Dusty Approaches Seventeen Years

One week from tomorrow, 2/8, my Dusty will turn seventeen years of age. That is amazing. He's in relatively good health, although I do think I'll get him in to the vet before his birthday. It seems lately each week in my life he ages a few years in his doggie life. He frequently doesn't sleep through the night any longer, but the good news is he's cognizant enough to wake me up to tell me he needs to potty. And the OTHER upside is that he CAN potty by himself. At nearly seventeen years, that's quite an accomplishment!
He still knows who I am and still knows who and where he is. Another accomplishment at his age. The reason for the early vet visit is his deteriorating appetite, and he is losing weight. He still eats but it's only a couple of mouthfuls, and it takes him forever to eat these days. It seems he's having trouble negotiating the bowl. We've gone away from raw completely (too upsetting for his tummy) and gone to a broth/high quality canned food with some kibbles thrown in.
But he still wags his tail at me when I get home from work, and he is still somewhat playful. He really enjoys celebrating the poop pickup with the other dogs and follows me around barking.
I'm glad this winter has been so mild as I think it would be very difficult for him to negotiate snow and ice at this point in his life.
He's been my best friend for a very long time. I am beginning to see a transition from this world to begin the entrance to the spirit world. I don't know how much time we have left together. My prayer is for me to make him as comfortable and happy as possible, and my wish for him is to fall asleep when it's Time and just not wake up. But who knows how our Time will happen? Erik was going through old VHS tapes and came across Dusty's High In Trial herding run. It's set to "our song" - appropriately titled "Companions". We watched it together, and I'd forgotten that Dusty could run so fast back then. What a sweet video it is, I'm so glad he found it. That video is about 12 years old - we were BOTH so much younger then! And I was still single. Dusty's been through all of my grown-up transitions in this life, and a faithful companion the entire time.
I'll write again about him in a week - it won't be a big celebration, but certainly a day to honor the most special dog in my life, my sweet Dusty.