Sweet Sadie Doo, Part 1

I have dreaded this day, ever since I got my sweet puppy, on February 18, 1997. She's been in pain for a little over two weeks, with what seemed to be just a torn ligament in her knee. However it became clear to us that it was much more when the pain pills and anti-inflammatories were not helping her to heal. Today I carried my best friend, my baby to the car along with Patton and picked up Ron to make her last trip to the vet. We had to go in a few hours early because even heavily medicated, she was in too much pain.

I could no longer bear to see her suffer and promised to take away her pain as my last gift to her.

We laid her on the table and the vet prepped her. She kissed some of my tears and sat patiently. I could not bear to watch but instead talked to her and held her. Soon I felt her head lay heavily in my arms and the vet said, "She's gone."

Our vet helped us get her paw print and then left us to say goodbye. We let Patton see her body but I don't think he understood really what was happening. It was good for him to be there as he kept her calm on the car ride there and helped me to cope. Patton was the first and only dog that Sadie really tolerated. She let him lay down next to her, and just generally infiltrate her personal bubble.

I dug up a ton of photos of her, seeing how I got her before digital cameras were invented. Thinking and seeing her in her active years helps to reinforce that I did the right thing. She loved to go where ever I went, she loved car rides, hated being alone and was always on the go. Lately she could barely get outside to go potty and that was bad enough. The addition of her pain made it all the more unbearable for all of us.

So today I'm sharing a ton of photos of her when she was young, happy, obnoxious, demanding, insolent, beautiful, energetic, and fun. In total, we lived at eleven different apartments/homes and four states. I put "Part 1" on this post because we had 14.5 long, wonderful years together. And part of grieving is going to be writing and remembering so there you have it. If you bother to see it through to the end of this post, then I thank you. I know Sadie Doo is in heaven with God, my mother, Rowdy, the rats and all the other dogs who have preceded her. I don't think she's at a Rainbow Bridge, waiting for me. No, she's already there. And someday we'll all be together-a motley crew of rodents, dogs and people. May God take good care of her until that day.



She is the only dog I've had the pleasure to know since she was a pup. One day, this little dog's ears unfolded into giant triangles framing her tiny head.















She saw her first horse when just a pup.







What else does a single girl do for fun? That's right, get a cheesy photo done with her dog.









There were a lot of photos like this.



And like this, which were post slobber.



At the giant bison in Jamestown, ND.





We went a lot of places together, at first in a small Honda Prelude where she would prop herself up on the back of my seat to stick her head out of the sun roof.



We also lived in some shitty places, as that is about all you can get on a college student's "salary" when you have a dog.



She spent a lot of time watching squirrels from here.



Hoarding bones on the couch.



Crashing a Subway restaurant after a night of partying.



Enjoying our brief stint of farm life in Minnesota.



In all kinds of weather, we went out exploring. Here on an abandoned farm in Minnesota.



She was always great about willingly getting into a bathtub.



But she preferred lakes, streams and creeks.



If there was a body of water nearby, this is what she looked like.



We always went to parks.



I was never a great housekeeper then but she didn't mind.



Sometimes she got dressed up for holidays.



She hated cats. This relationship did not last long.



And this is how I picture her now, in heaven surrounded by wide open spaces, lots of things to smell, water nearby and peace. The Sadie she was of late was not the happy, active, jumping dog she was when young. I miss her terribly but we will be together again some day. Until then, be free pumpkin butt, enjoy some burgers and fries, run without pain and weariness and know that you are still loved and remembered.

I love you Sadie Doo.