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Originally Posted by Redrum_69
well, I was doing pretty good until I read this. sorry for you loss. I havent had a pet for a few years, but the last one I had was an australian shepherd for 17 years. She was the best dog I ever had and we lost her in 2002. God has it been four years? We picked her up when in the late summer, before I started 6th grade. All that time, all that life and memories we shared. I would rush home from school and spend the afternoon and weekends with her chasing rabbits in the field and brush. My parents have about 100 acres along with all the neighbors land that I had permission to be on, so it was about a two mile wide by three mile long tract of land. Forests, ponds, prairie grass....great opportunities and endless summers.
I would take her out to hunt mice and rats. I would just stand and watch her track down the next mouse. She would stand there, cock her head to the left and right listening. All I could hear was a slight wind, a meadowlark here and there....but she was picking up on what was underground. All of a sudden she would leap into the air and pounce on the grass, digging furiously into the ground. Yipping and growling she would stick her muzzle into the mouse hole, with deep inhales she would be infused with the mouse presence in that hole. Sometimes I would help her dig out that hole and pull out the mouse nest.
All winter long, through ice and snow, days were spent sledding and chasing dreams of summer. She was the most loyal dog I had and friend I have ever had. She would always be waiting for me when I stepped off the bus and was confused when I started driving to school, but would still be waiting for me at the garage when I returned.
The years seemed to flash by after graduation and my days were spent working long hours. She seemed to realize that our times were cut short. But yet she was always ready to go run, fish, play catch or frisbee.
Then when I moved out it really took the toll. My apartment wouldnt allow dogs and mom had grown attached to her so she stayed at home. But she still wouldnt sleep or eat much until I was around.
She suffered a stroke/heart attack around Christmas in 2001. She just wasnt the same after that happened, which most pets/people arent. Whenever I came around she would perk right up though and would ignore whatever pain she was in just to spend time with me. I knew it wouldnt be too long though, because mom said when I would leave she would just go back over to the fireplace and sleep.
Mom catered to her needs as best she could, but in 2002 when I was having a real shitty day at work I received a call. Mom said she took her over to the vet because she wasnt moving. Her eyes would be looking around the room, but she couldnt move her body. The vet said she suffered another stroke that was worse than the first one. She wouldnt be coming back from this one and had to put her to sleep. I couldnt be there. I should have been there to hold her paw when she left this world, but everything happened so fast and from what the vet and mom said she was suffering. So they put her to sleep.
They buried her in the backyard, near the barn where we spent time and time again...a boy and his dog...linked in memories, never to be replaced, never forgotten, and forever cherished.
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