It was probably a bad choice all around.
My brother John suggested that we needed a dog.
Our children had a succession of small rodent pets which were all
very cute but short-lived. I thought it would be a good idea too.
I’ve always been an animal lover. Furthermore,
I thought it would be a boon to my hard working husband.
After all pets relax you and bring down your blood pressure.
We had to drive to Illinois to get our Alfie.
His breed is rare and we couldn’t find any Australian Terriers in Ohio.
This particular dog seemed an ideal choice for us as it is small
smart requires little grooming and is not likely to provoke allergies.
We brought him home and saw at once that he was aptly named.
Alfie was determined to be the alpha head of the pack and
we spent the next thirteen and a half years trying to convince
him that he wasn’t.
Besides biting almost all of us at one time or another he jealously
guarded his home from intruders – indeed on our whole street.
All the other dogs,including some really huge ones stepped back when
they saw this little terror coming.
His health history was not good either.
Early on he had a genetic hip disease called Calve-Legg-Perthis
so he had expensive and involved hip surgery as a puppy.
This was followed by digestive disorders allergies diabetes pancreatitis
cataracts corneal ruptures blindness,and finally lung cancer.
Our friends thought we were nuts to spend this kind of money on Alfie.
“He’s just a dog.” (Foolish people!)
The concept of visitors totally escaped Alfie.
You were either a member of the pack or an enemy.
When you entered the house he alerted you to this fact and once you
settled down quietly so did he.
Of course leaving was not in his understanding.
Pack members don’t leave.
His devotion to us was unbounded. He followed me from room to room
and wanted to be near me always. As a matter of fact during times of illness
he would lay on my feet on the sofa and snuggle in closely to
bring me comfort.
When it was his time to leave I tried to return the favor and
nursed him as I had done many times before.
He tried to stay near me up until his last day when he was unable
to stand and through it all he never complained but just kept
trying to keep going.
That lesson in holding on will stay with me always.
Never give up. Never stop holding on to life to the very last.
I know we could not have had Alfie for as long as we did without the
fantastic people at Metropet Animal Hospital in our home town of Berea Ohio.
They were all with us even at the last moments and helped me say
good – by to my small furry child.
I won’t give up either and I urge other animal lovers to hold on as well.
The pain is intense but it will subside. I intend to keep the love going though.
Somewhere is another one waiting for me and for each of you
who needs your love not because they are good,
but because they are yours.
Charlotte
| Charlotte |