Yes, he has a few grey hairs on his muzzle, but his eyes are just as keen as ever. He’s chased cattle and gathered sheep and has been my constant companion of late.

He can’t speak, but he can talk. He talks with his eyes, or with his ears, and he’s been known to tap me on the knee if he really needs my attention. I don’t have to raise my voice. I speak to him in complete sentences, and he seems to understand.

He recognizes the sound of a family member’s truck when it’s a quarter of a mile away. He stands staring at the door waiting for that person to come in. He glances back at me and I tell him he’s right. As he hears the footsteps, his tail starts to wag.