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Fifteen-year-old Maro couldn’t even get out of bed, but his life suddenly became far happier when a playful new friend arrived.

Sometimes, getting old sucks. Your hearing goes, your vision goes… Sometimes your teeth go too and then you’re stuck eating mush every day. Then you get even older and you can’t walk as well, everything aches, your bladder doesn’t quite hold like it used to…

But it doesn’t have to be all bad. Sometimes all it takes is the presence of a younger family member to help bring back that hidden youth, as 15-year-old Maro, a golden retriever living in Japan, is sure to tell you.

Last August, at the age of 14 (which would be around 90 in human years!) Maro’s legs became too weak to support him anymore, and he has been bedridden since. His human family has been lovingly hand-feeding him, helping him relieve himself, and changing his position to prevent bedsores. He also has his other golden retriever family members to keep him company, but when you can do nothing but lie around all day things can get rather dull fairly quickly.

That’s where Chiro comes in. Maro’s family welcomed yet another retriever into their home: a three-month-old puppy. At their first meeting, Chiro seemed a little nervous, but Maro looks rather excited to see a new, young face in the house.

Within a month, the two became pretty much inseparable. Maro gets a little of his old spark back as Chiro rolls around next to him, giving him some playful nips on his muzzle as he lifts his head in an attempt to play back.

At Maro’s 15th birthday party on January 13, little Chiro was there to give her grandpa Maro a little birthday smooch, and to share in some birthday cake.

Dogs may not live long when compared to humans, but they sure know how to enjoy their short years to the fullest!

Source and top image: YouTube/ katyuwamaro via grape