Just like everyone else, we can’t believe a year has gone by, or that Archie hasn’t been with us forever. As first-time dog owners, we did a lot of research before adopting, but nothing could have prepared us for the happiness that Archie brings us. Sure, there are days when Archie eats garbage on the road, or coordinating schedules for walking him can be challenging, and he even got skunked in November which was a REAL treat! But he shows us such love and devotion that every time we look in those big brown eyes, even right after some wrongdoing, we love him right back! We are grateful to his previous owners that instilled some very good manners, and the only thing we struggle with now is his propensity to jump on us (sometimes) or visitors (always) because he’s so excited to see people, especially new ones. I know that NEARR has some discussion on the site regarding adopting senior dogs, and our experience with Archie, who turned 9 in November, has been so great. He settled into our home and routine quickly, needed little training, and likes however many miles of walks or trips to the park we’re up for. He has more energy than some younger labs we see at the park, but unlike some younger dogs, doesn’t need all the exercise he gets in order to behave well in the house. When we first got Archie he only fetched balls we threw in the water, but since then, he’s become quite a fan of chasing after them on land, too. I anticipate Archie’s only complaint about us is that he’d like more food and treats every day, but he’s become muscular and lean, and our vet assures us that what he’s fed is plenty, even though he’d have everyone believe we’re staving him! I’m attaching some recent pictures of our guy in action.