It’s been a long time since I have posted anything to the blog. Missy has taken on that role quite well. Today, I return to the blog with sad news. Last night, very suddenly and unexpectedly, our dog, Tucker, died. Tucker was about 11 or 12 years old and had seemed to be in good health, even earlier that day. In the evening he became sick and was moving a little slow but I had no idea how sick he was and about an hour later he was gone.
Since picking him at the pound, Tucker has been in my life for at least ten years and came as a package deal with me when Missy decided to “pick” me. He was always good with children and when we had our own, he put up with just about anything the boys would do. In the last year or so he seemed to enjoy the boys even more as they had reached the point where they like to play with him and make him work for treats. It was so cute to watch Jesse make him “shake” and “speak” before rewarding him. Eric also liked to play tug-of-war with him and play fetch (though Tucker was never a persistent fetcher).
Missy and Tucker had a special relationship. It took a while for them to bond but eventually that bond became quite strong and while she often complained about him being under her feet or not coming to the door to be let in when it was raining or many other things…she loved him as much as any of us if not more.
As for me and Tucker, we were always close. At the pound it seemed that he picked me as much as I picked him. I bought a book on dog training and he conveyed his feelings on that by chewing it up! He always seemed like a Houdini, able to escape in the blink of an eye but always coming back. Once, he was even run over by a car in front of my parents’ house (where he had never been before), ran off and was presumed to be somewhere severely injured or worse, only to turn up at the back door in the wee hours of the night. He was an amazing dog, gentle and kind toward everyone but the mailman and Amish buggies. Who knows why?
For a long time Tucker wasn’t getting the exercise he needed and neither was I so we teamed up and were walking for a (steep) mile most every day. He was always sooooo excited to go anywhere. The moment he knew we were going, he would stamp his front paws and spin in circles, just like a little dog. It was pretty funny to watch. Even on the last day of his life we went for our walk. I had considered not going that morning. I was behind schedule and not feeling energetic as I had already worked out early in the morning. But I’m glad I took him. Who knew it would be our last walk together?
This morning I took our walk alone.
Then I took Tucker to be cremated...with one last rub on his neck...
"Good Boy"
Good Bye.
