Good Bye Little Buddy.

The DogHound has passed. Through a weird twist of karma I was there when he passed. My parents were surrounding him too when it happened. I know DogHound knew his time was coming. I know DogHound knew he was at home surrounded by those who loved him.

Eventually I'll remember the good times with him. I'll focus on all the wrestling sessions, the tug of war sessions, the chasing of cats sessions, and all the little things that make life with DogHound wonderful. I'll remember all the times I would talk to him about the crappy classes, the bad dates, the stupid bosses, the angry mobs, and all the nasties I dealt with. I'll remember how DogHound would give doggie kisses after all those stories. I'm still convinced a good dog is better than 90% of people.

It will get better eventually, but for now there's a doggie-shaped hole in my heart.

Super Sheltie!!!!!

No this isn't DogHound, but it involves a playful sheltie like DogHound, a giggling toddler, and doggie kisses. In case it doesn't link directly to the video if you go to the search bar the title is "Get excited!" You could also search using sheltie.

Sadly DogHound is having real trouble moving around now. Someone has to lift him up to get over a step, his rear legs are so weak now he can't stand up very long. His legs also get criss-crossed far too easily, and sometimes he really can't get up. I love the video because it is fun to watch, it does remind me of how DogHound used to be, but it also fills me with great sadness. I know DogHound has been with us about 10 months longer than we expected, yet every new and unexpected day has to run out eventually. My parents long ago said if he can't move it would be time one last trip to the vet. They don't wan't DogHound to be in pain and have no quality of life. I can understand that, but if DogHound is to finally leave us I want it to be going to sleep on his favorite blanket, next to a fan instead of a cold examination room.

My little furbuddy has been a faithful companion for nearly 14 years. I'm not married. I don't have a girlfriend. I don't have any children. Most of my friends are married, have families, and involved with them on a daily basis so we don't see each other often. I work far too much in a job filled with miserable people and situations, and it permeates my entire life. DogHound has been the one soul who just brightens up when I enter a room, loves me, and listens to my problems with a sparkle in his brown eyes and wag of his tail. DogHound possess the one property I seem to have lost in myself: the ability to make me happy and feel better at any moment.

Hold onto the light little buddy for as long as you can. Without your light I don't know if there is any left around here.

Happiness Is The Simple Things.

Okay, sometimes happiness is visiting the parents after work and taking a nap with DogHound. It was one of those days where it wasn't worth getting out of bed. I think DogHound agreed.

I'm Going To Need So Many Furry Kisses Tomorrow.

This week has been hell at work. Seriously I can think of no other way to describe it. I've stayed until 6:30 p.m. twice to get ready for the next day, tonight I stayed until 6:00 p.m.. Tuesday was my early night by getting out at 5:00 p.m., by going through 30 hearings in 3 hours. What...the...hell! For the last two and a half weeks I've been dealing with either a continuous flow of hearings or needing to prep all those files for the continuous flow of hearings.

Tomorrow will be a constant flow of courtrooms. In addition to my stuff I'll have to cover some of my boss's hearings as well. When he scheduled his pretrial conferences there wasn't anything on the calendar then, but now there is. I'm sorry but when I schedule my pretrials I only schedule two in a morning, max! I do it so that I can go to some hearings if required. The boss will schedule 4 in a morning and 2 in the afternoon just so he can be finished with all pretrials in one day. I think he's nuts.

I'll be honest I'm getting resentful of having to cover for him all the damned time. I already do the work of two attornies because we're just that busy and Small Town will never hire someone to help us out. Yet I do the work of more than two attornies because I have to double check that my boss is ready for what we know about and quickly spring into action when something goes wrong and he isn't available. This morning was a perfect example. I had a 15 minute break where I wanted to type a motion I needed for tomorrow. A court calls and wonders were someone from our office is. We had hearing then? Really? When the hell did that pop onto the calendar? It wasn't even my file, but after scrounging around for the file I prepped it in about 5 minutes. I could have prepped it in 2 minutes, but the staff kept asking me what was going on. Okay I know people are trying to be helpful, but after I explain the problem once please leave me alone so I don't type in the same incorrect information four times because people keep distracting me. It isn't a good sign when I ask all the parties why are we here today.

At least tomorrow I'll visit my parents. The elderly DogHound had a decent week according to them. I shall place DogHound on my lap, explain how horrible my week was, and let his brown eyes express how much he wants me to pet him. If DogHound is feeling somewhat energetic he may even kiss me. I'm very happy DogHound has lasted this long. I'm really going to need him tomorrow just to feel human again.

His End Is Too Near.

The noble and wonderful Doghound is dying. We've known this since before autumn. The vet did an x-ray and the mass, likely cancer, in Doghound's body was obvious. The vet didn't want to do any surgery to confirm the diagnosis since at Doghound's age that would likely kill him. The vet prescribed quite a few meds for Doghound and things seemed okay at first.

The past few months Doghound became finicky about food and quite adapt at finding the pills we hid in them. Spitting out meds was almost a sport for him. Now he's barely eating and barely drinking his water. With all the snow on the ground he does like to eat it when he goes for a quick walk. Yet he sleeps so much when my parents walk into a room and see him laying on the floor they wonder if he's already passed. Then he'll pop up his head and wonder why his humans are looking at him so much.

Friday night I was at my parents' home with Doghound laying his head on my lap. I remembered when I would arrive he would wag his tail and just vibrate his body at my arrival. I remembered when we used to play tug of war with a thick rope. I remembered when I was sick and he simply sat down next to me as if to watch me and make sure I was okay. I remembered the first day we brought him home as a puppy. I turned a box lid upside down for him to be on. The box had a half inch lip and it was an impenetrable barrier Doghound could not cross. The next day Doghound stepped over the lip and nothing stopped him since. One time time I was reading the newspaper at my parents' family room table and Doghound did a flat-footed jump onto the table! Doghound decided I was finished reading the paper. With his head in my lap Friday night I leaned in and told him I'm sorry his time was soon and I was sorry I couldn't do anything to stop it.

Some people think a dog is just a dog. To me the truth is simple, most dogs are better than most humans and most dogs will treat you better than most human beings will. When you go to a breeder or shelter I have the feeling the reality is the dog chooses you, and not the other way around. Doghound choose us as his humans. For food, a scratch behind the ears, and an old blanket to sleep on he provided love, companionship, protection from squirrels, and unlimited tail wags. Whatever problems I was having required only a few pets of his fur to make me feel better.

My gut tells me we're down to just days now. My furry friend and companion will be gone soon. I hate it, but at least I know he was well loved and had a great life. If only more of us were as lucky as Doghound.

Things To Be Thankful For.

As pessimistic and jaded as I am I do feel the need to be thoughtful on occasion. I must remind myself that things could be far far worse!

1. I do have a job in the legal field that pays my bills. Sure I don't like the job, the commute, the clientele, but I recall being unemployed around 2 years ago and wondering how was I going to survive and how was I going to make use of this shiny, but apparently useless degree I had. What am I thankful for, I'm now at a place where I can start planning for the next stage of my career and I have the luxury of time.

2. I have a family that loves and supports me. I may not relate to them very much but we do tend to help each other. Without their support throughout my life and especially through these past few years I would be in a far worse situation than I am now.

3. Doghound! It is obvious Doghound is in the final fall and winter of his life and is unlikely to make it to the next sunny spring day. So every time I find Doghound at my parents' home I make sure I pet him and play with him. No matter how bad a day I've had if I put Doghound in my lap and just pet him I will feel much better. I'm thankful for the fact Doghound makes me feel better so I better enjoy him for the time we have left together.

4. Thanks to the internet and eHarChemtach.com I'm dating again. Sure there are dates with no chemistry or only one of use feels something or I never want to see her again and she's still stalking me, but hey at least I'm in the market for female companionship. While I keep debating if I should hold off on dating again until I have a job with less of a commute so I have more free time at least I can write a food and coffee shop guide to Big City now.

5. The Internet. It provides me with information about things I like and the ability to describe the insaneness of humanity. While I'm not perfect I'm thankful for the fact I'm not as crazy, stupid, or useless as those people! Thanks to the internet I get to maintain my sanity.

I'm sure other people have more selfless and altruistic things to be thankful for. Eh I'll take what I can get. Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Best In Show!

I think DogHound should win that Westminster Kennel Show. He's over 12 years old so he still has a shot. So DogHound doesn't do tricks and barely walks due to his arthretis. Still he's just cute and fuzzy and so friendly. I may not be able to convince the judges DogHound is the best dog, but he works for me.

Master And Human

Where's DogHound?

Someone is going to have to find DogHound again. He likes to go hiding at times.

The Eyes Say It All.

This is DogHound's say of saying, "No one loves me. I haven't been petted in 5 minutes." Needy little bugger isn't he?

Assault And Barkery

You know it's a bad day when your human gets your leash, walks you down your own driveway to pee on your own mailbox and you get assaulted on your way back by another dog. She came from behind so I didn't see her. She had his jaw around my neck but I have a thick neck. She couldn't really close his jaw with any pressure.

My human was startled by this shocking attack. He started shouting and coming towards us. I think my human scared the foul beast. I got out of the jaws and turned around. Crouching and growling I was ready for Round 2 with the bitch. My human picked me up and took me inside. I was a little sore and had slober all over my neck, but I was okay. I rather liked the attention the humans gave me. I'm cute. Love me, pet me.