Old dogs are still good dogs. They deserve love, care, and respect until life ends. I wrote the the story of Maggie and Laila with as few words as possible. I trust your imagination will fill any gaps.

Although her hearing has collapsed,

Maggie reads lips and responds to gestures,

Twice a day she chows down chicken and kibble,

And takes a daily walk to sniff the rocks.

She damns the day a rescued dog came to the house.

By retreating to distant spaces,

Maggie shunned her eventual replacement.

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Laila, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, has special needs,

Insulin injections twice a day, 12 hours apart.

One cup of kibble and a piece of cheese,

Injection in the nape and a rub,

Another piece of cheese, please.

Her brown eyes flash the “I’m Still Hungry” sign.

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The adoption agent said Laila was trained,

Not so said I when she stayed for a week,

Peeing on the carpets and using the dog door

Only when she pleased, surely

Competition for food and affection upset her balance.

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Maggie deserves stress-free senior years,

No matter how short the leash on life.

Sadly, Laila needed another home,

The girls were not meant to be friends to the end.

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