Goodbye to my furbaby

Who knew that animals become such a part of our lives? 

December 6, 1997 I met my furbaby.  A friend bred her Dalmatian, and I got pick of the litter provided I help with all THIRTEEN puppies!  If you've never had to deal with 13 nursing puppies inside a single-wide trailer laundy room in December you're missing out! 

Paxton quickly became my child - I took him everywhere.







He's about 7 months in this picture. :)



Around Christmas 2011, curled up in my lap :)

 On March 16, 2012 I said goodbye to my first furbaby, my child, my protector, my best friend. It was time. He was old, he was going blind, and he was in the early stages of dementia. It got to the point where I was afraid of him, and that's when I knew that my friend was only there in body, his spirit was already gone.  I was blessed to be there when he took his first breath, and I was so glad to be able to be with him when he took his last.  (If you live in or near Lauderdale County, I HIGHLY recommend Tyson Pompelia at the Collinsville Vet Clinic.  He and his staff were SO amazing to me during all of this, and I will never use another vet as long as he's around!)    

The funny thing is that I never learned just how much I depended on him.  Robbie went on an overnight trip the week after I lost Paxton.  For the first time in 14 years, I was completely alone in my house.  It was the strangest feeling.  I wasn't exactly scared, but it was sorta uncomfortable just knowing that he wouldn't be there to bark to try to alert me/scare someone off/etc. should something happen. 

I know I'll have another dog - I love animals too much not to.  It'll be awhile though.  My heart just isn't ready to share that space just yet.