Mowgli is one of Leap Years’ longest-standing customers. Pet Parent, Jessica, started him on Leap Years three years ago when he was eight years old in an attempt to get ahead of the signs of aging before they became too apparent.
When my husband and I first went to the shelter to pick out a dog, we had one goal in mind: an adventure buddy. We wanted a dog that would thrive on a hike but also be content hanging out on a patio for dinner. Mowgli fit the bill better than we could have ever hoped, and aging hasn’t stopped him from living a full, active, and social life.
Question 01
What role has Leap Years played in Mowgli’s healthy aging journey?
Mowgli may be getting older, but he’s still the same adventure-loving, friend-making, active boy he’s always been.
Supporting his healthy aging before obvious changes appeared felt like the right approach for us. Today, Leap Years remains an important part of Mowgli’s daily routine as he continues to enjoy the activities and adventures he loves most.
Question 02
What are the same qualities you can still see in Mowgli today from when he was younger?
When Mowgli was younger, I would watch him leap over logs or splash into creeks, and I remember feeling sad (albeit irrationally, considering he was only two years old) that there would come a day when he could no longer do those things.
He’s 11.5 years old now and still loves to climb, jump, and run through the woods without a care in the world. Watching him remain active and age so gracefully has been amazing and vastly different from my experience with the dogs I had growing up.
Aside from some white on his face and mild, easily managed hip pain, Mowgli continues to do many of the things he’s always loved—playing with kids, chasing squirrels, exploring trails, and getting the zoomies every time he gets wet.
I couldn’t believe it last week when he chased his much younger brother at a full sprint across my dad’s several-acre property!
Question 03
If you could freeze one thing about Mowgli forever, what would it be?
As active as Mowgli is this time of year, he really thrives in the winter.
If I could freeze one thing about him forever, it would be the pure joy he feels every time it snows. He turns back into a puppy each winter and is at his absolute happiest.
“Thanks to Leap Years, I’m hopeful we have many more healthy adventures ahead of us.”
Question 04
How has your relationship with Mowgli evolved over the years?
Over the years, Mowgli has gone from being a dog who needed a lot of training and guidance to the most amazing and trustworthy sidekick.
We brought him home from the shelter to a fourth-floor apartment with no yard and a cat, and it took time for all of us to adjust.
Now he’s the kind of dog I can spend an entire day with without saying a word, not because he’s off doing his own thing, but because he’s so attuned to me that words are unnecessary. It’s the kind of bond I always wanted with a dog.
I underestimated the amount of time, love, work, and dedication it would take to get there, but it was so worth it and I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.
Looking ahead
Mowgli has been the most incredible constant through more than a decade of highs and lows, and I’m so grateful for all the years we’ve shared.
He’s been my adventure buddy, my sidekick, and one of the greatest joys of my life.
Thanks to Leap Years, I’m hopeful we will have many more healthy adventures ahead of us.
Caring for your dog is about the small things you do every day. Being intentional in your approach to your dog’s aging journey helps them stay healthier, and more like themselves, for longer.
