Two Loved Deeply. Part Two.

A women died recently, she made it into the newspapers, I could not tell you, her name. She is not famous, you would not know her name either, unless you Googled her. Why was she in the press? Because she was sick and her husband killed her. He killed her while they were abroad. Soon after, he was free to come back home to the U.K. No charges against him. Some agree with him, some do not.

The title suggests two loves deeply. So, who is the other female?

Our faithful, kind, gentle, sweet, clever dog is not well. Last week Saturday, I said to Paul, “We need to take her to the vets on Monday and have her put down.” I went on, “This is not fair to her.” It was 11am and Paul said, “Don’t phone them yet, they shut at 12.30 they will want her to come in now, if you ring to ask about Monday.” Paul went on, “If we wait for Darius to arrive at 5pm to say his good byes, it will then be, emergency times.”

It was I who had suggested to Paul that, “We all say our good      

byes to her, so five-year-old Darius could give her a hug and a treat. Paul had agreed, that did surprise me. I had expected him to say, “No, I am not putting her down.” I had added to Paul, “Do not change your mind,” He replied, “I won’t.”

Later on, when Meghan and Daniel arrived home, I broke the sad news to them. After Darius had eaten and it was just us three in the house, and in the room for I wanted Paul to be with me. I said to little Darius, “Remember your other grandad, when his dog was poorly?” Darius said, “Patch.” I said, “Yes Patch, do you remember what happened?” Before I could finish my sentence Darius said, “He went to Heaven.” I replied, “Yes, well our dog will be going to heaven on Monday.” I said, “Today is Saturday, tomorrow is Sunday, it will be the next day.” Darius went quiet and looked at her. What I wondered was going through his five-year-old mind, he had known this beautiful dog all his life. She, Darius, and Paul had gone on many exploring walks together, now he could clearly see that she was dying.

I always, after I have fed our six cats in the mornings, give the two dogs treats straight after. It is not their breakfast, they have their meal much later, given to them by Paul. It was strange, giving her treats, knowing she was going to be no more on Monday. I wondered would she know when she had died? No, I suppose not. It would certainly be very strange without her, the cats loved her, some more than others. I do not know how many stones she is but she is a big dog!

Then we had a discussion, Meghan and I wanted a small dog next, or in my case, no dog at all, and Paul insisted, “I want another huge dog, for protection.” It was a good job the poor little mite did not understand what we were talking about. Or she would have said, “Do you mind, I’m still here!” I gave her the bigger treats, because I knew what was coming.

Then last Sunday night, Paul said, to me, “With all the extra care I have been giving her, she seems SO much better.” I had to agree, she did seem a tad better, he went on, “I don’t want to have her put down tomorrow.” I said, “I knew you would say that! That was why I said, to you, “Do not change your mind.”

It was nice to still have the dog in our lives. I was annoyed at Paul, for it is his dog and he loves her deeply. I was with him when he picked her as a pup. Monday last week was my day off, so we could have taken her in my car, as Paul don’t drive, I thought to myself, maybe he will say, be on a day, “It needs to be today,” But that could be on a day when I am going to work, and if it was going to take too long in the waiting room, that would make me late for work.

So, last Monday came and went, I thought, maybe he is going to wait until she can’t walk, so she would have to be carried to the car, her dignity gone. I didn’t want that, and I am sure he didn’t either. We have been here before with the other dogs over the years. Only one had been put down, the others had died at home. Which was not nice. We don’t have pet insurance, so we assume it would cost an arm and a leg to have her put down. I had said to Paul, “leave her there,” He said, “No she will be buried in the garden with the other cats and dogs.” The last pet was Gray, buried with her gray dish and some cat Dreamies in her bowl. She was killed in a hit and run.

So, today Monday is a week when she should not be here. She still wags her tail and loves her treats, she still loves her walks, but they are slower now and just like some older people, who stops for a minute or two, she does the same, for she is old. She is still loving her life. Now I agree a tad, that she should not have been put down last week Monday, but the time will come, when she will need to be put down. I don’t know if Paul is thinking she might die in the night, for I haven’t spoke to him about it. It is I who gets up first, and I would not like to see her dead in her basket. Strong people and strong pets hang on and do not easily go. They fight to live! Darius hasn’t mentioned anything, maybe he has forgotten our conversation.

So, it is up to Paul. He knows the next chapter in her life and ours. For he loves her too much to let her go, and only a True Dog lover can understand this. Only they can understand his plight. All our animals Love him, they are all drawn to him and want to sit on his lap, from the little cats to the huge massive dogs! To them, he is their World and they are his.