We all have had dogs throughout our lives. Each one enriches our lives in ways that make us much more empathetic and whole. But there is always “the one.” Opie, on the header, is “the one” for me. We have been together for 13 years. We began our relationship in Iowa while I was a professor at Iowa State. We moved on to the forests of Pennsylvania for almost 3 years. We hiked and mountain biked about 30 miles a week. We kayaked and spent our evenings close by each other as I graded papers late into the night. We made our first cross-country trip when she was 6 months old and continued that process until we moved to CA when she was 4. Just before we moved to CA, we took in an 8 month old rescue border collie. Opie had never let another dog into our house or car. I thought I was just taking this dog in until I could find it a good home. But no, Opie identified somehow how whacked out Blaze was and let her into our lives. Blaze was a pain. She had never been on carpet, she did not know her name, she chewed, she had obssesive compulsive behaviors that drove me crazy. She had a horrible high pitch bark. Yet, Opie nurtured her and made me keep her. For years, I held a grudge about the situation because Opie did not have to care for such a whacko companion. Now, I would not trade those experiences for anything. Blaze has provided me with much more insight into dog behavior and myself. After over 9 years, she is almost “normal” whatever that is. These two dogs have crossed over into the “elderly” category. Dependent on the breed of one’s dog, that line is different. Your vet will let you know when it is time to start annual or semi-annual blood tests to monitor any changes that might need medical attention. Last May, Opie’s test was a grave concern because the possibility existed that she might have lymphoma. Luckily, she had hyperparathyroidism and with surgery and medication she is fine.  If we had not been doing the semi-annual blood tests, Opie could have died because she did not have any symptoms. The American Animal Hospital Association recommends annual or semi-annual laboratory tests for our senior K9 companions. Talk to your vet about his or her assessment of when your faithful K9companion will move into the senior category and need a bit more veterinary and tender loving care.