Our lovely dog Bacci left us today. She was a rescue dog and our best guess is that she was 12. We always thought of her as a shepherd but she was clearly a mutt, her ears were flip floppy rather than straight like a shepherd’s and her howling bark suggested a bit of hound somewhere in her DNA.
Damn, she was a sweet dog. Happiest when she was with her people, joyously chasing squirrels in the yard (she never did seem to be able to catch one), beside herself crying with happiness and anticipation when she knew the car was heading for the dog park where she could play with other dogs.
So many happy memories. She was a great guard dog, protecting her family by loudly alerting us anytime a child or little old lady might dare to walk past our house. Her teeth looked wicked, but she was a gentle soul who never bit anyone and would become a lifelong friend to anyone who offered her a biscuit.
Few things pleased her more than a cast iron skillet containing the remains of a scrambled eggs breakfast. Like any dog, she loved meat and fish, but she had a bit of a sweet tooth for watermelon. And we ended up fencing off part of our garden because she loved grazing on the peppers and zucchini. Any of the cherry tomatoes that she could reach from the hanging planters were fair game.
But a few years ago, she started slowing down. It was a gradual decline, but by a year ago it was becoming clear that she was having more and more trouble with her hind legs. Our vet did what she could, but time comes after all of us. The last few months were tough, and over the last two weeks it got progressively worse. It got to the point where she couldn’t stand up without help and even then could only walk/stagger for a few minutes.
The time had come.
My wife and I were with her this morning as the vet administered a sedative and Ketamine cocktail. Over the course of a few minutes she became calm, happy, and sleepy as we stroked her and said goodbye. Then when she was in lalaland, the vet gave her an injection that ended her life.
Goodbye sweet puppy.
Best. Dog. Ever.
