DAY 2: BUSY! My dog Rascal is 14, has arthritis, and may have the beginnings of dementia. Often he seems unaware of what's going on, other times he is top of things. When he isn't busy he's resting on the floor taking a nap. As I have found with Border Collies many are afraid of loud noises. He is no exception and when you live near a field artillery army base there's going to be A LOT OF NOISE! I now busy myself with giving him back rubs, hip massages, and overall closeness to either calm him down or to reassure him we are still here loving him. It calms me down too. Didn't you know having a pet like a dog brings down blood pressure and soothes the human as well as the dog?