This week has been a tough one. My first dog, Duncan, a 12.5 year old golden retriever, went to doggie heaven on Wednesday. I left home a year ago, knowing that he wasn't gonna last much longer. Well, about a week ago, my mom called to inform me that Duncan is having a lot of trouble walking and that she was gonna take him to the vet and have him put down the next day. So, I went and said goodbye. Well, my parents didn't take him. They decided to postpone it a bit more (to make sure his legs were really not gonna function much more) and take him over the weekend.
The weekend came and went, the dog still lived. Come Wednesday, my mom called me and told me she needed me to take the dog with her. Originally my father and her were going to take him and drop him off at the vet and let the process take place when they drove home. However, my dad hurt his back pretty bad at work over the weekend and now he was unable to help. Ever since the first phonecall, I was troubled with the idea of just leaving Duncan, alive, at the vet and letting him die alone.
So, I fully believe that this entire process was in God's hands. I decided to have my mom make the appt for me to stay in the room with the dog (Steve was there, he didn't even hesitate to offer his presence). I cried at first, but Steve told me 'don't let this be Duncan's last memory of you.' At first, his advice angered me because I was sad. Then I just talked with Duncan and told him of all the awesome memories I have of him. Thank God for Stephen, he always has good advice.
All in all, I spent the last hour and a half of Duncan's life with him, and I wouldn't have changed a thing. Once the vet tech put a cathader in his arm, the doc came (I had been with the dog for an hour at this point) and talked with me. The barbituates were given to him within a minute, he was in doggie heaven. His last few moments on Earth were peaceful, which is exactly the way they should be. His heavy panting leveled out to a normal breathing pace and my beautiful doggie went to sleep while I rubbed his ears, just like I used to do when he was a puppy. However this time was forever.
These are only a few of the fond memories I'll cherish forever.
1. Duncan looked like Tigger (my fav Disney character) as a puppy.. just minus the stripes.
2. He was one of the best looking dogs in the neighborhood, he always got compliments.
3. When he was a puppy, we used to run together. One day, he was in the garage with my parents and a box fell. I was running alone, up the hill next to hour house, when I saw an orange blob run up towards Western. Then I saw my parents van.. yep, Duncan had got spooked and ran all the way to Carl's Jr on Western from our house!!!
4. I'll miss him most on Christmas morning. Duncan used to open our Christmas presents!! He loved it and so did I.
5. If you tried to do paperwork on the floor... Duncan would lay all over the paperwork!
6. He loved to sleep with me and kick me out of my own bed!! LOL.. a full bed with a large golden left me with 6 inches of bedspace!
7. When he finished eating, he'd go into the living room and rub his face on his napkin (a rug just for him) and then lay on his back and wiggle around!!
8. He had a tail that if it whipped ya, it really hurt!
9. All of my gal friends remember him for 'goosing' them all the time!
10. Duncan was my buddy through a lot of rough times.
11. He leaves behind two 'girlfriend' goldens in the neighborhoood!
12. He ate a hole in the wall three times as a puppy.
13. My mom's fav new couch became Duncan's chew toy as a pup!
14. there are too many more to write at this time....
15. one more..he loved to eat the brown roll from tp and paper towels! we'd wrap them up for him at Christmas!
Waffles will miss his buddy!
Duncan puppy pics to come in the future..
