They’re older, with a touch of grey on their muzzles. They’re a (tiny bit) slower and sleep a little more. They’re starting to have more frequent trips to the vet. One had to have knee surgery this year. It was to prevent his knee from getting any worse because he’s still young enough that I couldn’t stand the thought of him limping for the rest of his life. One of the reasons I got the surgery was that he was getting a $200 shot every month and it wasn’t going to help in the long run. After the surgery he started having a skin condition. After a round of biopsies it’s most likely an allergy to the titanium implant. The vet, who’s been a vet for over 30 years, didn’t even know that was a thing. Now he’s going to have to be on medication for the rest of his life to manage the allergy, which will probably cost a little less that the $200 a month, but he won’t have the limp and the allergy doesn’t seem to bother him. The other will need to start having teeth removed at some point in the future. No matter how old they get, I will always remember them as my young boys in this picture. We go to the park everyday so they get plenty of exercise. The grey hair in their muzzles is a daily reminder to live in the moment with them a cherish everyday. They are the first dogs I have had as an adult. I never knew how much joy and perspective an animal could give me. As I type this, they’re crawling on me and staring me down, because how dare I type on my phone this close to dinner time. I’m going to start making dinner now. It’s my job as their personal assistant and support staff.