This 84-Year-Old and His Shih Tzu Share the Cutest Birthday Candle Moment

Our Brazilian reader Carlos Magno dos Santos Rocha celebrated his 84th birthday alongside his wife and, of course, his little Shih Tzu, Miuxa.

Mr. Carlos is one of those seniors who isn’t afraid of technology—he knows how to use a smartphone like a pro! Not only did he ask people to record the celebration, but he personally made sure to share the moment with our Brazilian website, Amo Meu Pet himself.

Living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Carlos has saved many happy memories with his little dog in his phone’s gallery.

It even took him a while to find his birthday video—and another where she’s tearing up a roll of toilet paper—because his gallery is full of recorded moments of this little cutie.

“I’ll look for two really funny Miuxa videos,” he said. “It might take a while—I have a lot of videos.”

The Tale of the Husband Who “Didn’t Want Anything to Do with Dogs” But Was Convinced by His Wife

The dog, who was two years old and full of energy at the time, has since become the darling of the family. But before joining the family, Carlos didn’t want anything to do with dogs.

It was his wife, Maria Laura, who insisted on getting a dog—and to please her, he went along with the idea. And I’d say it was one of the best things that ever happened to them!

“I didn’t want to because I travel a lot to visit my daughters and grandchildren abroad,” he recalls.

Carlos says the dog has a difficult personality and isn’t very sociable. She even gave his wife a few small bites, but never did the same to him. Despite her feisty nature, she is deeply loved by the couple.

In the videos he sent, you can really see how smart and clever Miuxa is!

The Shih Tzu appears to be helping blow out the birthday candle.

On his birthday morning, Carlos was surprised with a cake at breakfast.

While his wife sang “Happy Birthday” and filmed, Miuxa sat on his lap and, with his help, moved her paws to the rhythm of the song. So cute!

Now comes the best part! When it was time to blow out the candle shaped like the number 4 (I think Carlos wanted to hide his age and skipped the number 8), Miuxa “helped” blow out the flame too!

“Miuxa feels like she’s blowing out the candle on my 84th birthday with me,” he said.

See how adorable the video is:

In another video, the pup is clearly up to no good! She sneaks into the bathroom and attacks a toilet paper roll—unrolling it all the way into the living room. What a character!

Check it out:

I mean, how can you not love this?

Carlos ended the interview by saying, “Miuxa brings so much love into my life, and I really miss her when I travel.”

Pets and the Elderly

Having a pet offers many benefits to seniors—there’s no doubt about that! According to the news portal Aging Care, pets help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and increase social interaction and physical activity.

“Dogs and cats live very much in the present,” says Dr. Jay P. Granat, a psychotherapist in New Jersey. “They don’t worry about tomorrow, which can be a very scary concept for older people. An animal embodies this sense of living in the moment, and it tends to rub off on us.”

Animals definitely infect us with their companionship! Here’s to many more birthdays with Miuxa and her loving family!