The smiling dog on the left is Finnegan.   My associate Amy and I have had the privilege of caring for Finnegan since July 2013. He was 14 years old at the time. His mom travels frequently and Amy would do sleepovers for Finny while I  looked after  his dinner walks when needed. Finnegan became one of our favorite furry kids and we always looked forward to seeing him.

As Finny aged we watched him slow down a bit but he always started his walks with a little skip in his stride. It was so cute to see because it would make his ears flop each time he took a step.

For many reasons, primarily good care, our cats and dogs are living longer. As a result, many of the pets I am asked to care for are seniors. It is not unusual for me to look after large dogs as old as 15, small dogs as old as 18, and cats in their late teens and early 20's. In fact, the oldest cat I cared for was 23 years old.

It is always a blessing for me to look after these "old souls" as I have a special place in my heart for the grey muzzles and soulful eyes of a long-lived pet.