It happens to the best of us. We fall in love. It's as though you have waited your entire life for this moment. Those beautiful dark eyes, that soft skin, their sweet demeanor, their vivacious essence, that magical day captured in your mind, as you gaze deeply in their eyes and knew they were "the one." In that perfect and glorious moment, the universe brought you your best friend. This, too, is how I felt the moment I fell in love with my dog.

The average life span of a dog ranges between 8-13 years, varying in span dependent on breed, weight, and numerous other considerations for life expectancy. The typical ratio for dog to human years has always been considered 7 dog years for every one human year, but recent studies may indicate that such ratios may not always be consistent with the dog's first year of life, and will begin to adjust accordingly based on individual or breed characterized qualities and/or quality of life.

For people who own canines, the bond can be remarkable and almost astounding in many ways. In an evolving world where technology is at the forefront of almost every interaction, dogs become a part of our family, our best friend, the souls on this earth who prove time and time again that love can be unconditional, healing, and above all amorously resonating, inspiring us to feel connected to life again. Sometimes, that entails just providing us hope for a better day when the world is our antagonist. In a world can be that be very cruel and very unkind, your dog will always love you.

As puppies, the entire world revolves around them. You find yourself devoting time to long walks, potty training, researching "the best food" and treats, then spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars over a lifetime (on food, clothing, healthcare, toys). You consume your life with "parenting" of sorts, maybe even considering whether they need a "brother or sister" (canine, feline, or human) all the while, that sweet, innocent face can do no wrong (even when they chew up your socks, iPad cords, phone cables, and favorite shoes, and sometimes pee on your carpet). Even with the thousands of endearing pictures of our furry child, and the composition of memories created together, years and moments elude us and then before we realize it, our small puppy has become a senior and geriatric, who now depends on you to change their diaper, whimpers because they are affected by hip dysplasia, ( a condition of severe arthritis, lameness, and at times loss of muscle mass, which may affect range of motion and walking- often causing pain merely in day to day routines) and requires more special care than you could have ever imagined (carrying them up the stairs, special dietary needs, holding them up during potty time so they don't fall over).

You never appreciate your dog's life more, until they are on the verge of death. As a person who has never experienced a loss or death in their lifetime (human or otherwise), I was adversely affected by Max's unexpected illness two years ago. His illness became so debilitating (eye infection, temporary paralysis of limbs, no desire to eat, and a seemingly heart-wrenchhing willingness to relinquish life), scheduling a facilitated means of perishing his life was more painful than anything I had ever experienced. I had never been so depressed in my entire existence, and I had never cried so many tears. He was scheduled to be "put down" June 4, 2016. He was 13 years old that year.

Sometimes, you will find, even in moments of the most tremendous adversities, life work in mysterious ways. Days before Max's impending demise, he suddenly began to walk. His appetite became apparent once again, and suddenly his will to live was fighting to succeed. In that moment, I felt he knew what was coming, and in his own way, he was trying to tell me it was not his time. He fought to live, and for that, I couldn't let my best friend die.

It is never a reality we wish to grasp when we meet our best friend, but the truth remains, your dog will spend the entirety of their life with you, but you'll never be able to spend the entirety of your life with them. As I write this, Max sits at my feet, starting earnestly at me with his beady little eyes and his little bowtie, at the ripe age of 15. I say "Thanks for fighting to live, because right now I just don't know how I could ever live my life without you." I don't think I'll ever be ready for his passing, but until then I'll spend every moment of my life appreciating his every breath and every hug in this compass of time.