It's July 4th. We celebrate the birth of our nation, our freedom, our sovereignty, our Creator. We are mindful of the brave ones, who gave life and limb so that we can watch the night sky light up in brilliant, beautiful explosions under a blanket of peace of tranquility. Usually, I ponder what our Founding Fathers must think about our current state, but today, I am thinking about Aggie. Aggie, my sweet little red Cocker Spaniel. She died last night, while we were away on vacation. Our dear friends found her and notified us this morning. She was only 8 1/2. Of course, we did not expect it and we are still in shock.
Aggie and Sully were the first dogs I ever bought. I bought them for Melissa's birthday in our first year of marriage and I have been spending my money on them ever since. At six weeks old they were all ears and feet and I could fit each one in my hand. They were the absolute cutest things you've ever seen. I remember how my young beautiful bride was completely unprepared for them as they bounced around our new apartment, exploring and staining their new home.
If you knew Aggie, then you knew she was an insecure dog. I think she was weened too early. I remember how Aggie would whimper all the way to the mail box or anywhere we would walk. She would stick by Sully's side and never leave him - not for his sake mind you, for her own. You could make her pee, just by talking in a high voice. But what an athlete she was. She was fast and agile. She would run circles around other dogs to catch bugs, bubbles, balls, or whatever. She was amazing.
She taught me that sometimes people don't know what they are talking about. As she barked incessantly into the night, the advice of friends would come to mind. Just ignore it. If you don't acknowledge it she will stop. Have you ever had the battery on your fire alarm die? You konw that annoying "chirp" . . . "chirp". Yeah. That's the sound! After an hour, you start to doubt that advice, after six hours, you just want to wring the dog's and your friends' necks. :) But then she looks at you with those pleading cocker spaniel eyes - the I just want you to hold me eyes. The next day we bought a very loud fan and to this day our dogs sleep with the fan on in their "room" so that we can't hear them!
When she was just a couple of months old, we discovered the laser pointer. Of course, many pet owners use the laser pointer, but not many pets continue to chase the laser pointer 1/2 hour after the laser pointer has been put away! I blame myself for that one. I used to put red hots on the floor and shine the laser poiner on it. So, when Aggie or Sully would catch it, there was actually something there! She loved that thing.
She loved to run. One time, as she was running in circles around the room, which young Cockers do for no reason at all. All of a sudden, she ran right into a wicker footstool and got her entire head stuck! We actually had to cut the wicker stool to get her out. My distraught wife watching intently as I performed delicate surgery on the furniture trying to avoid slicing the precious puppy. No pressure!
She loved to catch bubbles. We played with bubbles outside tonight as we waited for the fireworks to start. It just wasn't the same. Even Jasmine and Austin could tell something wasn't quite right. There was no red blurr of fur chasing each bubble down before it could touch the ground. Sully was either too depressed, too hot, or without Aggie to spur him on, was just not interested. The backyard was noticeably less crowded tonight. There was a hole where Aggie used to be.
One of the hardest things is dealing with Jasmine's questions. She wants to know where Aggie is. So we told her she was with Jesus now and we wouldn't be able to see her anymore. "Why? Why is she going to live with Jesus? Why can't I see her now?" She asked. She cried, I think because Mommy and Daddy were crying, but she is sad and said she misses Aggie. She said, "It's okay, Aggie will come back tomorrow." Later she asked me, "Where is Jesus?" So, I told her. He is in Heaven. That was it for day 1. I'm sure more questions to come.
I have no regrets with Aggie. Oh sure, there is the usual thought of I wish I paid her some more attention the other day when she needed it, or I wish I still played with the laser pointer with her as much as we used to, but all-in-all, I enjoyed my time with Aggie. She brought joy to all our lives. She was a good dog and we loved her.
What I'll miss most, is the way she used to gently paw her way up onto my lap with her front paws, still standing on her hind legs. I would rub her head and ears. Then she'd turn around in my arms ready to face the world with her Daddy behind her. In that moment, all her insecurities were gone, she was a brave little puppy and she was mine. I will miss her greatly.
Aggie and Sully were the first dogs I ever bought. I bought them for Melissa's birthday in our first year of marriage and I have been spending my money on them ever since. At six weeks old they were all ears and feet and I could fit each one in my hand. They were the absolute cutest things you've ever seen. I remember how my young beautiful bride was completely unprepared for them as they bounced around our new apartment, exploring and staining their new home.
If you knew Aggie, then you knew she was an insecure dog. I think she was weened too early. I remember how Aggie would whimper all the way to the mail box or anywhere we would walk. She would stick by Sully's side and never leave him - not for his sake mind you, for her own. You could make her pee, just by talking in a high voice. But what an athlete she was. She was fast and agile. She would run circles around other dogs to catch bugs, bubbles, balls, or whatever. She was amazing.
She taught me that sometimes people don't know what they are talking about. As she barked incessantly into the night, the advice of friends would come to mind. Just ignore it. If you don't acknowledge it she will stop. Have you ever had the battery on your fire alarm die? You konw that annoying "chirp" . . . "chirp". Yeah. That's the sound! After an hour, you start to doubt that advice, after six hours, you just want to wring the dog's and your friends' necks. :) But then she looks at you with those pleading cocker spaniel eyes - the I just want you to hold me eyes. The next day we bought a very loud fan and to this day our dogs sleep with the fan on in their "room" so that we can't hear them!
When she was just a couple of months old, we discovered the laser pointer. Of course, many pet owners use the laser pointer, but not many pets continue to chase the laser pointer 1/2 hour after the laser pointer has been put away! I blame myself for that one. I used to put red hots on the floor and shine the laser poiner on it. So, when Aggie or Sully would catch it, there was actually something there! She loved that thing.
She loved to run. One time, as she was running in circles around the room, which young Cockers do for no reason at all. All of a sudden, she ran right into a wicker footstool and got her entire head stuck! We actually had to cut the wicker stool to get her out. My distraught wife watching intently as I performed delicate surgery on the furniture trying to avoid slicing the precious puppy. No pressure!
She loved to catch bubbles. We played with bubbles outside tonight as we waited for the fireworks to start. It just wasn't the same. Even Jasmine and Austin could tell something wasn't quite right. There was no red blurr of fur chasing each bubble down before it could touch the ground. Sully was either too depressed, too hot, or without Aggie to spur him on, was just not interested. The backyard was noticeably less crowded tonight. There was a hole where Aggie used to be.
One of the hardest things is dealing with Jasmine's questions. She wants to know where Aggie is. So we told her she was with Jesus now and we wouldn't be able to see her anymore. "Why? Why is she going to live with Jesus? Why can't I see her now?" She asked. She cried, I think because Mommy and Daddy were crying, but she is sad and said she misses Aggie. She said, "It's okay, Aggie will come back tomorrow." Later she asked me, "Where is Jesus?" So, I told her. He is in Heaven. That was it for day 1. I'm sure more questions to come.
I have no regrets with Aggie. Oh sure, there is the usual thought of I wish I paid her some more attention the other day when she needed it, or I wish I still played with the laser pointer with her as much as we used to, but all-in-all, I enjoyed my time with Aggie. She brought joy to all our lives. She was a good dog and we loved her.
What I'll miss most, is the way she used to gently paw her way up onto my lap with her front paws, still standing on her hind legs. I would rub her head and ears. Then she'd turn around in my arms ready to face the world with her Daddy behind her. In that moment, all her insecurities were gone, she was a brave little puppy and she was mine. I will miss her greatly.
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