“Dogs have a way of finding people who need them, and filling a hole we didn’t even know we had.” Thorn Jones
Rusty was just a ball of soft fur when we got him from a friend whose dog had just had a litter of pups. We weren’t really looking for another pet, after all, we had Jed, our old Golden Retreiver.
We were in the middle of building a home, had recently moved, and were busy with our six kids. But, he was irrisistable. Rusty, a faithful little puppy who grew into a great bear chasin’ gentleman of a dog who loved riding in the truck with John and was always trying to herd the kids when they played football on the lawn.
When we moved from our Alta home, Rusty ended up moving into my parent’s home in the country. It was the perfect retirement. He slept inside on a big pillow, enjoyed daily treats and loved riding in the gator around the property. The last few years Rusty’s muzle started graying and he didn’t run as much as he used to, but he was always glad to see us and still loved having his muzzle stroked
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Last February we found out that Rusty had some health issues. Time was running out for our little guy and all we could do was love him until the end. We took Rusty to the vet clinic and were escorted into a room. It seemed almost surreal.
It is hard to not question whether we were making the right decision, the vet reassured us that it was time. We all stood around until his breathing slowed. quietly letting our tears fall as final good-byes were whispered under the dimmed lights.
HAPPY NATIONAL DOG DAY to all those tail waggin’ canines who have made a difference in our lives and homes.
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