Goodbye Old Friend

Our beloved dog Spike died on Feb 13. He was 1 week shy of 15 years old. He was an amazing dog...he knew the boundary of our yard and didn't need to be watched, he was wonderful with our children, he didn't need to be leashed on walks. He liked to cuddle and sleep on blankets, though sometimes, he chewed them up. He got a little grumpy as he got older, as he was replaced by our children, but he was still sweet until the end. I'm grateful that he went quietly, and that he died during naptime, and that I didn't have to make the decision to put him down. He only had 1 really bad day at the end.

I've had Spike since I was 14 and it's still weird to not have him around. The only time I didn't live with him was when I went to college...he would be so excited when I came home...and he wouldn't leave my side until I left again. Sometimes I thought that he was more excited to see me than my family was. I still look for him when I come in the door, I still look for him before I go to bed to let him out. When I check the locks, they're locked most of the time, because I'm not letting him out anymore. My floor has so many crumbs on it...I used to sweep it once a week, and now I have to do it daily. Whenever I give Becca a snack, I start to tell her not to let Spike have any of it, but I don't have to do that anymore. I miss my dog.