My Brindle Bundle of Love by Joy de

My Brindle Bundle of Love

by Joy de Vivre

Where do you even start when describing the best thing that ever happened to you, your most treasured gift, and the source of more joy than you’d ever thought possible? Looks like I start by grabbing some Kleenex. I am at a loss for how to put into words what my dog meant to me. Sure she was my best friend...the best one I ever had...in my entire life. But she was so much more. It was through her that I first grasped the concept of unconditional love, and it changed me, on a very fundamental level. I’ve had lots of pets and have cherished each one. I’ve had a cat, 3 dogs, a few frogs, and lots of birds. — still hoping for a tortoise some day — .but none has ever affected me the way Victoria did. She was literally my hero, because of the qualities she expressed. She had incredible courage, a distinct lack of ego, and just an all-around wonderful disposition. She never got mad when her counterpart Winston (the attention hog) would whine or slam into her when they played way too hard, nearly igniting WWIII in the process. All she wanted to do was love — and lick — she was something of a lickaholic... that’s how she showed her affection.

At the time her health began to deteriorate she was 50% older than the life expectancy of her breed, and every extra day with her was a bonus. One weekend just before Christmas she had a very scary episode involving congestive heart failure. Wouldn’t you know, it started right after the vet’s office had closed mid-day Saturday. I determined that I would take her in when they re-opened first thing Monday morning, and, despite every inclination I had, I decided I would stop her suffering and have her put to sleep. She was in too much distress to do otherwise. It was the hardest weekend of my life. Poor little thing was so bad off that she was unable to sleep or even lie down or sit...for two and a half days straight! Which meant I didn’t sleep either. Instead, I prayed. When dawn broke Monday morning I looked at the clock and thought, 'Well this is it. In a couple of hours we will head for the vet’s office and I will say goodbye to my girl...the only family I have left,' having lost all of my other pets and human family as well. About half an hour later my sweet pup at last collapsed from exhaustion after standing up all weekind, and actually fell asleep. I decided I would let her rest a bit, before our departure time an hour and forty-five minutes hence. When she awoke three or four hours later she was her usual perfect and perky self! In fact, her eyes were clearer than they’d been in months — cataracts had slowly dulled them — and her hearing which she’d recently lost had begun to return. In fact, she was up and down the stairs like nothing had happened. She was a true Christmas miracle! On Christmas Day I decided to stay home with her instead of going off to dine with loved ones. It just seemed like the thing to do. A week later I opted to ring in the New Year with her also. I decided to practice some dance choreography that night and she was right there with me, underfoot, dancing the night away with me as we used to do when she was a puppy. Three nights later her health declined again. The next morning we went to the vet’s office. That afternoon I came home without her. While at the vet’s I just held her in my arms, thanking her for everything she did for me and brought to my life. To my astonishment, the doctor who was administering the sleeping solution, and who had cared for her throughout her whole life, whispered to her, “I love you. You’ve always been my favorite.” When I mentioned this to the front office staff I tearfully quipped, “I bet she says that to all the pets.” The workers looked at me in utter bewilderment, shook their heads, and said, “Umm, no.” When I went in to pick up Toria’s ashes a week or so later I was greeted with hugs, tears, and a sympathy card signed by the entire staff.

I have never kept a greeting card in my life. I kept that one. The things they said about my darling dog, as well as about me as her dog mom, are among the loveliest sentiments I have ever received. I don’t have many photos of her, and I am not sure if I still have any videos — computer and phone changes have resulted in some lost treasures — but I carry her in my heart with me wherever I go. And there is not a day that I don’t thank God for her — the love of my life...forever.