Doggy old age

Gromit our beloved Cavvy will be 12 in a few weeks time and he is very creaky now. He is not tremendously old for a dog but he is a thoroughbread and if you look at his family tree the same individuals do appear more than once. I've worked in a genetic research institute for long enough to know that this probably isn't good. One of his symptons cause his back legs to collapse sometimes making him land in his jobbie while on the job - most undignified. However he is not in pain and he is very keen on the cod liver oil on a little piece of bread that the vet recommended (served with a little balsamic vinegar, perhaps?)
As a result of this he seems to be able to get himself into trouble but hasn't got the flexibilty to get himself out. Last week I came into the kitchen and found that he had managed to get his neck through the neck piece of an pinafore apron that was flung over the chair. He was just sitting there waiting to be rescued. Then yesterday, Trev gave him the large bag that his biscuits come in which still had a few crumbs in it. Trev left the room for a couple of minutes and when he came back the dog was sitting there with the bag entirely covering his head! It is worth noting that Trev is a much better person than me, as I would have immediately rushed for a camera. However Trev thought he might be suffocating and rescued him.
Anyway, I wouldn't feel too sorry for the dog. He managed to eat an entire packet of cheddar and black pepper flatbreads that I had left on a side table in the length of time it took me to have a shower last Sunday so he can be pretty nifty if he wants.