We recently experienced the death of the first Whippet in our family, Brodie. It was love at first sight when my eldest Son first saw him as it was for me too. Only one other dog has captured my heart as profoundly as Brodie did. Although my Son was the owner I gladly grabbed any opportunity to babysit him when my Son went out of town.
My husband and I have an Adult Family Home in Battle Ground WA. and all the Residents enjoyed Brodie’s visits too. But the last time my Son went out of town, I think Brodie wanted to go back home after a week with us. We live in a rental care center that sits on 60 acres. Much of acreage is at the front of the property. Brodie had gotten out a couple of times through our front door before which isn’t a fenced area but usually was so busy checking out different smells that we could get him before he went down the half mile drive to the main road.
Sept 6 was different. He got out and when my husband went to call him back , he made a circle around the home then disappeared. At first my husband was going to check the road that goes to the back acreage but decided to jump in our truck and go down the main drive. He thought he could get to him before he got to the main road if that was the way he went. Brodie must have made a beeline down the road which was unlike him. My husband arrived at the entrance to our place in front of the main road just as someone was pulling Brodie off of the road. He had been hit by a car. He died instantly.
We never walked Brodie down the main drive because it led to the main road and it was just out of character for him to go out and not sniff at this or sniff at that. He had made a beeline and that is why I think he was trying to go back to where my Son lives. I miss him sooo much. Nights are really hard because all I want to do is put Brodie back in the arms of my Son. Brodie gave so much delight to everyone who met him. He would nap with the Residents. He would tease our dog by dropping a toy in front of him and then quickly snatch it up and run. There would be a bit of a chase then Brodie would drop the toy again and quickly snatch it back up as our dog tried to get it. This would go on until our sides ached with laughter. If dogs were on the other side of the fence he would get them to run the fence line then race far ahead of them and then wait for them to catch up to him with a proud look at how fast he was. When they reached him , he would race away again only to repeat the scenarioonly to be filled once again with laughter.
When one of our Resident’s pet died and we were giving her the sad news, he jumped on her bed and began licking her face until a smile appeared. And that is what Brodie would like me to always remember about him – Bringing smiles to faces and laughter to the heart.
Peace
| Brodie |
| Judy Gooding for Chris Hershey |