This is a eulogy not an obitchuary. I am aware that is spelled wrong.
This elderly dog I've been watching since August died today. May I too die with a tiny little bald patch from head scratches.
Lady led a good life. From what I can gather- she ran a ranch. Sweet as can be but definitely made studs cower in her prime. When I met Lady, she was nearing fifteen. I realized today that I've been telling people she was seventeen, but she was only 112 when she passed (sixteen, in dog years). When Basil and I met Lady and her father- she was a spry 105. I was a tad worried Basil would be too much for Lady. He like Lady, was blessed with a genuinely pure, loving soul.
Lady was silver. She had brown eyes, which- not that it matters, but- I prefer. Lighter brown. Basil's are dark. On Lady it worked. Basil looked nice with this older Lady. She brought out his sweet, gentle kindness. Lady was small for a Staffordshire bull terrier, had already shrunk slightly with age. Lady, Basil, her father, and I took a test walk sometime before last August and I remember him telling me that although Lady had started to slow down, she still loved long walks and time to sniff. Basil and I can provide. When she started to slow down later on, Basil guarded her from the bustle of street traffic while she sniffed.
Indoors, Lady was similar to Basil. She was definitely sleepier than him, less alert to my movements around the apartment. But I'd work from home and she just wanted room to curl up on one side of my laptop- Basil had dibs on the other side. I've watched Lady, probably once a month or so on average for the last sixth months and she's a delight. She'd go stride for stride with Basil when we first met her.
She'd slowed down significantly the last three times we've been at her placee. She was still eating, but she couldn't keep on the weight. I watched her this weekend and carried her in from many walks- out just in front of the apartment and back. Dousing her with whipped cream as I have the past several times I've watched her.
I'm very lucky to have a dog that enjoys the company of other canines. I'm lucky to have the ability to take on dog sitting gigs along with him for extra income. I consider it his job (yes, he gets a treat after). His roommate is a cat. However, it is a deterrent for many pet parents and Lady's father was one of the ones who was actually excited about the prospect. I do truly think Lady liked the company. All they did was walk and sleep, but they both liked those things a lot.
After how much of a sweetie-pie-deluxe she was, the second best thing about watching Lady was all the photos there were of her throughout her apartment. I really truly, do not care to snoop beyond the photos on the walls but from what I can gather, Lady worked/lived on a ranch at one point in her young adult life. I'm fairly certain she's lived on both U.S. coasts. Well adjusted to city living, she'd had her country time. She's been a ladybug for Halloween. And isn't afraid to show any staffy who the alpha is. She's lived a great life. It's rare if she is not beaming, with tongue out, in photos. There's one where she seems to be out with the boys outside a bar, being held aloft by multiple men. Lady has had many human admirers and clearly, a select few (probably many acquaintances) doggie and horse buddies. She has lived a long, good, life. Filled with love, walks, treats, and friends.
She was clearly well loved. She was so so happy. Her owner gave her such a good life and I was grateful to have gotten to give her a few lovely weekends.
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