Jackson by Just me / Just me

Poor little guy…we went to the shelter last Saturday. The same on e my Taylor boy came from. Lots of nice pooches but my wife selected this little guy. He was even sitting in the same kennel my Tay was back in ’95…
He was all puppy but when he wanted your attention he would do his puppy dance and then sit down, very definitely, to get your attention. He had one really good puppy day, checking out the new digs, getting attention, ran around the back yard like a mad dog and played with his new ball like it was playing back….
Sunday he went off his food. Monday he was throwing up some and had some worms come out. The shelter said that was to be expected. Tuesday he went to the vet, said he had parvo. I kept him in fluids and his color came back to his gums, by night he was drinking on his own. The next day though his gums were white, he went downhill slowly and then towards the evening he became nonresponsive. He died around seven with me holding him…
Such a smart little puppy, such a good boy. He kept close to me and kept checking to make sure I was around. Right now I’m holding him in my heart and holding to myself my thoughts of all those folks who don’t take care of dogs and get them their shots…

 

by Rick Hill / …I miss you.

My good buddies. The only place it seems I can find you is here… At first it helped, this memorial here, these words I wrote for you…. But every day I still miss you both….My Dusty dog and my Taylor boy…. The shop is so different now… Not just that you are gone but that a time is gone too… I still call you for the last of the loaf so I don’t have to eat it stale… I still call you to go tho the truck to drive home at night…. The girl who gave you your shot told me I gave you a good life…No one can know or understand what you gave me….

 

by Just me / Just me

Who can understand how much he left behind, such a little guy. Everyone’s friend, people were here just so they could give you a scratch and tell you “What a good dog you are”. How can anyone know how the jingle of your tags were with me most of the day, how you were always just a motion away. A sound or movement by me and up you would start or wake and look my way. Maybe a treat was coming or we were going outside or just a scratch and a rub for my buddy. Your walk with a bounce, like Curly when he spies something good, the smile that was on your face or the look of interest and expectation. A shop dog for 10 of your 14 years, better than staying home and getting fat and old but now when I miss you it’s at every point. A thousand times a day you aren’t there but everything else is. You looked heavy but it was muscle and love. Never sick and nothing but alive, I couldn’t believe when they said you had cancer, your heart was weak. Not even two weeks, it can’t be true, how can you stop moving when there are still people who want to say hi to you? When you are just nothing but happy? How can I stop missing you Taylor, my boy?

 

by Rick / Just me

Last May I left my story for my buddy Taylor. Echoes of Taylor tried to speak to his life and our loss. Now my Dusty is gone too and I loved him even more…

It was by chance, as such things usually are, that we found him. He jumped into our truck when we pulled over to see if he needed help and he wound up staying for 15 years. No better a dog you could have than Dusty. Big and scary enough to be a good watch dog but not too big I need a shovel to clean up after him. Smart, strong, loyal. Words that only begin to describe. Always with me at work, always my friend. When I married again you took my wife to be your family too. I would sneak up on her in the shop and you would come bark at me like I was going to hurt her but you didn’t try to bite, just worry at me to save her…

I held you while the vet gave you a shot, You died with my voice in your ear, holding you tight….