Beautiful story...
Toby and Geary....THEY KNOW (some way, some how...I dunno) how to find the humans who are worthy of being their companions....well done!
My last yellow lab began to have trouble with her hips around 12 yrs. of age and could no longer traverse steps...so, I picked her up and carried her up/down steps and lifted her into my truck for two more years. Hips were bad, but she was in no pain, and her heart and wagging tail were remniscent of a 2 year old
. Long time g/f at the time would drop snide comments about "needing to put her down"......FU..."I'LL" know when it's "time"....the old girl will let me know. She did one day "out of the blue" though I knew it was coming...I'd dug her grave a couple of weeks before (in case the ground was frozen when "that" time did come). Vet friend came by my house and I/we took her across the "Rainbow Bridge" a few hours later...sad). Some folks are "worthy" of being their companions...some not so much. I still miss my "old girl"....the lab, NOT the girlfriend
Thanks for posting that Baz!