In the years that I knew him, there was a special place in his heart for his dog, Snuffy. This little creature seemed to me to be some kind of mix of terrier and chihuahua. I remember Snuffy as being a little twitchy and not all that friendly. But he was a teddy bear with Grandpa. I can still see that white short-haired dog with brown markings trotting along in his harness, sweeping back and forth across the sidewalk seeking out a target for his business.
Older gents love their dogs.
Not that all ages of people don't love their dogs. But I think that men in their later years, and especially of Grandpa's generation, aren't that comfortable expressing affection and emotion with people. Their dogs are perfect avenues for attachment. Little things stand out in my memory of Grandpa. The sliced radishes in his salad.