Prancin’ and dancin’

Killian dances while Maya stalks the photographer. (Getting a good photograph of -a) an antsy hunter hot to put meat on the table, and -b) a dog in pursuit of her master, is near impossible.) (iPhone photo by ******-**** ******.)

Yr Fthfl Srvnt, despite advancing age, has taken on a dog perhaps more than an oldster like me can handle.
The dog is Killian, a rescue Irish-Setter, nine years old — a so-called “senior dog.” But the most extreme and strung-out Irish-Setter I’ve ever owned. Killian is Irish-Setter number-seven.
Scarlett was nut-so, but Killian is even nuttier.
So far so good! He hasn’t pulled me down yet; although I had plenty of practice with Scarlett.
Killian is an avid hunter. “I’ll get it, Boss. We’ll take it home and cook it over an open fire.”
He knows when we’re going hunting; i.e. to a nearby park. He knows the roads, and barks excitedly the whole way there. And you can be sure I walk Killian on a leash; if I didn’t I’d lose him.
Advancing age is why I got Killian, although I was expecting a more laid-back dog. I was falling apart due to no longer having a dog to walk, a result of having to give up on Scarlett — she made 13.
I walk Killian as much as I can, and that’s more than Scarlett. I’m losing weight.
I also do aquatic therapy — balance training — in the Canandaigua YMCA swimming pool. My balance went south. It may be due to neuropathy in my legs = deteriorated nerves.
I also learned to pick up my feet; perhaps independent of my aquatic therapy. That park, full of roots and rocks, prompted many earlier falls. Hardly ever any more, perhaps because I pay attention to my footing.
When I do stumble I can usually catch it. Aquatic therapy gets credit for that. Tipsiness is still present, but I can offset it.
A good friend, in my aquatic therapy class, suggested I get a cane.
“Be a good boy; don’t say anything that would hurt her feelings. But no canes for this kid! I should be able to walk without a cane.”
Killian can be a lunging monster, but he hasn’t dragged me down yet. I use an “Easy-Walk®” harness. It leashes in front of his chest — which reduces pulling — although I let him lead.
Often he goes off-trail to address critters.
Like me my aquacise coach is a dog-person. In fact, my participation in her class is because she and I use the same groomer. The wife is president, and her husband her assistant. Years ago we all worked at the Messenger newspaper.
My aquacise coach wanted to meet Killian. She suggested walking our dogs at a public park at the north end of Canandaigua lake. That’s 25 minutes from me — my other park is five minutes — but why not?
So far we’ve done it twice. The picture is from the second time. The first time my aquacise coach didn’t bring her dog. I had no idea how Killian would react.
Her dog Maya, a Samoyed, is totally blind. Maya contracted glaucoma at age-2; she’s 11. Her eyes were removed and replaced.
Both dogs this time. Killian is not questionable like Scarlett was.
Part of why I’d like to keep coming lakeside is so many more distractions are present. Runners, dogs, bicyclists, other walkers. And of course Killian wants to greet everyone after preliminary barking.
I need to be more aware of reining him in. Not everyone wants to be liberally kissed.

• My new dog, “Killian,” is a “rescue Irish-setter.” He’s nine, and is my seventh Irish-Setter, a very lively dog. A “rescue Irish setter” is usually an Irish Setter rescued from a bad home; e.g. abusive or a puppy-mill. (Killian was a divorce victim.) By getting a rescue-dog I avoid puppydom, but the dog is often messed up. — Killian was fine. He’s my fifth rescue.