A Year Of Dutch.

Today is Dutch's official One Year Anniversary of being our dog. A year and a half ago was the horrible dog year, Molly first dying 32 hours after being diagnosed with a terminal abdominal tumor. Then Rueben following on her heels to the Elysian Fields not 6 weeks later with so many tumors they were on his heart and one lung was obliterated. No, we were not asleep at the switch - both cancers are insidious, there were virtually no symptoms until it was too late. Molly we didn't have time to breath - for Rueben the vet told us we could pursue treatment but best case was 6 months and he would spend the 6 months with surgeries and treatments. And just when we thought it couldn't get any worse Rueben and I were attacked by a raccoon  - we were both mauled and bitten multiple times - that just pushed everything over the edge. As hard as it was, we let him go gently. Crying for two months straight  doesn't even begin to cover it. 

I was destroyed. 

But then there was Bee the puppy and even though we were still recovering it was like the world was righting itself.  So smart, cute and her crazy antics  - you couldn't ask for a better dog. And then a few months later I got a text from Jess letting me  know that Bee's brother had been returned due to some unfortunate circumstances, was I interested? It was an almost immediate YES and I was on my way 5 days later - his name was Red which I changed of  course, a red dog named Red just makes you sigh, doesn't it?  The ride home was me being excited with Dutch quietly sitting in the back seat, trying to take it all in. When we got about 20 miles from home my new car died at the gas station which resulted in a slightly hysterical  phone call to my office since I couldn't reach David. Carmen came and got us, calmly loaded Dutch in the backseat and took us home. And it was of all the simple things the battery. When we arrived Bee was beside herself with joy - Dutch not so much. He went from pillar to post to pillar in a span of 3 weeks so he had some catching up to do. And dogs do grieve, I'm sure there were a few weeks he waited for his family to come get him and bring him home, he waited. But the sad, quiet days grew shorter and - I don't know if they really ever forget, but like us they move on. 

David gets tired of my lauding his virtues, yes he's the best looking dog he's ever seen, he's very smart, so nice and yes, he does seem more talented than other people's dogs, but honestly I don't think I've had a dog that I've loved this much in a long time. You know how sometimes you'll get a pet and they're just the best thing ever? But he is - he's so gentle and sweet  - when the granddaughters are here all he wants is to be with them. At night he lays on my lap,much to Bee's annoyance. Like any sister she does things to get under his skin, she'll take the favored toy and hold it so he can't have it, get in my lap and refuse to move - Dutch takes this all seriously and becomes a drama llama by throwing his head back and howling. Bee just keeps it up. But for the most part they get along well and they play well. David continues to train them to hunt and hopefully this fall they will get out there a few times. Dutch got some new stuff for his anniversary much to David's eye rolling and Bee got too since you cannot explain this anniversary stuff

Happy One Year With Us Dutch! 

You're the best!