““Sweet London: Sixteen Years of Love and the Beautiful Gift of Growing Old Together”””

Because it’s London’s birthday month, I found myself sitting on the floor with her the other day, just watching her.

I spoke to her in that soft, sweet voice we all use when we talk to our dogs — you know the one — just a little higher pitched, a little more tender. And she looked up at me and gave a little whine back, almost like she was answering me.

These days she stays very close to me.

She follows me from room to room and prefers to sleep right on the floor beside my bed. She wants to know where I am at all times. There’s something about senior dogs — they become softer, more emotional, more connected.

And sometimes, every now and then, I still see a little spring come back into her step. If the other dogs are around and someone has a cow ear, suddenly London remembers she’s still got a little competition left in her.

She’s always been funny about food. London has never really believed dog food was quite good enough for her. Even now, with her sensitive stomach and very strict diet, she still gives that look that says she thinks she deserves something better.

Some things never change.

But sitting there watching her the other day made me realize just how much time has passed.

London came into our family when Natalie was just four years old. Natalie picked her out herself and named her. Natalie is 21 now, which tells you just how long London has been part of our lives.

Back then, all of my children still lived at home. Our house was full, loud, and busy with family life. London was this tiny, fluffy little puppy that immediately became everyone’s favorite.

She bonded with our whole family, but especially with Lauren.

London always had a temperament that was different. Even when she was young, she had this calm, intuitive nature about her. She wasn’t high-energy or wild. She was attentive. Present. Deeply aware of people and their emotions.

Looking back now, it makes sense.

Because when London was about two years old, something happened in our family that none of us expected.

Lauren began having sudden fainting spells. Completely out of the blue. She passed out several times, even twice while driving. As a mother, it was terrifying. We had no idea what was causing it, and it felt incredibly dangerous.

Later we would discover that Lauren had a severe iron deficiency that was completely depleting her system. When her iron levels dropped too low, she would literally pass out.

But during that time of uncertainty, London somehow knew.

She stayed right by Lauren’s side. She was constantly tuned in to her. Watching her. Following her.

It was like London instinctively understood that Lauren needed her.

Around that same time, Lauren decided to pursue one of her dreams — attending makeup school in New York at MUD Makeup School. Because she couldn’t drive safely, we thought the city might actually be a safer place for her to live while going to school. She could take taxis and stay close to everything.

She moved to Soho, and London went with her.

But New York wasn’t meant for London.

The stress of the city was too much for her. She became sick with Giardia and Coccidia, and eventually I had to fly to New York to bring her home.

Once she came back to the farm, something interesting happened.

London slowly transitioned back into being our family dog again. Lauren eventually recovered and moved forward with her life, and somewhere along the way London seemed to decide that her focus had shifted.

It was almost like she chose me.

Over the years that followed, I watched something remarkable happen.

London became incredibly tuned in to me.

When life brought transitions… when the kids grew up and moved out… when the house slowly became quieter and I entered that season of becoming an empty nester… London was there through all of it.

Fletcher, our big goofy boy, came into our family when London was about nine years old. He brought laughter, energy, and a completely different personality into the house. Fletcher was always playful and happy — the kind of dog that made you smile without even trying.

But London was my steady one.

She would sense when something was wrong before anyone else did. If I was upset or crying, she knew. She would come sit beside me, look up into my eyes, sometimes even place her paw on me as if she were saying, “I’m here.”

Dogs have a way of seeing into our hearts in ways people sometimes can’t.

And London has been that kind of companion for me for sixteen years.

As I sit here writing this, I have tears in my eyes thinking about it all.

The years have gone by so quickly.

In just a few days, London will turn sixteen.

And while I know that time moves forward for all of us — for people and for dogs — I don’t like to think too far ahead. Right now I’m just grateful for the time we still have.

Even my mom, who never really cared for dogs, loves London.

They’re like two little old ladies together now. They understand each other. In dog years, they’re practically the same age. And even my mom says she hopes nothing ever happens to London.

That’s the kind of dog she is.

London has softened hearts.

She has comforted tears.

She has been present through seasons of joy, seasons of change, and seasons of quiet.

Sometimes we don’t realize just how much these dogs mean to us until we look back over the years and see how faithfully they walked beside us through every part of life.

So today, I just wanted to take a moment to honor my sweet London.

To celebrate the love she has given our family.

And to remind all of us that the best therapist really does have four legs and fur.

Here’s to sixteen beautiful years — and hopefully many more.

⸻

Loving and Caring for Senior Dogs

Watching a beloved dog age is one of the most emotional parts of loving them. But it is also one of the most beautiful seasons of their life.

Senior dogs teach us patience, tenderness, and a deeper form of companionship.

There are a few things I’ve learned through caring for London that may help others walking through this same season with their own dogs.

Stay Attuned to Their Changing Needs

As dogs age, their hearing, eyesight, and mobility often change. They may need help navigating stairs, getting in and out of doors, or adjusting to new routines.

Small changes — like helping them up a step or adjusting how they move through the house — can make a huge difference in their comfort.

Sensitive Stomachs Are Common

Many senior dogs develop digestive sensitivities. What they once tolerated easily may now upset their stomach.

Maintaining a consistent diet and routine becomes extremely important.

Emotional Needs Often Increase

Senior dogs often become more attached to their people. They may follow you more closely, want to sleep near you, or become anxious when they cannot see you.

This deeper attachment is simply another expression of the bond you’ve built over the years.

Keep Them Engaged

Even older dogs still enjoy moments of excitement — whether that’s spending time with other dogs, enjoying a favorite chew, or getting outside in the sunshine.

Those little moments keep their spirit alive.

⸻

The Gift of Growing Old Together

If you have a senior dog lying quietly somewhere in your home right now, take a moment to really look at them.

Look at the gray around their muzzle.

Notice the slower steps.

The gentle eyes that have watched you through years of life.

Those eyes have seen your happiest days and your hardest ones.

Dogs have a way of loving us with a quiet loyalty that asks for very little in return.

They simply stay.

Through the noise of life.

Through the silence.

Through the years.

Sixteen years ago, London came into our home as a tiny puppy that Natalie chose with the simple joy of a four-year-old child.

None of us could have imagined the journey she would walk with our family.

The comfort she would give.

The tears she would sit beside.

The quiet strength she would show in moments when we needed her most.

Today she is older.

Her hearing isn’t what it used to be.

Her steps are slower.

But the love in those eyes is exactly the same.

And that is the beautiful thing about dogs.

They may only be with us for a chapter of our lives…

But to them, we are their entire story.

So today I celebrate my sweet London.

Sixteen years of love.

Sixteen years of loyalty.

Sixteen years of a little dog who quietly walked beside our family through so many moments of life.

And if God allows it, I’m hoping for a little more time with my sweet girl.

Because a love like that is never something you rush past.

It’s something you hold close…

for as long as you possibly can.

And it’s one of the many reasons I believe so deeply in the gift that dogs bring into our lives.

At Smeraglia, raising puppies has never simply been about dogs.

It has always been about the lifelong relationships they form with the families who welcome them home.

Because sometimes the smallest paws walk beside us through the biggest moments of life.

🤍🐾