My best dog yet, Quincy, got the same way at the end of his life. His heart
was still into the hiking/canoeing etc. but his body quit cooperating. It
was sad to see him get that way.
A shepherd as well. He once spent 2 or 3 nights seperated from our camping
group along the Big Manistee. As we hiked and looked for him we asked
anyone we saw to help us out- by putting him in or tieing him to our truck
(Willy's old '68 Ford) parked at Red Bridge- if they found him.
When we finished our canoe trip- you wouldn't believe how happy I was to
find my old buddy in the back of that truck. Who knows what he experienced
along the way.
Dogs are truly good friends.