A Good Ol' Boy

Mom and Don had one of those days today. You know, the day that all pet owners dread. The inevitable day you have to say goodbye to that creature who played such an important part in your existence and you have to start living your life without your best friend.

They got Troy about 5 years ago. The found him on the internet when his previous owner was unable to continue living in a place that would be comfortable for such a large animal. By the time they managed to get a hold of the person looking for Troy's new family, he had already taken the sweet boy to the doggie orphanage. Mom and Don found which one and drove to it because they wanted Troy that badly.

Troy found a wonderful new home with my mom and her husband. They had a big house and a very large property for him to run around and play on, although they realized early on that he preferred the lazy lifestyle of lounging on the porch most days. And they had another dog to keep him company while they were away at work during the days. Even though Troy was along in years, he liked playing with the other dog and when she finally crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, he was very lonely and sad. So they got a puppy to play with him and keep him company. He was a good friend to the new puppy and patiently taught her to help him guard the house and be a faithful companion to the people who had adopted them. He'd even let the pup curl up next to him when she was ready to sleep.

He was a huge dog, large for a lab. Most of us referred to him as a small polar bear. And he behaved like what you'd think a dog-version of a polar bear would be. And everyone loved him. He was patient and easy going when his people were around, but very mischievous when left on his own. He loved to eat and always seemed hungry. He loved it when they had gatherings at the house with food because he could always find someone to steal a bite from. And if all else failed, he was never afraid to just take something that smelled tasty off the counter on his own. His favorite forbidden food was.... sticks of butter!

It was discovered just before Christmas this past year that our sweet boy Troy was sick. Very, very sick. Mom and Don made the difficult decision to take care of Troy from home as best they could because he didn't like going in to see the vet, all the while knowing that there would come an end to his suffering and a beginning to their mourning. Yesterday they realized that time had come. Derrick, Jade and I went over last night to say good-bye and give our love to our old friend.

Troy was a good boy. He was so easy to care for when he was left with the dog sitter (that would be me!). He was a good teacher and guardian to Belle and Lucy (the younger labs). And most of all, he was a faithful and loving companion for Mom and Don for the 5 years he was with them. He's going to be missed greatly.

Rest well, Old Boy. You did well and deserve it. We'll see you on the other side.