Before I adopted my senior dog, I didn’t see myself as a pet owner who would gravitate towards the older crew. This wasn’t on my radar, but my boy came to me. I was volunteering at a private rescue where he had spent a year waiting for his forever home that seemed like it was never going to come.

“Junior Mack”, as the volunteers named him, was a senior, black, 60 lb. pitbull with stranger danger. His face was scarred from being attacked by other dogs. He was picked up on the streets of Oakland where he laid near dead. He couldn’t attend adoption events because he would bark at any unfamiliar human who approached. Those of us who knew him knew he was scared and trying to create space, but to others, yeah, sure, he looked scary. 

Anyone who worked at the sanctuary where he lived knew a different side of Junior Mack. In fact, he was a volunteer favorite. All he wanted was your undivided attention and infinite pets. He melted everyone’s hearts. Sometimes he would be treated to a weekend away with a volunteer, but his chances for adoption seemed pretty slim.

When my beloved pet of 12 years passed away, my husband said, “That’s it, no more dogs.” This was not the sentiment of someone who was not a dog lover, but one of someone who struggles with the heartbreak of losing them. It was at that moment that I, perhaps with a slight lack of compassion, said, “You have three days, because there’s a dog at the sanctuary that’s never going to get adopted so we are taking him home.” Three days later, Junior Mack became part of our family. 

What may have started out as a gesture of compassion for a dog who needed a home turned out to be the most rewarding pet experience of my life. Junior Mack was, and is, my soul dog. I had him for a wonderful four years before he passed and I cherished every minute I had with him. Junior Mack and I were each other’s compadres. There was a bond between us like no other. A bond I wish for everyone to experience at some point in their lives.

Some believe that adopting a senior must be hard because the end is closer, but I can assure you that when Junior Mack passed, I had no regrets and was extremely grateful for the time we had together. He brought so much joy into my life every day and his memory still does. I have nothing but smiles and a swelling heart when I think about him, which is often. I know I filled a special place in his heart as well and I am so grateful to have been able to give him that gift.

Dogs live in the moment. Perhaps we should take a cue from them. When you adopt a senior dog, you cherish the moments you have and don’t fret about the moments you don’t. This is the key to enjoying the most wonderfully fulfilling experience that a senior dog can bring to a person’s life.