My dog had a blanket underneath an old low coffee table we had in the corner of the room, she loved it!

Dogs here tend to have crates (cages) that their owners put them in when they can't be bothered to train them to be left alone safely. (IMHO)

Tut tut. Geordie has a blanket, but no crate. He's part of the family, although a rapidly deteriorating one.

Yesterday evening he slid backwards down the stairs up from the basement family room when his back legs gave way due to arthritis. It was a bit sad to see how embarrassed he was with himself.

Perhaps I should get him a plastic bed for his dotage?

Mine is way to big to fit under a coffee table - she's a beast! That's not great about the cages but saying that ours doesn't get the run of the house yet when we aren't there. Our last dog did but he was a lot older and didn't chew anything.

That's sad... our last dog got arthritis (discovered on a scan for a tummy problem of all things) once he started withdrawing we knew it was time to let him go... horrible decision to make.

Well yes, but using the usual 7:1 ratio (I know that's breed dependent) he'll be 91 in July.

It's been fun for all of us. All good things come to an end.

Bless. What sort of dog is it? ours was a retriever/spaniel that got arthritus and he was about 12.5 in human years although we got him as a rescue so not exactly sure. Big dogs don't live as long do they and the 7:1 ratio is a bit higher for large ones.

91's a good age tho eh? good innings

Border Collie. 14's a very good age for the breed. He's maybe got another year in him (if I can afford the extortionate vet / prescription fees).

Can you not claim on insurance? which reminds me I need to look into that for mine - she was insured in the UK or is it stupid premiums?

I was sort of tongue in cheek about the costs. I've never even looked into pet insurance, can you even get it here? It's never flogged on TV, so I presume not.

I recall a story about John Barton at Oxford who allegedly became known as the dead dog dragging don of Merton. It seems his dog died and he continued to walk him until finally a porter pointed out that it was, in fact, dead.

Quite a character regardless of the accuracy of the above story:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jun/12/7

You can get pet insurance here easily.

http://www.pcinsurance.ca/english/pet-insurance/pet is the cheapest I have seen

https://www.petcareinsurance.com

http://www.vetinsurance.com/

http://www.petsecure.com/plans/dog-health-insurance

Many more on google.ca

Vet costs are horrendous here, so be warned. Dog - Check up plus urine test and antibiotics - $648. (I nearly fell through the floor)

Bloody hell .- annual check plus vaccs was $120 for both dogs here in Van! 1 big 1 medium!

Dogs tend to be den animals so a crate can offer that sanctuary, in the same way your coffee table did. They're also good for puppies, etc when house training. Nothing to do with not bothering to train them properly.

There are also those who keep their dogs outside all the time that are either chained up or kept in large cages. Probably to guard the broken down car in the garden

$60 per dog, including vaccinations sounds like a great deal to me. My elderly border collie costs me $150 each year for her bloods to be tested and all the other geriatric tests to ensure her meds are still appropriate. The meds are about $100 per month.

Not found it that cheap in Van itself. Whereabouts?

We go to Mission where it's literally half the price as a minimum.

Was quoted $400 for neutering at Granville Island. $120 all in at Mission