WORKING THROUGH IT

One Christmas several years ago: I am holding Duke,
and Clark is holding Shadow. We miss them so much

I talked to a friend from church on the phone last night for 45 minutes! Her husband had had surgery, so we hadn't talked since Duke crossed the rainbow bridge on July 28. They have two basset hounds, and as a fellow dog lover, she understood how devastating it has been for us in the loss of our doxie.

If you know someone who has lost a beloved pet, give them some time to adjust. We grieve the same as in the loss of a family member, because our pets ARE family members. Never--and I repeat--never belittle or laugh off their grief, because trust me, it is real. When we own pets, we take our responsibilities seriously, as God has entrusted their care to us: we feed them, bathe them, give them their medications when warranted, play with them, hold them when they are sick or injured, and get them the necessary medical treatment when they need it. We take them to the vet for regular checkups and shots, have their teeth cleaned and their toenails clipped, and if their coats are long, have them groomed. In short, we do just about anything for them that we've done for our own children. Therefore, in many ways, our pets become like our own children. 

What have our dogs given us in return? For one thing, lots of fun. Duke made me laugh every single day, sometimes over and over! Companionship. Devotion. Lots of other things, but as all pet lovers know, unconditional love.

Clark and I are gradually working through our grief; I am still very sad at times, but the wonderful memories are beginning to take up more time than the sadness of his passing. I have lost other pets, but Duke was such a special and loving dog that I've felt much deeper grief than I did with others. 

Cherish your time with your pets, because it will be over far sooner than you'd like.

Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em.

Duke when he was little. He was staring at me as I
ate a snack. Guess what he wanted!!