July 23 1999 —– Jan. 22 2000
English Setter
My best friend Dottie an English Setter,
was killed by a car January 22 2000.
She was the most loving and affectionate puppy I could
have ever wanted. I had bought Dot for my husband.
He gives me everything I ever want so I wanted to return the favor
and get him what he has always wanted. An English Setter.
There was an ad in the paper for two females and one male.
I was not really intending to buy one. (Isn’t that what we all say?)
I decided to call “just to see” if they still had the females.
I ended up going to look at them. I have listened to my husband for
6 years on the kind of English Setter he wanted….
Female tan and white (more white) friendly loving and affectionate.
As soon as I walked in the door I saw her.
She had the cutest pink nose I ever saw. I sat down and she laid right
down in my lap. I knew she was the one. I put money down on her and
went to buy everything I needed to bring her home.
I had never had any animals growing up and she was going to be
my first puppy. I think I almost bought out PetSmart!
That night I got home before my husband and
hid all of my puppy things downstairs. I was so excited and it took
everything I had not to tell him. I went and picked Dot up the next day.
I gave her a bath as soon as we got home so she would be
nice and clean for when my husband got home.
When he finally came home I took him to his present.
He just stood there for a minute and said “Who’s puppy?”.
I was so nervous and I said “I bought her for you because
I wanted to give you something you have always wanted.”
He went over to her and she just took right to him.
It was amazing. She fell in love with him just as fast as he did with her.
I was almost jealous because she loved my husband so much.
That is exactly what I had wanted! I was so happy for them!
On January 22 2000 my husband went to work very early.
Dottie kept licking my face to wake me up and play.
That was my husband’s and her morning ritual.
Lick his face then play fetch. Since he wasn’t there she wanted
to play with me. I played for just a short time and went
about doing house chores. After a few hours I let her outside in her
pen to do her thing and I said to her “I will be right back and we can
play some more then.” Since I thought I would be back soon
I didn’t properly lock her gate. Little to my knowledge,
she knew how to get the door open.
She got out and ran across the road on the scent of a rabbit.
On the way back crossing the road she was hit.
I was in the house and heard a loud “Bang!” I knew instantly what had
happen. I ran out the back door and stopped in my tracks.
I started yelling for her to come home. My voice started cracking
because I knew I had to check the road.
I slowly walked to the road and there she was.
I began to scream and cry and ran to try and save her.
It was no use. I picked up her lifeless body and carried her home.
Hysterically I called my husband and he came home right away.
As soon as he saw her he started crying.
He knelt down beside her and just kept petting her head.
I will never forget the pain I saw in his eyes that day.
That night my husband told me Dot was the best present he has ever
gotten and will never forget her.
She was 6 months old and even though her time with us was
so short we are so blessed we were able to have her in our home
and our hearts.
It is so amazing how an animal can make your worst day the best.
They can bring so much happiness to our misery and so much
fullness to our void. I will be forever grateful to her for doing that for us.
Maybe someday we will be blessed with another wonderful dog,
but for now we will try and heal what we have lost and remember
what we have gained.
Thank You to those of you who are responsible for this site.
I cannot express how grateful I am to be able to forever
remember our precious friend.
We love and miss you Dottie.
Love Always
Sherri and Chris
| Dot |