No Dog Left Behind
Posted: Thursday, November 18, 2010
by James Banner
Jennifer comes home from a long day of work and she was exhausted. The house was clean when she left, but she was not sure about her new dog being home alone. The previous owners said he was trained. Her jewelry box was on her bed, which she remembered she accidentally left it there this morning. When Jennifer walked through her front cherry wood painted door with a diamond shaped window, she noticed that the house was still tidy, her jewelry still on the bed untouched, and Mitch, her small Shih Tzu, was a little angle resting in his nest bed in the living room. What a relief.
I once had a dog, a midsized Cocker Spaniel, brownish-red color coat with high spirits and a playful attitude. We had him for several years learning all about his habits and mundane nuisances. One of his most popular ones was running up to you in any weather and jumping on your clothes. Sometimes you would get muddied up from his giant paws, but it was okay, no need to have a cow. My white shirts were often in the washer getting ready for their next battle of the paws.hehe.
Sheppard, which by the way was his name, loved to travel as well. He would go from the living room through the kitchen into the bathroom, occasionally jump up and down in the bathroom while marching back outside to track more debris in the high traffic areas. I just smiled and said, "might as well get out the Lysol, it's that time again." That time again meant to clean the floors. The floors would have a pecan leaf from next door and other unknown debris. We would all laugh at his enthused energy.
When the weather was extremely cold, we would let him sleep in the living room, which was secured by a cage that was large enough for him to move around in. We occasionally would give him table food if we were too lazy to go to the store for dog food. His fur was shedding, but he lacked a leash, at least one that could identify who and where he came from. The one he had was made of brown leather with a silver chain that was about 6 feet with a handle at the end for the purpose of walking.
The dog food we bought in large quantities cost about 30-50 bucks a pop, so you had to be on your Ps & Qs to get the right kind. I can't remember what kind exactly, but I think Pedigree was our chosen preference. We would feed him three to four times a day, not sure if that's the norm. Sheppard had a pretty big appetite almost never left a crumb, until one day he got sick. Now I'm not sure how he got sick or if he ate something outside that wasn't right for him but it affected his playfulness.
We took him to the vet, but the costs were increasing to keep him stable. As time passed, we had no choice but to let him go. It was a hard decision because we had the dog for maybe 5-6 years and he was considered a part of our family. Sheppard was the best dog ever and I don't think even I had another Spaniel that it could replace him, although it would certainly fill the void that was created. I know that he went on to better place just like the movie saying goes, "All dogs go to Heaven."
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)I like your protagonist's name! It's one of the hardest things in the world, I think, to let an animal go. I had a cat for about 18 years and had to have her put to sleep. It's still so painful to think about.The things we do for our loved ones, including the cats, dogs, or any pets in our families. It's a good feeling to know that he/she once shared experiences with us.
Beside horses, I am nutty about dogs. Our animals become family members and I could see that clearly in your article. Sad thing is that dogs live such a relatively short time compared to our lifespan. That means that there comes a time when a good bye becomes necessary. Every living, breathing creature has limited time and even knowing that life is ebbing out, and a tough decision has to be made, nothing can take away the loss and pain of the loss. It gets worse when you have multiple dogs and one by one their life fades away - the decision to invoke humane kindness to avoid unnecessary suffering must be made. I recently had to make the decision for my 17 year-old miniature pinscher. I say to you (as I said to myself), what wonderful memories that dog gave you. As for me, dogs and horses must have a heaven; I cannot imagine anything less. Thank you so much for sharing.I completely agree that once animals reach your heart they have a way of invoking pain when it's time to depart. I was saddened by the lost but gained the strength to carry on. I love horses too. I had two horses when I was about 7 years old that my grandfather kept. He taught us how to ride and control the horse. Thanks for your kind words.
"The dog food we bought in large quantities cost about 30-50 bucks a pop... We would feed him three to four times a day..."Well, James, you probably stretched that dog's tummy, making it a bottomless grave! But I know it was done in love for your pet. We're a dog family too, and like you, we often don't know how much to feed Mattie, our beloved furry buddy. The sure sign is when he pukes ... then we realize we need to cut back on the feeding frenzy. ~mogama~I completely understand where you're coming from. I had no guide or the knowledge at that time to say hey Sheppard you eat this and that's it. I guess I could have went online and researched how to feed your pet dog..hehe, but then again I wasn't that savvy on computers. I was so not savvy on going to the library cuz it was not cool to go to the library with my group of friends back then. We didn't have a computer either.
I love dogs and I know how you feel, it would break my heart to loose my dog. He is so soppy, its pathetic. I was burgled and he probably licked him to death or went and got his lead for walk.I am sure the burgler would have taken my dog too, if his arms weren't so full of personal things.! However I wouldn't be able to replace him. Even with another dog. Well............ok..........maybe a resuce dog. RIP Sheppard.Yes, the lost was heart breaking. I am sorry to hear that your dog wasn't the rescuing type. The burglar must had a ball picking up your personal belongings. I would feel helpless if someone done that to me. Replacements are inevitable with pets. Each one is different in their own way!
Great! The article shows your love for the animals JAMES!Good one...regards, CPThanks. I enjoy the company of animals that do as I say and not do as I do.
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