Wow. I really miss Sophie. She was always nearby, following me from room to room. It's hard to get my head around the idea that she's gone and I'll never see her or hear her or touch her again. I try to take comfort in the fact that I gave her the best life I could, full of walks and treats and car rides, as well as a lot of time together and some travel, including a trip to the outer banks of North Carolina. She was always up for an adventure. I would tell my husband that I thought we should celebrate the dogs' birthdays, and he would always say, "What would we do differently? It's like every day is their birthday." I hope that's true, and I hope she knows how much she was loved and that I will never forget her. I also hope that we gave to her at least a fraction of the joy she brought to us.
I'm not sure that Teddy knows what happened exactly, but I do think he misses her. She was always the leader when it came to those two, and he was the follower. Since she's been gone, he doesn't have another dog to follow. He learned a lot about being a dog from Sophie. He had kind of a rough start as a pup (at 12 weeks old, we were his fourth or fifth home), and I think that made him a little insecure at first. He wouldn't even go out the front door on his leash unless Sophie went first. She taught him how to wake us for breakfast and how to perform at 7 PM each evening for a strip of rawhide. She also showed him that car rides were nothing to fear, even if it led to a vet visit, because a treat was sure to follow. As much as Teddy learned from Sophie, she was probably a little annoyed when he first showed up, all paws and playfulness, but she took much comfort in her big friend when the two of them had to stay home by themselves, as she always curled up right next to his crate to sleep until we came home again. Teddy is doing a good job of absorbing the affection usually handed out to two dogs, and we joke that he is "eating for two," as the treats have been generous during this time.
I am trying to focus and get some work done, but it is hard. There has been a lot of activity surrounding my dad's recuperation from knee surgery which has kept me busy, and that's been a good thing. I am hoping that, with time, the sadness and emptiness will gradually be displaced by the satisfaction of helping a great dog live a happy and fulfilling life, and I hope that the immediate memories of that post-surgery horror will be replaced with the happy memories of a spoiled (in a good way), happy dog. In an attempt to get to that point, here is a little video of Sophie doing something she loved, and something I loved watching her do, as well as some optimal Sophie moments. I believe that all dogs go to heaven, and if they get to choose how they get there, I think Sophie may have chosen a car ride...and as soon as she got there, I'm sure she found some pillows.
I'm not sure that Teddy knows what happened exactly, but I do think he misses her. She was always the leader when it came to those two, and he was the follower. Since she's been gone, he doesn't have another dog to follow. He learned a lot about being a dog from Sophie. He had kind of a rough start as a pup (at 12 weeks old, we were his fourth or fifth home), and I think that made him a little insecure at first. He wouldn't even go out the front door on his leash unless Sophie went first. She taught him how to wake us for breakfast and how to perform at 7 PM each evening for a strip of rawhide. She also showed him that car rides were nothing to fear, even if it led to a vet visit, because a treat was sure to follow. As much as Teddy learned from Sophie, she was probably a little annoyed when he first showed up, all paws and playfulness, but she took much comfort in her big friend when the two of them had to stay home by themselves, as she always curled up right next to his crate to sleep until we came home again. Teddy is doing a good job of absorbing the affection usually handed out to two dogs, and we joke that he is "eating for two," as the treats have been generous during this time.
I am trying to focus and get some work done, but it is hard. There has been a lot of activity surrounding my dad's recuperation from knee surgery which has kept me busy, and that's been a good thing. I am hoping that, with time, the sadness and emptiness will gradually be displaced by the satisfaction of helping a great dog live a happy and fulfilling life, and I hope that the immediate memories of that post-surgery horror will be replaced with the happy memories of a spoiled (in a good way), happy dog. In an attempt to get to that point, here is a little video of Sophie doing something she loved, and something I loved watching her do, as well as some optimal Sophie moments. I believe that all dogs go to heaven, and if they get to choose how they get there, I think Sophie may have chosen a car ride...and as soon as she got there, I'm sure she found some pillows.
Note: I'm not great with making videos, so the transitions aren't as smooth as I'd like. Please cut me a break. Also, the music is "Sometimes I Wonder" by Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, with Doug Anderson handling the vocals on this song. I hope they don't mind me using their beautiful song...We actually went to their concert on the night of Sophie's passing, so she was very much in my heart when they sang this song. I'm not sure they wrote it with dogs in mind, but I think they would be pleased that we connected with it. This song seemed perfect for Sophie because she was very frightened of thunderstorms in her later years, so the idea of no storms in heaven is nice. And no...we didn't feel like going to a concert following her death that morning, but we'd had the tickets for months, and we also took my mom, who needed something uplifting after a lot of care and stress following my dad's surgery. My dad was supposed to go, too, but he was still at rehab. And my dog-loving friend, Judy, insisted it was the best thing to do, as she had gone to a concert the day she lost her dog a year ago, and was thankful for it. It wasn't easy, but we went, and it was a good thing. Anyway, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound are great. Check them out: www.erniehaase.com. Thanks, Ernie, for a little light in the darkness.
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