Dog Photographer's Portrait of Senior Golden Retriever Has People in Awe
As many people have learned (or perhaps will learn), it makes a major difference when you truly enjoy what you do. Whether you work hard to establish a career in a field you're passionate about or you spend your after-work hours on your life's project, everything feels a bit more special when you know how much it matters to you.
For me, this looks like writing about animals. I feel as if I make a difference--however small--in the lives of pets and owners who want to learn about something new. Best of all, these topics matter just as much to me as they do to the people who read about them. So I can only imagine the joy and accomplishment dog photographer Keegan Robin feels each time he captures the personality and soul of someone's best furry friend. Even his short December 24 encounter with a beachcombing Golden Retriever has people thinking about dogs in a whole new way.
OMG! If I could hop through the screen and give Fuzzy a belly rub and a game of fetch in the sand, I would in a heartbeat. There's something about senior dogs with their precious white faces that melts my heart every time, and I know I'm not the only one feeling that way.
Related: Photographer Takes Incredible Side-by-Side Images of Dogs As Puppies vs. Seniors
"I LOVE the face of an older dog!" agreed commenter @angelainky. "And you captured it beautifully." Didn't he? Even though the Golden Retriever's sugar-faced snoot was front and center for his close-up, Keegan's dog photography shows his personality and spunkiness just as much as it shows his wisdom.
When is a Dog Considered Old Enough to Be a Senior?
As convenient as it would be to have a one-size-fits-all answer to this question, every dog will enter their golden years at a slightly different age. This is because of the variety in dogs' lifespans. Small dogs like Chihuahuas and Jack Russell Terriers are known for living much longer life expectancies (some live to over 20 years old), while giant dog breeds like the Great Dane have a lifespan as short as 8-10 years, sometimes shorter.
On average, your dog will reach the 'senior' years between 6 to 11 years of age. It's estimated that dogs over 8- pounds become seniors around 6 years old, while those in the 50-80 pound range become seniors at age 8. Small to medium-sized dogs weighing 15 to 50 pounds are considered seniors at age 9, while tiny dogs who weigh less than 15 pounds are seniors at 11 years old. But remember--these are just estimates!
And just because your dog is a senior doesn't mean they are any less spunky and entertaining. Just ask Fuzzy!
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