Dusty

A week ago, Dusty, our sweet 15-year-old dog, departed this world.  We got him and his sister when they were puppies for free after responding to an ad on Craigslist.  She passed about two years ago, but he carried on—happy and sweet until the end.

I originally thought it was a good idea to get a dog to help my then 3-year-old son overcome his fear of dogs.  You see, our next-door-neighbor had a little yippy dog that would jump on him and scratch him.  So any time my son would see a dog, he would jump in my arms, trembling in fear.  I thought, “I don’t want my son growing up to be afraid of dogs.” So we got these two little adorable puppies that were 50% German Shepherd, 25% Black Labrador, and 25% Golden Retriever.  All these breeds are pretty good with kids, so I hoped for the best.

Although his sister wasn’t a great pet (she was always sneaky, getting into the trash and breaking the rules whenever she thought she could get away with it), Dusty was very good and mostly followed the rules.  He had a really loving and caring spirit.  When it was bath time, he would stand and tremble through the torture.  But when it was his sister’s turn, he would whine, as if saying, “Why are you doing that to her?”

When we got a kitten a couple of years after bringing these two dogs into our home, he licked the kitty until it looked like we had dunked her in water.  I never saw him growl at anybody, even little kids who weren’t always gentle with him.  He did pick a few fights with some other dogs in his youth, but overall he was a lover who just wanted to be petted.  Even a mother bunny and her youngsters made their home in our yard for a time, sensing that our dogs were no threat to her family.

It was fun to watch Dusty get excited when I would get his leash for his walk, and up until the very end, he was walking at least 30 minutes a day (a testament to the importance of exercise to longevity).  He would walk in the rain or snow.  He didn’t even seem to mind thunderstorms.  I always found it interesting how he didn’t mind being rained on but couldn’t stand getting a bath.

Anyway, he did his job.  Over the years, my son helped me feed and walk the dogs, and now that he is 18, he doesn’t remember ever having been afraid of dogs.  I will miss Dusty, even his stopping and smelling things on our walks.  He made me slow down and pay more attention to the beauty around me.  And I will always be grateful for the blessing that this wonderful dog was in my life.

Joke:  We expect our friends to be loyal and faithful. No wonder dogs are man’s best friend.

Quote:  “I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me, they are the role model for being alive.”  – Gilda Radner

Advice:  Love your dog every day because (s)he will love you every day!