Puppies are adorable. They are soft, often sleepy, bundles of awww. But, there is something extra special about senior dogs. Is it the white muzzle that makes them seem worldly? When I look at my senior dog, she either calmly returns my gaze with her Buddhist-like manner, or smiles and leans in for a quick sweet kiss. Since we have been together, my dog has shown me the human-animal bond is real, and since she moved into her elderly stage, our bond is as strong as ever. I'm forever grateful to her for giving me real world exposure to this debated topic.

Spending most of our days together, from sunrise to sunset, has proven to be the best education on all things dog. Now that our lessons together revolve around senior dog life, I'm extra appreciative. With aging parents who've never liked talking about themselves, my own elderly dog is helping me understand what they must be going through.

Senior dogs have so much to give us. It's why I support Muttville Senior Dog Rescue here in San Francisco. Recently another local group focused on senior dogs contacted me to help spread the word about their sanctuary.