Farewell old friend

Today has been a day filled with bursting into tears. My darling dog Mcduff(Duffy) had to be put down. He had made almost fifteen years and I do understand that he really did have a long life.

Duffy was the spaniel-mongrel that I got as a teenager. He was my first dog and I adored him.I got him from the local pet store as a squirming little puppy because he was the dog that fell in his food bowl.Clumsy from the very first day.

I used to carry him around under my school jersey in the afternoon to keep him warm. He slept on the floor next to me in a little white shawl while I studied for exams.

He travelled with us to our beach cottage on the South Coast. That was a disaster of a trip. Duffy was terrified of the sea and hated the sand in his fur.

The next year my Grandfather moved in with us and Duffy decided that he was the next best thing when I was away at school. They went for long walks together everyday. Sometimes they got completely lost. This was a frequent occurence as my Grandfather became more senile with the passing years.

The year I spent in Oz my Mother had to send frequent updates and photos to let me know what my beloved Duffy was doing.

Six months after my return my Grandfather died and Duffy's walking partner was gone. My Mom took over but I think Duff thought things were never the same.

Two years later he was attacked by a Rottweiler while out walking. He survived with minor injuries but he shook with fear if you even showed him the lead so he never went walkies again.

He was a sweet old dog when my son was born and put up with everything Ewan did to him when he visited my parents.

However last year he started getting really old. He was in pain. If you went near him he would bite and growl. My parents didn't put him down as they knew it would upset me. Somedays he would be full of life and run around the garden at high speed but others he spent in his room all day.

In two weeks time my sister in law is arriving from overseas and she is 22 weeks pregnant. My folks can't take the risk of Duffy biting her. Lately he has being going for Ewan and it was just a matter of weeks till he really hurt my little boy. Sadly Zoey has never been allowed near him.

It was his time. He was given a sedative and then taken to the vets to be put downon Friday. He didn't suffer at all. My Dad buried him in the back garden next to all the plants he loved to dig  up. My Mom only told me today as she didn't want me crying in front of Ewan the whole weekend. Soon I will have to explain death to my boy when he asks about Duffy.

Until I picked up that puppy in the pet shop I was terrified of dogs and animals in general. Duffy changed all that.

Today all I can think about is the past and my sweet little puppy.

Farewell McDuff and enjoy your walks with Grandpa.