My Tired and True Companion

For more than a decade I've spent a good part of my career working from home, and I've shared that time with two dogs, a couple of cats and, when they were younger, my four children.

The children aren't underfoot anymore. Only the youngest is still at home. The cats keep their own company. The younger dog waits patiently for my daughter to get home from school, moving from room to room as it suits him.

But my old retriever is at least 14 years old, if not older. This last year has brought changes that are hard to ignore. These days he sleeps for hours at my feet while I work, rousing only to have his breakfast or greet visitors or family members. When he thinks it's time for a meal, or something unusual is going on, he gets excited but he's soon asleep again.

When I travel, I worry about him just as I do my family, calling home to make sure he's OK.

In this week's Home Planet column in The Spokesman-Review, I wrote about my old dog and how it feels to watch the inevitable changes in my Tired and True Companion

I was touched by the notes and comments by readers who also share a workspace with an aging pet. Compared to our own, the lives of our pets are short. But they earn a place in our hearts and our memory with the tender, unconditional love they show us.
And that never fades away.