sassy runs in place, Kublai Kublai they seem to say. He bites at them and settles down on the floor. Old guy doesn't want a fuss. He walks slow and has a coarse cough every once in awhile. like an old car engine trying to start. Only wants to eat his treat of chicken or duck jerky, have to coax him to eat his dog food. Kublai likes to sit in front of the screen porch door and look, once in awhile he'll bark, it is a slow bark now, sort of starts in a sputter and ends in a yawn. The other two run about yapping in full voice. Sometimes he comes up to me when I am sitting at my desk. He sits and stares at me with his big soft eyes. I scratch his head and pet him, still staring the other two appear and the look is on. Three sets of worried eyes and a soft murmur from Genghis as his motor starts running, almost like a purring cat than a sharp yap yap yap. They know I will fold, treats for all. Kublai no longer can jump on the furniture to roll around, now he uses his soft dog bed. While the other to jump on my bed and want me to scratch their chest Kublai seldom comes in. When he does I make a big fuss it's Kublai and Genghis barks not wanting to share attention, but I pick up the old fellow and hug him place him on the bed and give him a good scratch that he loves He gets too warm on the bed though, he'll want down on the cooler floor and get a drink of water, a good long drink. Genghis will hurriedly jump off the bed to get to the water first before I can set him down as Kublai wallows over moving in and pushing Genghis so he can drink beside him. Old boy thirsty now. Kublai plops down in the doorways now. Just walk over him it takes him forever to get up and move along. when he goes outside he likes to sit and sit and sit then he will mosey about as if he forgets he needs to do his business. Life now is slow for old Kublai, no longer in his youthful days when he would run back and forth along the chain fence barking at the train chugging by on the tracks,digging through the fence to satisfy his wander lust, barking and barking just because he could. With his little stubby legs he would run fast as a bullet, around and around the shed chasing himself. Jump up anywhere he wanted to and wanted me to play with him and give him an extra treat when Genghis wasn't looking. Adding Sassy to the mix made his life more interesting.She uses him is a pillow, big old fluffy boy. Kublai winter days, I make sure to pick him up and hug and hold him, make him squirm. Got to let the old boy know we still love him.