Welcome to the Not Old Better Show on radio and podcast. The show covering all things health, wellness, culture, and more. The show for all of us who aren't old, were better. Each week, we'll interview superstars, experts, and ordinary people doing extraordinary things, all related to this wonderful experience of

getting better, not just older. Now, here's your host, the award-winning Paul Vogelzang.

Thank you. Today's show is brought to you by Aura Frames. Oraframes, the gift that brings your

family holiday traditions and memories to life every day.

You know, there are some goodbyes.

We never quite learn how to say.

For those of us in life's later chapters, the love we give and receive from our pets often takes on a deeper, quieter meaning.

They're not just animals. They're our companions. In the long walks, the quiet nights,

the joyful mornings, all of that that we experience. They don't judge our age or our pace or our past. They just stay.

And in so doing, they combat our epidemic of loneliness and isolation, according to the U.S.

Surgeon General. Today on the Not Old Better Show, Art of Living Interview series, we're joined by

someone who recently said goodbye to their

beloved dog, a companion who offered years of loyalty, humor, and comfort.

It's a story many of you will know well, the unspoken rituals, the tail thumps that meet you

at the door, the warmth of a furry friend who somehow senses what you need

before you even speak it and then the silence that follows when they're gone.

But this conversation isn't just about grief, it's about gratitude.

It's about the meaning of companionship in older age, how a dog can fill a home, heal heart,

and remind us that we are never too old to love deeply and to be loved in return.

In all transparency, I know our guest today, Mike Olson very well. He's a dear friend. I know

the family. You'll hear me mention Mike's parents, who I know well, and Mike's

son, Mike's wife, Sarah, all dear friends. We'll talk about Mike's dog and pets in general,

...