I have been wanting to write this post for quite sometime. But, I don't think that there is any time that will make it easier to write. Last June was one of the roughest days of my whole entire life. It was the day that I lost my best friend and buddy. He was literally my EVERYTHING.
I remember when I got him for Christmas the first year that I was married. A few weeks prior I was talking to the Ex-Mr. and he had asked me about getting a new puppy. And, I remember my response like it was yesterday..."I don't think a puppy is a good idea. They are a lot of work and we simply don't have the time." Now, of course looking back it was the best thing that he could have ever done. The Dog literally saved my life on multiple occasions.
He was not an easy puppy. I remember trying to the whole potty training thing...and he would look at me and pee right there on the carpet. He knew exactly what he was supposed to do, he just didn't want to do it.
I can't count how many items he decided to chew up on any given day. They range anywhere from stuffed animals, blow dryers, tv cords, glasses...pretty much anything that had any value whatsoever. He managed to chew up.
The Dog had a personality that could light up anyone's day. He just wanted to be with people, especially his mom. He was definitely a momma's boy. His thought process led him to believe that he was nearly human. And he was. This dog had a following and he knew it.
It is hard to lose an animal. The attachment that you get to them is hard to put into words, and nothing can prepare you for the day when they are not around anymore. Especially when it is not expected. I never thought that the day would come. I never wanted the day to come. But, life goes on. And all you have are the memories and the pictures.
The Dog loved to snuggle. He would crawl in my bed with me and stick his nose just perfectly in my neck. And that is how we would sleep. He was pretty dramatic when it came to this, his breathing was loud until he finally fell asleep and it was just a downright loud snore. I miss his snuggling the most. I miss coming home and hearing his paws patter on the floor. I miss him always having to be next to me, always having to touch me. I miss his grunts and groans, I miss tripping over him when I am trying to get ready in the morning. I literally miss everything about him. Even the naughtiness. I would take the bad back as long as I could have him back.
There were things about The Dog that were unlike any dog I have ever met before. His favorite thing to do was to swim. I understand that a lab is water dog and of course he liked the water. But, he was literally in his heaven when he was in the water. He was a rock collector. He would find a rock at the bottom of the water and dig them up and line them along the beach. And, heaven forbid you throw them back in the water. It was his collection. He worked hard for them and he was proud of them. Especially the ones that were bigger than his head. I don't know how he managed to carry most of these rocks because of the size. The bigger the better. Along with collecting rocks, he loved to swim. But, when he would swim he would swim in circles and make his own splashes and then try to eat the water splashes. He didn't need anyone to play with, as long as there was water.
I remember the first time we took him to the lake. He was so little and he would swim out in the lake and get so consumed with eating his own splashes that he would somehow end up in the middle of the lake. We were worried about him getting all cramped up, but he never did. He would come back to the beach when he got tired, rested for a minute and then go right back out. There were days when he could hardly walk the next day because he had swam his little legs out the day before. But, that never stopped him from getting back in the water. There were times when we literally had to tie him down so that he could rest.
Naturally, when you have a dog that is this active, he is required to sleep. Boy did he love to sleep. It didn't matter where he was. If he was tired he would sleep. And, just like his mom he hated mornings. He would sleep all day if I would let him.
Because of his mass destruction of anything problem, he rarely had any toys. But, we actually found something for him that was indestructible. It was his bowl. He carried it around everywhere. People would often think that he was hungry or thirsty. He wasn't. He just carried his bowl with him. I often had to take it away from him for periods at time because his bottom lip would get raw just carrying it around. It was his comfort.
Not to mention his frequent trips to the vet. I can't count the numerous times that we visited the vet because he ate a can of macadamia nuts, because he had a cancer spot or because he had to get his knee replaced. Thinking about the money that went into it. It was all worth it and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Just to have him back.
Things around the house have been pretty quiet to say the least. I keep thinking that one day I am going to open the door and he is going to be there. I keep thinking that one day I am going to wake up and he is going to be sleeping right on my feet where he belongs. I keep thinking that I need to get home so that I can let the dog out. I keep thinking that I won't be able to watch a Disney movie or a basketball game because he would be jumping up at the TV. He loved to watch TV.
There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about him. There is not a day that goes by that I do not wish he was right there by my side shoving his nose underneath my hand so I will pet him. There is not a day that goes by that I would rather be vacuuming up dog hair or finding it in places it shouldn't be, as long as he were here.
I have always said that there is no love like the love a dog. My dog was the true definition of this. He was always there for me. He never let me down. He was a shoulder to cry on. He was there when I had no one else. He was there through some of the toughest times of my life. And now he is not. That has truly been the hardest thing for me. Sure, I have friends and family...but it's not the same as him.
Many tears have been cried. Many more are to come I am sure. I would like to think that everyday gets easier. But, it doesn't. There is always something around that reminds me of him. Always.
If I can offer any words of advice for those of you that have dogs out there. Dog proof your home. Dog proof it in exactly the same way that you would child proof your home for a small child. I had no idea that anything like this could happen to an animal. Let alone my own. www.facebook.com/pages/...Animals...Suffocation/11691818504257...
I understand that life goes on. But, it has been harder. It has been harder to get out of bed in the morning. It has been harder to go home at night. It has just been plain hard for me. I keep waiting to get out of this funk. And, it isn't happening. He will always be apart of me. I am not the same without him by my side.
I love you buddy!
