Never A Good Time To Say Good-Bye

black dog looking over the couch — somebody is hungry

Good and faithful friends are hard to find, but saying good-bye to one is even harder. This is one very tough time.

my husband our new puppy — they shared the same birthday

It’s been 15 years since this sweet fur baby found her forever home with us. She was discovered abandoned in a box on a soccer field in Winston-Salem, NC. At the time, my daughter was a college student there at Wake Forest University, home to the Demon Deacons. With school colors of black and gold, it was a natural fit to name this rambunctious puppy, Deacon.

older dog laying down wearing scarf — She did have a certain fashion sense like her sister

For all those pet lovers out there I know you get it when I say that Deacon wasn’t just a pet, but a full-fledged member of the family. Her status as “third child” well-deserved. Like most children she loved nothing more than a few good treats, play time and praise. And like a child she was pretty much this mama’s shadow, not wanting to be in my lap, but just keeping me in her sights.

older dog laying down — under-foot in the kitchen hoping I drop something good to eat

This was a heart-wrenching week as we made the decision along with the Vet to euthanize our beloved dog. I have never felt such selfish guilt in my heart even though my brain knew it was the right thing to do. As I sat scratching her neck in the Vet’s exam room I was grateful for sharing one last walk around the garden with her, letting her snack on some cheese and telling her how much I loved her. I told her how great it would be to see her brother now.

never a good time to say good-bye to our dog wearing a patriotic bandana — William’s Homecoming

Here is the link to a previous blog post featuring Deacon’s favorite homemade dog biscuits.