Gida is nearly 10 years old, but thanks to her small stature and boundless energy, she is often mistaken for a puppy. I started adding “years” to the end of “She’s almost 10,” after many questioned whether I meant 10 months. But an eagle-eyed dog-walker, noticing the gray on her back and in her eyepatch, asked recently if she was older.

Instantly, human projection set in and I suddenly felt bad for this little old lady on a leash.

In any case, I’m entering a new stage with her. I’ve noticed that she can’t jump as quickly or as high as she used to. She spends days, instead of hours, recovering after a hard play in the park. But, lest I forget, she still jumps into our bed at night and still takes off like a shot after a toy. So, I’m trying not to be too much of a sad panda about it. I think the best way to handle it, like always, is to keep her health and happiness a priority. But how I do that is evolving slightly. Is anyone else in the same boat with their pet? Even if, like Gida, your fur (or scaled or feathered) pal has at least a few healthy years to come?

Image: Devin Carraway