Last week on Friday my wife and I took a three mile hike with our old dog Minnie. She did great, hopping in the car to her place after the trek as she always does. Today we had to say goodbye to her. In the space of a week she went from healthy to wheezing to being unable to eat. We took her to the vet on Wednesday and they could not find the cause. She seemed better yesterday but last night she couldn’t breathe at all. Today they found a fast growing tumor on her throat. Nothing could be done. And just like that she is gone.
Minnie was my constant companion. She greeted me when I came home from work with yelps joy and a dance. She followed me everywhere. If I went upstairs to read, she went upstairs. If I got up early and tried to sneak quietly down the stairs, she was there. Her nickname was “Moo” and she was my beloved Mooshadow. My wife always said she was jealous because it seemed she loved me best of all. But she had plenty of love to give both of us and my wife adored her as well.
And now she is gone and I should have appreciated her more because that kind of love from an animal is so rare, so precious, so easy to take for granted until it is suddenly missing. And now there is such an emptiness. The walk to the mailbox is lonely. Our nightly bathroom walks around the block where we watched the seasons change along the gravel road behind us will be no more. Is there any reason to walk around the block anymore? Perhaps, but the reason of her loyal companionship will be so very missing.
She was so good, just wanting to please and be loved. So smart, playing my games and learning the various hand signals I taught her meaning “treat” or “walk” or play. She loved licking everyone until you begged her to stop.
She was a trail companion on so many hikes and made every one of those walks more special.
I have had many great dogs in my lifetime but I have never had a dog love me more. And it is so empty in the house now. It’s not just a hole, it is a void. One that diminishes the joy I feel in everything else.
Minnie was a stray who showed up as an emaciated pup to our rural home in Virginia some thirteen years ago. We had three other dogs at the time and my wife asked me if we had room to love one more dog. We did. And she was the greatest gift ever to us.
She was hit by a car in her first year with us and lost an eye. The accident made her more wary of strangers but brought her closer to us somehow.
Now all our dogs are gone and the loss of Minnie will be so very hard to bear.
Our life will be sadder now and in this world where everything is rapidly falling apart she was always there to help me deal with it. And now she is gone and what are we to do? My dear sweet Minnie Moo.
