Wonderful Winnie

Loving a dog is so amazing…yet when you see them sick and dying your heart breaks and you find yourself wondering if the pain is this awful…is it better not to fall in love in the first place?  Why do people have pets when they know their lives will end too soon and often in sad and painful ways?  That’s just the heartache talking…because you know that the love, laughter and priceless memories you’ve shared are worth the pain of the inevitable good-bye.

Gosh, if only you knew Winnie.  When we first met her she had all these fleas and we washed her in the sink (she’s the biggest clean freak now so she’d be embarrassed that I’m sharing this).  She’d sit at the table and watch me eat…at first she’d be patient but then once it seemed like I wasn’t going to leave her anything she’d get totally annoyed with me and even bark sometimes.  She wasn’t a dog person…we’d go to the dog park and she’d just chill by herself.  She was so smart that she’d know whenever they got close to my house and she’d get happy whenever they said my name.  She was such a ladylike dog except when it came to her crazy loud bark.  She wasn’t a big fan of men or motorcycles.  She had the softest ear and foot fur on any dog I’ve ever met.  This one time she stole a chicken off the dining table and ate the whole thing!  I could go on and on…

Winnie would be turning 9 in just a few days.  Although it just seems too soon for her to be gone…I knew…when I saw her taking her last breaths in her mommy’s arms…I knew that she’d finally be at peace.  She couldn’t have been more loved and adored.  We are so blessed to have had her as part of our lives.   I pray that one day it won’t hurt as much for us and we’ll just be happy remembering how wonderful she was.