Aging
Dear Frankie,
My brother Willard keeps asking if I have seen his ball or know where he buried his bone. Lately, he’s been asking when we will go for a walk, ten minutes after we return from one. He’s starting to drive me nuts. Sometimes I pretend I don’t hear him.
My mom noticed what was going on and took me aside to explain that older dogs often experience memory loss. She said now more than ever, Willard needs his family to be considerate of his failing faculties. I apologized for my behavior and said I would answer his questions, even if he asked them a hundred times.
Is memory loss family-related? Is this what I have to look forward to in my old age?
Mae
Dear Mae,
Not all senior dogs lose their memory. Your mind may stay sharp to the end. Look at me, I’m up there in years. I write a weekly advice column, and I’m also working on a second book.
There is no way to tell whose memory will be affected in their later years. There are no guarantees in life. But it might not hurt when you are young to lay off the junk food, stay active, and get plenty of Z’s at night.
Don’t waste time worrying about things that may never come to pass. All you can do is your best and hope it works out. For most, it does.
Best, Frankie
© 2025 Geneva Woodruff
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