The Seasons We Share With Our Dogs

The seasons are shifting again. I see it in the light that slips through our kitchen windows and in the leaves across the street that trade their greens for brilliant shades of red and gold. We mark time this way, with our eyes. But the truth is that the seasons live in us too. They live in our dogs most of all.

Lewie, our Labrador, is now six and firmly in his bright, steady season. He is fully himself. Strong. Healthy. Eager to run, to chase, and to play. He greets each day with a waggy tail like it’s a friend he has been waiting for. There is happiness in watching a dog at this stage. They have been trained, for the most part, and have outgrown puppy habits - like chewing up my shoes. Lew is just happy and comfortable. Life is fun.

Lewie, through his seasons, starting as a tiny puppy...

…and today, still with a puppy face at 6 years old!

Moses, our Anatolian, is nine and a half and is in an entirely different season. The years sit a little heavier on his frame. He still wants to be where we are, but he rests more. He doesn’t play as long with Lewie, if at all, and now we see that he thinks about a jump into the car before he takes it. At 150 pounds, the small things add up, so we help where we can. Supplements. Softer routines. Easier walks. Recently, we have been figuring out better ways to get him into our SUV because the leap that used to be automatic now needs some planning - like us backing up to a curb to make his jumps in easier. This is love, too. To notice the small shifts and meet them with care.

Moses, through his seasons, starting on the first day we got him from the rescue at age 1

…and today, at 9 years of age.

Ron and I feel the seasons inside ourselves as well. We do all the things to keep us feeling young. We exercise. We eat well. We get outside. We keep learning. We take supplements. Still, there is a quickening we cannot ignore. Time seems to be picking up speed. Maybe it is because we measure our years against a dog’s shorter arc. Their seasons turn faster, and by loving them, we cannot help but notice the wheel turning in our own lives. Today is a good day, and we’ll do our very best to make sure all the tomorrows are good too.