Isn't it amazing how these pets take hold of our hearts ? I am sitting here in tears because my neighbor's dog died this morning. This wasn't even MY dog but my heart is sad any way. H thinks I am crazy and would just shake his head if he sees me crying over a dog that lived next door.
Lady moved in about 3 years ago. Her owners had just bought the house and this fat and fuzzy cocker spaniel was the first member of the family whom we met. We were outside doing something when this ball of fuzz waddled over to say hello. I think she knew I was a dog lover so she had no reservations in heading checking us out. From that moment on she knew she was always welcome. Often we would be sitting on the patio and from the corner of our eye we would see Lady standing at our back gate. She loved to wander over to say hello, smell the different smells and always to get a "cookie". Esther, Lady's "mom" was very good in allowing me to spoil Lady. Lady would wander over, sniff all around the yard and lanai and then stand by our back doors looking at us with those HUGE brown eyes, just waiting to be let into the house to wander and check smells there. She made herself at home and would often fall asleep on our living room floor only to be found an hour later by her owners. Lady was 8 years old when her owners adopted her and she had a good long life with them. She traveled back and forth to the Florida Keys with her owners but was always happiest at home in her own house.
About a year ago Esther asked H and I if we would "dog sit" for Lady for a long weekend. Esther knew I was fond of her dog so we took Lady in for a weekend. At first Esther just asked us to come over and walk and feed Lady but since Lady was so comfortable with our house we chose to bring her here. I had a great weekend, Lady had a great weekend, H . . . not so much. Husband has never been an animal lover and an old deaf dog just annoyed him to no end.
Did I mention Lady was deaf ? Not just hard of hearing . . . DEAF with a capital D ! This dog could NOT hear a bomb go off under her. I would go over to Esther's to get Lady and there the dog would be, sound asleep, as only a dog can be, right inside the door. I would open the door, walk in, go to the kitchen to get her food and snacks and she wouldn't hear a thing. I would have to sit on the floor next to her and gently put my hand on her head to wake her. Once she was awake she was like a puppy. Jumping up, wagging that stumpy little tail and wiggling all over. But if Lady was outside and you wanted to get her attention you had to run over to her and stand in front of her so she could see you. From there you had to resort to sign language, that she amazingly understood. Or maybe she was just so happy to see you so she would follow you any where.
About a year ago, around the time that we were hosting Lady while her owners were away, Lady started having seizures. (Now I am not saying that we had anything to do with her health problems but I have noticed that the more I am around H the more I seem to twitch.) The vet put Lady on medication and it has been controlling the seizures but there were a few set backs along the way. One weekend Lady was doing so poorly that her owners decided to euthanize Lady on Monday. By Monday the little fuzz ball was running around like she was a year old. That was 6 months ago! Yesterday Esther came over to say that Lady was not doing well and this morning I received an email that little Lady has passed away.
I know I will miss her.
No comments:
Post a Comment