Diesel & Perseverance

Today Adam, Diesel, and I hiked Perseverance, and I kept noticing all the little changes in my old man dog I wish I didn’t have to notice.

His hips give out now. Not dramatically, just a stumble, a catch, a quick correction like he hopes I didn’t see it. His breathing is heavier, louder in the quiet woods. His long tongue hangs low and I remember when that same dog could run miles and miles beside me without slowing down once.

He used to charge into water like it was the whole reason we went outside. I’d have to drag him out after swimming forever, completely soaked and thrilled with himself. Today he stepped carefully into a creek, took a drink, and walked right back out. No splashing. No circling back for more. Just enough.

This all hit me harder than I expected today. Leaving my house I didn’t think anything of it, just taking Diesel for another hike.

I kept seeing two dogs at the same time— the white faced one in front of me now, moving carefully, and then the 80lb puppy who used to pull me down trails faster than I wanted to go. The strong, unstoppable body he lived in before, and the gentle, tired one he carries today.

Diesel stayed close the whole hike. We took breaks. And I didn’t rush him.

You get a dog at 20 thinking “I’m a grown up now”. You don’t realize you’re being given years of companionship you’ll someday measure in moments like this. Not realizing this will be the dog your kids fall in love with too.

I don’t know how many hikes we have left together.

But today we walked one together, slowly, carefully, side by side. And that was enough. 🧡