All Dogs Go

Too Soon…

As of this afternoon, my son’s dog is no longer with us. This post is meant to help me process what I’m feeling right now and for my son’s buddy.

I researched like crazy to find him. I spent a good 3 to 6 months looking. I brought home my son’s 6 week old puppy right as my son was turning 6 months old.

This guy was a genius. He didn’t take too long to house train. He was wonderful with the baby and very tolerant of the two cats — playful even.

He could be trusted to keep a watchful eye over his little human littermate by the time he was 5 months old.

He allowed his best friend to climb all over him. Tug on his ears and his (not docked) tail. He would sit at attention for a photo, gave good chase and barely ever barked — only if someone he didn’t know got too close.

He never needed a leash. He never chewed on anything he wasn’t supposed to chew on. He was the definition of “good dog…”

He was my son’s best friend.

I think my son’s identity as a “boy who has a dog,” is suffering. I think he is sad and scared and mad and all those things. I think he isn’t sure how this is going to affect him. I think he distracted himself and he’s doing better now.

When I brought the wiggly dude home I did not expect that he would be gone in just 11 short years. For all the research I did, I was not aware of his epilepsy or of the fact that he would develop some form of cancer that would take him away so young (for us).

I’m glad my son has had a best friend that he’s loved and who has loved him back.

I guess I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do now. I hate the pain my kid is in and I hate how unfair it is to him.

Losing his friend so early was definitely not part of the plan.

(Dog in photo is not son’s dog — just looks like he did)

Hug your four-legged friends slightly tighter tonight.

-Cyborg