Most of my posts have been funny. Light hearted stories about silly things animals do that make us love them. This one is different. My first dog, Sneakers, died in early June, after being with me for over 13 years. I watched him go from an enthusiastic, energetic, almost puppy to an old man who loved nothing more than naps, butt scratches, and occasional barks. I was with Sneakers most of his life. What really strikes me though, is what Sneakers was there for in my life. I got him while I was still in college. He was with me through my mom's cancer and death. He moved to Colorado with me, had endless patience through all the apartments, roommates, cats, dogs, and what sometimes seemed like endless turmoil. He stayed with me through office jobs and starting a business. Sometimes he came to work with me, more often he didn't. He waited patiently for me at home. He tolerated dogs in and out of his house for most of his life. Always making room for them, especially the ones that needed him most. When I brought Killian home he was immediately drawn to Sneakers. His calm, steady personality grounded Killian in a world that was completely foreign to him. Sneakers had a knack for knowing who needed him and how he could help them.
If there is one story that I will never forget about Sneakers it was the day I brought him to work with me at the vet, when a family came in not knowing it would be the last day with their dog. Their dog was not our patient, their regular vet was out of town, so we were covering for them. A man and two children, perhaps 10 and 12 came in, with a cheerful but limping 15 year old greyhound. The greyhound was injured, and after x rays, it was found that she had terminal cancer. Her family decided to end her pain instead of prolonging it. The little boy though, had never lived in this world without her. He was devastated at losing his best friend. When he left the exam room with his sister (dad stayed with their pooch) he was wailing. It was a sound I have not often heard and one I won't forget. It cut right to the raw part of us that loves freely. That knows our animals love us and doesn't care how it looks to other people. Our love for them is true and unfettered with worry on whether it's reciprocated. I took a deep breath, and pulled the tears back from my own eyes, put Sneakers on a leash and walked out to the lobby. I asked the boy if he would like to pet Sneakers while he waited and he nodded through his tears. Sneakers hopped up on the bench next to him, and laid down in his lap, pressing his body into his chest. He waited patiently while the little boy wept, holding onto Sneakers with all he was worth, like Sneakers was the only thing keeping him on this earth. When his dad came out of the exam room, Sneakers got up and returned to me, the little boy and his sister left the office with their dad. Sneakers napped the rest of the day.
Sneakers was by no means perfect, but he was kind and sweet. I miss him every day. And I'm so grateful for his presence in my life. I never would have gotten through those years without him.
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