"So Long and Thanks for the Catfish"

This is the Eulogy, written by my daughter, last year when her 16 year old German Shepherd mix had to be put down last year. The title comes from an incident when the dog, "Lucky", brought a live catfish up from out small farm pond and dropped it on the front door step.

So long....And Thanks for the catfish?

I debated about a subject/title. Turns out, even in times like these, I'm a nerd with a strange sense of humor.

Alternative title: Eulogy for an Old Friend

It's weird. The things you think about when that time comes. Focus on the good times, the misspent youth, the odd adventures. That's what you tell yourself, and maybe that's what you do. But you still cry. You still miss them. You still look for that old friend that you know is gone. But you still look, still wait for the familiarity of life. Know you will be disappointed, but you do it anyhow. Because you don't want to forget.

And some say a dog is just a dog. If that is the case, she was no dog. Anything but.She was a not-so scary guardian, a rebel, a nomad, a clown, and always, a friend, but not a dog.

I could always tell when she was the guilty party. There was that look in her eye, that "whoops I've been caught" gaze that told me everything. And then came the self punishment. Yep, she would send herself to a corner and wait out the storm. Didn't have to raise your hand or even your voice (Not that I would). She always knew better, just chose the alternative path.

It's not even that she wasn't well trained. She knew her basics, knew what was expected of her. I said stay, she listened, then considered her options. Then she jumped into the pond anyway, because she wanted to.

It was she that kept the boys in line, made sure the floor outside my room was always warm, kept an eye on the doors when no one was home.She was always ready for another adventure, didn't care where life took her, as long as the top was down or the windows were open so she could feel the breeze.

I'm not going to recount all of our misadventures, that would be long winded and no one would read it anyway. But I will say that she was the only constant in my life for a very long time, the only one I could always count on.

It's give and take, you know? Having a dog. Not a sacrifice, but so very close. It's time, resources, emotional real estate that can never be reclaimed. But, having a dog is no sacrifice. No, I didn't give up a thing. I gave her 16 years and in return she gave me a lifetime. The best of barter, folks.

Ain,t life grand?

Written by Jennifer