You’ll Miss the Dog Hair When She’s Gone
A story of an unlikely love between a girl and a dog
She used to annoy the holy heck out of me. Always barking at the wind and begging for snacks. The family we’d gotten her from fed her treats all day every day, so she was a bit overweight and used to getting her way. Oh, and the amount of dog hair everywhere — oy vey.
When we had our first baby, she followed me around I think half wanting to see what I had in my arms and half seeing if it had any snacks to share. But, it would be my husband she ended up taking to, with her and him becoming bonded during the early mornings he brought her duck hunting.
He trained her to be the best retriever and upland game hunter around. They’d spend hours in the woods together. Anytime I tagged along, I felt like the third wheel.
Then there was the time she broke free of the dog run and ran down the road with my dachshund right behind her. He’d slipped out as I tried to catch her. They went on a good jaunt and made me late for my college class.
When I became a stay-at-home mom, we spent all of our days together. Her warm brown eyes started to do the same to my heart. Her gentle nature with our loud 2 year-old autistic child cemented it.
Years later, when my dachshund went to the Rainbow Bridge, we leaned heavily on each other in our grief. The loss of our mutual best friend brought us closer than ever. Though still a daddy’s girl, she would only eat her breakfast when I sat down with my coffee. Waiting for my sing-song voice to assure her it was okay to go on.
Her age started to show about three years ago. One night she slept in our upstairs bedroom for the last time before she couldn’t climb them again. The grey hair on her chin became more prominent and hard food became harder for her to eat.
The saddest part of pet ownership is how much faster they age than us. It is heartbreaking and gut-wrenching to watch a once vibrant black lab puppy turn into a grey-bearded old lady.
Long retired from hunting, she still wanted to go on long walks with us. Though it wasn’t possible, we made sure she got extra pets, love, and treats. The last time we tried to take her her legs gave out halfway through a walk she could have done in her sleep a year prior.
The winter of her 14th year would be her last. From her birthday on September 18th to February she rapidly declined. Her back legs were shaky, she needed help getting up and down the stairs to go pee, and she spent more time on her bed than by our sides.
Saying goodbye is never easy. Saying goodbye to creature you have given a piece of your soul to is absolutely terrible. She was so much more than a dog. She was a sister to my human kids. She was a best friend to my husband. She was my girl. I will miss her every single day until my last one. We may not have been close in the beginning, but she went out of this world with me whispering, “I love you" and boy was that true.
Rest in Peace, Jada. We will love you forever.
