Goodbye, Old Friend

Written soon after he died nearly five years ago...shared now because we miss him...

And with a final wag, we bid goodbye to our precious Buster Brown, our first family pooch of nearly 16 years.

I am reminded of the story told through Marley and Me. The author, being a journalist, chronicled his dog's life through a column he wrote for the newspaper.

A dog's life.

Many live fewer years than our sweet dog. We were blessed. We know that and accept that gift with a huge amount of gratitude.

Often, after the loss of a pet, my husband expresses his sadness by saying he doesn't want any more pets...he wished he didn't have to feel such pain. But I always counter him with the fact that if we didn't have the pet we wouldn't have had the joy they brought.

Yes, it's hard. VERY hard. Sometimes it feels as if our hearts might break. But it's also beautiful.

A sweet friend reminded me that Buster lived "a long, loved life."

And he did. Always smiling. Always happy. Always grateful. (He wouldn't start eating without us patting him and saying, "You're welcome!")

I like to remember him that way.

Loved for a long time.

Happy National Dog Day

I was a little late in finding out that today was National Dog Day. Hopefully, our dogs still felt loved today -- like everyday.

We have two poochies: Buster Brown, 12, and Gigi, 5. They are both rescue dogs that we adopted from other states. They are both North American Peehounds, which means they are of indeterminate ancestry, though both have Shih Tzu in their heritage. In other words, they're ever-sweet and lovable mutts.

Buster weighs a little more than 30 pounds and has Boston terrier and Shih Tzu on his paperwork. Gigi weighs about 15 pounds and has French bulldog and Shih Tzu on her paperwork. They both have wiry hair and wiggly tails tipped with white. Buster has tulip ears and Gigi has bat ears. They look like siblings and make an awesome pair.

I grew up with English bulldogs, so I love our dogs' smooshy faces and snorts and wiggles.

Dogs are funny creatures.
 
Always loyal. Always ready to give a kiss. Always eager to greet you. Always wagging their tails, even when they don't feel very good.

A good example of how we humans should act?

Happy National Dog Day!

What is your favorite kind of dog?

Do you have a dog or two or three? If so, let me know in the comments. Include a photo, if you can.