We have had Zeke for a little over 12 years. He was fully grown when we decided to keep him, so he might be 13 years old, or even older now.

Zeke’s coat used to be completely brown over his right eye. It’s nearly all white now.

Zeke and Sam usually stay in our bedroom, lying on their bed next to the south-facing window. If I happen to open something like a package of crackers, or a bread wrapper, they know immediately and come trotting into the kitchen. Or at least they used to. Now it’s usually just Sam. If I go back to the bedroom to get Zeke and stand next to the bed to call him, his head jerks up and he looks around with a startled expression. When I call them to go out, Sam comes but Zeke often doesn’t. We have to call loudly and repeatedly.

Even when Zeke lies on the dog bed in the living room he seems to have a little trouble hearing me call him.

He still roughhouses with Sam on our walks. He makes his two-mile walk with no problem. You would never know that he’s an old dog from his behavior. Except that he’s getting hard of hearing.

Dogs, like most animals, tend to hide weaknesses. I wonder what other old age ailments he might be hiding.

*Apologies to Bonnie Rait