Am I Too Old To Get Another Dog – Forbes

Will Skye be the author’s last dog?
With two exceptions, my wife and I have owned at least one dog throughout our 44 years of marriage. The first exception was some thirty years ago when we still had two cats. The second exception is now.
Our beloved border collie, Skye, crossed over the rainbow bridge this past summer and we are still reeling in grief. We miss the joy of the greeting we received when returning home, regardless of whether we were gone 3 hours or 3 weeks. When the refrigerator ice maker grinds, there’s no waiting mouth to catch the one cube that falls outside the glass. We dote on friends’ new puppies and we still go the the dog beach in Jupiter, Florida to get our puppy fix. Witnessing the bond between the playful dog and his owner touches us and we get to explain our longing to a sympathetic ear. And we still have poop bags and dog treats in various pants and jacket pockets.
But after living without Skye for these 6 months, our answer to the inevitable question we’re asked, “Are you going to get another dog?” is now a bit less certain, and we’re a bit more hesitant to answer.
Our lifestyle has certainly changed. I felt no guilt escaping from the dreadful Florida weather this past August and September for what I call our “evacuation vacation.” And I certainly don’t miss having to walk Skye in the rain. But I clearly miss the devotion, companionship, and unconditional love I was granted from our dogs. In the past after we’d lost a pet, that alone always made my answer very simple.
So what’s changed? The answer is “my age.” I’m 74 years old now. Any dog we get will likely live 12 to 15 years, making me almost 90 years old. So as the title of this article says, “Am I too old to get another dog?” Here are some considerations I have as I age.

I don’t have the answers. These are all considerations that I think many of us have or will face. A few years ago, when my wife and I bought a new bed, we joked that it may be the very last bed we buy. When we remodeled our current home we said this was going to be our “forever home.” Can I say that Skye was the last dog I’d ever own? No, definitely not. I love being with dogs too much to spend the rest of my life missing that part of me. Defining the problem is said to be the first step in coming up with a solution. So now on to step 2.

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