“There is something wonderful about a senior dog.” I texted to my twinster recently.

“Like what?” came her reply.

I began typing: “They are comfortable with their lives; they are quietly calm; they are easy to please; they are more relaxed, to name a few.”

“You know,” I continued, “They know where they belong, and if well cared for, they are happy with that. They have the most understanding eyes. A ton of patience. There is also a great understanding between them and us, if cultivated.”

“I agree,” she said, ” Just wanted to see what you would say.”

All those great attributes between a dog and a human takes time and deliberate energy to develop. Once developed, they last a lifetime. A forever friendship, even long past the life of the dog.

Such was the friendship between Dandy and me. He was ‘my pal’. We walked the trail of life together, nearly everyday, for over 10 years. I was asked often while out walking what his breeding was. The standard answer was always the same, “He’s 100% Pure Pound!”

He has been gone now for nearly three months. We got our puppy last Spring, so thankfully, the two were able to spend several months together. I wanted so much for Dandy to teach HoneyPie how life worked out here on our little farm, and what her duties were. He was a great teacher. Their five months together was well-spent before our Dandy lost his battle with an infectious disease no vet could figure out. Through it all our vet did a fine job.

HoneyPie stepped right into his paw prints. She has taken his posts where he faithfully watched over the farm, and sleeps in the places that were his alone. She is a grand replacement to my pal..