Sunday, July 01, 2007

Sam

We said goodbye to an old friend today.

Sam has been part of our family for many years. We got him a couple of years before I moved away from home. Since I wasn't allowed to have pets where I moved, Sam remained at Dad's until my sister got married three years ago, when he went to live with her.

My sister called me today crying, telling me she thought Sam was dying. Since I had to work, I called Dad to see if he would go over there and check on the dog and my sister.

I won't go into details, but Dad said he thought Sam had a stroke. He took him to the vet, and Sam was put down this afternoon.

I went over to my sister's this evening, figuring she could use some company. I got there after 9:00, and her eyes were still puffy and swollen. We sat out by the pool and talked for an hour and a half, a little about Sam, but mostly about anything else, to try and keep her mind off of it. She took good care of Sam, and I told her that.

By all familial accounts, Sam was fourteen. I last saw him a couple of weeks ago. He was moving slowly and sleeping a lot, but he let me brush him for a few minutes. I prefer to remember his younger years.

One of his favorite games was getting out of the yard and wandering thru the neighborhood, marking his territory and "talking" to the other dogs. Almost everytime, my sister or I would have to go literally pick him up and carry him home.

Then there was his idiosyncratic two-week kibbles-only phase, where he'd pick every single kibble out of his bowl, leaving only the bits. We were about to try changing to another brand of dog food when Sam suddenly went back to eating normally again.

Dogs are a true joy. They're always excited to see you and loyal beyond compare. They become like part of the family. Losing one is tough.

I had a friend whose dog got run over several years ago. I'd never seen this guy show the slightest hint of emotion, ever. But when I asked about his dog, he was unable to speak about it.

Sam always seemed to be terrified of fireworks. He would whine and go hide in his house anytime anyone was shooting them. I suppose it's good he won't have to endure another 4th of July.

I'll miss you, ol' buddy. And thank God for dogs.

23 comments:

  1. *HUGS*

    There has never and never will be any doubt in my mind that dogs and cats are as much a part of the family as humans are. They see you through so many ups and downs, and truly there for every part of your life.

    It's best to remember the good times with him... and hope that he's out 'talking' to a bunch of other dogs again.

    I'm really sorry :( *HUGS*

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  2. I had to have a cat put to sleep several years ago. It was as traumatic as the death of my parents. I asked my pastor "is there a place in heaven for animals?" And he explained that he could still cry to this day about the loss of his pets and that certainly something as pure in spirit as an animal must be as certain for heaven as we are. He's waiting at the end of the Rainbow Bridge till you get there and you can play again.

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  3. I'm so sorry for your loss, Bone. I wish there was something more I could do than offer HUGS of condolence.

    Losing a family pet is like losing a family member. Sometimes, it's harder. I hope that the good memories of Sam override the sadness of saying good-bye.

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  4. Oh, poor little doggie. I'm so sorry (hugs).

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  5. I'm so sorry

    Fourteen years in dog years is a good run. A very good run

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  6. *hug* Its the silly little things that they used to always do that pulls on the heart strings longer than ever!

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  7. it's never ever easy to lose a pet. it sounds like he had a good long life and was loved.

    *hugs*

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  8. I've known a few good dogs myself in my day. I can't tell you how I cried when my Irish Setter Tulsa ran away for three days. Dogs are truly magical animals. Bless Sam. All Dogs do go to Heaven.

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  9. I,M SO SORRY [BONES] ABOUT THE LOSS OF A LOVED FAMILY PET .I HAVE A PART PIT BULL AND PART BOXER AND I DONT, KNOW HOW THAT I WILL HANDLE IT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO MY SMOKEY.I HAVE RAISED HIM EVER SINCE THAT HE WAS A BABY AND HES NEARLY 3 YEARS OLD NOW AND I LOVE MY PET DEARLY.BUT JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I,M SO SORRY .IF YOU EVER NEED TO TALK I,M ALWAYS AROUND.TAKE CARE AND GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ON THIS 4TH OF JULY HOLIDAY.BYE.

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  10. ((hugs)) to you and your family, especially your sister.

    When my dog Blackie died at age 15, I was in L.A. and he was with my folks in Huntsville. When my dad called me to tell me about it, he was crying, which about killed me because my dad is this 6'4" ex-Army guy and he *never* cried.

    And now, I think I'm going to give Sharky some extra hugs and kisses.

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  11. Awww Bone. Funny how those furry friends make such an impression. I'm glad you remember the funny stuff, like leaving the Bits. HA! Sending some hugs your way.

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  12. The loss of a pet is never easy as they offer nothing but unconditional love and commitment and the bond we create with our pet is a strong one.
    I am sorry for your loss.

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  13. I'm sorry to hear about your dog.

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  14. Bone, I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your dog. May you and your sister find peace in your sorrow.

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  15. Thank you all so much for the words of condolence and hugs.

    He did have a long life.

    Someone made me realize that my sister was 12 when we got Sam, so he's been around over half of her life. It was really hard on her.

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  16. Awww, I'm sorry :-( Losing a pet is so horrible...big hugs hun!!

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  17. I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. I know first hand what it's like to loose one...those little furry guys manage to dig their ways into our lives and not let go. It felt so odd last night when we got home and Lilly wasn't here...like something was missing.

    I know that you and your family gave Sam a wonderful home and he'll be waiting for you to come join him. *snif!*

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  18. Sorry, Bones.

    It was good that you were able to spend time with your sister and her with you. Losing a beloved pet is hard.

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  19. :( Very sad.
    I'm sorry, Mr. Bone...
    Your post tells little of how you are feeling about the loss... but I hope you're alright.
    And though your sister doesn't know us... give her hugs from your blog friends.

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