Goodbye

My twin sister’s dog, Dobie, has been a bit off lately, but we had no idea of how sick she actually was until they took her to the vet on Monday of this week. Unfortunately, she did not come home from the vet’s office. She was more than extremely anemic and very dehydrated. Her crit was 8 and it should be in the 40-50 range. The only option was blood transfusions and that would have just been a band-aid for a larger more enigmatic problem. The nurse said that Dobie should have already been dead as she was so ill. That dog was strong. She always had been. So my sister and brother-in-law made a hard but right decision.

My sister and I are really close so I love this dog like she was my own. My heart is broken and I miss her greatly. Dobie was a wonderful addition to our family over the past 9 years. She was a miniature Doberman Pincher. For some reason she always smelled like Fritos corn chips. Her incessant barking was always annoying and no amount of training or treats stopped her. But, frankly, I would give almost anything to hear that barking now. She had the most adorable little smile. Her favorite thing to do was to lie in the sun in the grass. Her eyes would be all watery and squinty and her black fur would get warm, and she would not budge from that spot. During winter she could be found traveling across the floor under the skylight following the sun as it moved. When my sister and brother-in-law lived in the city, I would go to their apartment after particularly bad therapy sessions to hang out with Dobie. She always made me feel better.

She handled the addition of two children in the house with ease. The food being dropped on the floor by the kids made her very happy. My sister is lamenting the sweeping of the kitchen she will now have to do, as her little vacuum eater is gone.

Dobie, I hope you know how much we all loved you. And I hope you know there is a tiny Dobie-shaped hole in my heart that will never be filled. Goodbye, good little friend.