June 1999 I was 16. My aunt and uncles set of labs had a littler of pups and let me have the first pick, free of charge. The day I got her I stopped at Sonic on the way home after a 20 minute ride and she puked all in my seat lol. That was the only time she got car sick.
She was a plus size gal almost all of her life, usually keeping around the 100lb mark. Gentle as a feather and sweet as the Chocolate Oranges she loved to snag off of the end table when I would forget to put them away.
I trained her to the best of my ability when she was a pup. Her skills were way beyond anything I could ever teach her, a natural. I had to retire her early due to hip dysplasia but after that she was a professional couch dog and mood lifter.
She developed a tumor on the side of her noggin last year and it continued to grow since then. Vet said it really wasn't worth the risk to have it removed and just let her live until the quality of life was gone. She kept her appetite and regular bodily functions until Friday, when she lost all control of her walking movement. Knowing the inevitable would come Monday morning when I had to take her on her last car ride, this weekend was rough. I've only lost 1 close family member my whole life (Grandpa) and I must say I cannot handle death very well. You can call me a baby, I really dont care, but I've shed more tears over this than anything else in my lifetime. Being there when my sweet chocolate lab took her last breath was by far the hardest thing I've ever had to go through.
I knew this time would come but I really didn't know it would be this hard. I had my wife call the vets office yesterday morning to ask if they could do it in my vehicle so I wouldn't have to carry her in/out to stress her out anymore. She paid over the phone so when I got to the vet I walked inside, left my sunglasses on, and in between bursts of cries somehow spit out "my wife called" and walked out.
I'm focusing on all the funny times and great memories I have of her and have a lot of pictures to look back on. At first I was asking why we have pets that we grow so attached to when we KNOW we will outlive them and have to go through this someday. Then I thought, this heartbreak is small beans compared to what joy they bring to us every day they are here with us. They know us better than our best friends and family members, mourn with us when we are sad, wag their tails when they know we're happy, and anyone that has ever hunted with a dog knows they love the hunt just as much or more as we do.
Sorry for the cry baby post, but I really had to tell someone and words aren't coming out of my mouth since yesterday.
Rest in peace, Allie. I hope there are all kinds of ducks to chase and deer to trail where ever you are now.
She was a plus size gal almost all of her life, usually keeping around the 100lb mark. Gentle as a feather and sweet as the Chocolate Oranges she loved to snag off of the end table when I would forget to put them away.
I trained her to the best of my ability when she was a pup. Her skills were way beyond anything I could ever teach her, a natural. I had to retire her early due to hip dysplasia but after that she was a professional couch dog and mood lifter.
She developed a tumor on the side of her noggin last year and it continued to grow since then. Vet said it really wasn't worth the risk to have it removed and just let her live until the quality of life was gone. She kept her appetite and regular bodily functions until Friday, when she lost all control of her walking movement. Knowing the inevitable would come Monday morning when I had to take her on her last car ride, this weekend was rough. I've only lost 1 close family member my whole life (Grandpa) and I must say I cannot handle death very well. You can call me a baby, I really dont care, but I've shed more tears over this than anything else in my lifetime. Being there when my sweet chocolate lab took her last breath was by far the hardest thing I've ever had to go through.
I knew this time would come but I really didn't know it would be this hard. I had my wife call the vets office yesterday morning to ask if they could do it in my vehicle so I wouldn't have to carry her in/out to stress her out anymore. She paid over the phone so when I got to the vet I walked inside, left my sunglasses on, and in between bursts of cries somehow spit out "my wife called" and walked out.
I'm focusing on all the funny times and great memories I have of her and have a lot of pictures to look back on. At first I was asking why we have pets that we grow so attached to when we KNOW we will outlive them and have to go through this someday. Then I thought, this heartbreak is small beans compared to what joy they bring to us every day they are here with us. They know us better than our best friends and family members, mourn with us when we are sad, wag their tails when they know we're happy, and anyone that has ever hunted with a dog knows they love the hunt just as much or more as we do.
Sorry for the cry baby post, but I really had to tell someone and words aren't coming out of my mouth since yesterday.
Rest in peace, Allie. I hope there are all kinds of ducks to chase and deer to trail where ever you are now.
