Shadow

by Kelly in Kansas
(Kansas)

I rescued my little Shadow in 1994 and he's been with me all but a few months of the time I've been in this house. I had grown up with a 5 lb. white poodle and had adopted what I later figured out was an older 8 lb. poodle from a shelter in Florida. Sadly, she died just 10 days after I moved into the house I built primarily because there was nowhere I wanted to live that would rent to a dog. I thought I had a smaller puppy coming but the breeding didn't take and I just happened into a Petsmart adoption day and happened onto Shadow. I'd never had a male dog and he was bigger (14 lbs.) than I thought I wanted.

But he put his little paws around my neck and that was it. I immediately took him to my new vet to determine that he was indeed a young dog given that I didn't think I could handle losing one again so quickly.

Shadow was a faithful companion who went everywhere he could with me. He liked going in the car and went with me to Montana on our last trip this August. I felt so guilty later because although I knew he wouldn't be around a year from now, I didn't expect him to go within what seemed like just a few weeks. However, looking, back, he was cognitively separating from me (less blood to the brain because of heart problems that had been developing over the last several months) and my little guy had really left me long before I realized it.

My vet was outstanding in dealing with putting him down. We were both prepared for a heart attack to take him but it was finally a combination of degenerative health problems but primarily the arthritis that significantly increased over the last several weeks of his life. I admire his ability to remain good-tempered throughout all of this.

The last morning he was with me, I fed him chicken and rice and he rubbed his muzzle on the dining room floor - something I realized he hadn't done in months. He was a happy dog.

Shadow sat patiently with me while we waited to see Doc. I broke down as we walked in as I told him that I thought it was time to let him go. Doc patiently responded that Shadow had only been waiting for me to be ready to say goodbye.

Traveling with Shadow meant constant nose prints on the windows but I realized the last few months that they had been few and far between. A month after I lost Shadow I noticed some of his noseprints and they will remain there quite awhile - esp. since they are in the back and not obscuring any vision.

He was a great cuddler but also wanted time to himself. Shadow was always interested more in people than in other dogs. Already about 2 when I adopted him, I didn't have to housetrain him and primarily had to deal with separation anxiety issues. The positive of that is that he was always very lovable and appreciative of the time I spent with him.

Shadow was a special little man who will live forever in my heart.