What I Miss About Having a Dying Dog

[NatureJunkie]

1) Never worrying that spoiling him rotten with all of his favorite treats will be bad for him.
2) Having someone to eat up all the cheese, cookies and ice cream in the house so that I won’t be tempted by them.
3) Being able to say to him every morning, “I love waking up to your sweet, kind, beautiful face.” Because every extra morning with him was such a gift.
4) Having a bucket list of wonderful, fun things we did together.
5) Having a dog.

Buddy savoring his last bowl of ice cream this morning. It was one of his favorites, Caramel Almond Crunch. But hell, today we should have gone for chocolate.

[BlancheNoE]

Oh N.J., I'm so sorry. You gave him a great retirement. I'm glad I got to know him. I can't remember if it was Outer limits, Twilight Zone or Night Gallery, but I remember a very early black and white episode where a recently deceased man and his dog are walking the trail to their final destination when "St. Peter" greets them on the path and tells the man that he can't bring his dog in (those damn Peters, right?). The man utters the 1950s equivalent of "well, fuck off then, I 'aint comin' in." He turns away and is met by another being (the real Peter) who tells him that heaven has been waiting for them both and off they go. Theoretically, if heaven is the perfect paradise then everyone you've loved MUST be there, SO, all you need is one who loves you and you're in. You are so in.

[NatureJunkie]

Oh Blanche, Blanche... I'm very happy that he got to meet you and Pen. Everyone thinks their dog is special, because hey, all dogs are, and they're better people than people are. But Buddy stood out even among his own kind. Several of the vet techs came into the room to say goodbye to him, and my vet wept when it was over. You aren't the only online friend who got to know him. He and Flop got to be pretty good friends--she was his walker, bather, and groomer. Whenever we end a conversation, she always says "Tell my boyfriend I said hello." And when I would pass that on to him, his ears always perked. It's odd, I suppose, to take pride in having online friends meet your pets. But when I think of it, I know what I know about many people's lives through their dogs: Chig, Syd, Flop, Silly Tom, Suja, Lima, Justanotherusername, ThaPolarBear,  and Sensual Whirl, and on and on. But why not? We tend to represent the best of ourselves online, and for me, anyway, it's my animal friends that represent the best in me. I can't believe this dog was with me only three years. When I watch this video of our first meeting it's amazing to me how much and how quickly he moved beyond his fear and grief. It feels like he's been with me always.

Another Foster Chronicle from NatureJunkie on Vimeo.

[ThatGirl]

I'm sure you are sure of it and know it..but every one of us benefits from a reminder..whenever or where ever it comes from 

[NatureJunkie]

Thank you, T.G. Buddy had many ways of letting me know he deeply loved me. I was truly blessed.

[SydTheSkeptic]

Sterling, I'm getting to this very late, but I'm sorry you had to say goodbye to your Buddy. He really scored after having been through so much and getting you as a human friend. You made the last years of his life super-special and full of deep, deep love and care.  Thanks for sharing him with us.

[NatureJunkie]

Thank you for the very kind words, Syd. I know it was no harder for me to say goodbye to Buddy than it was for you to say goodbye to Boodah Girl. You and I were both supremely lucky.