My friend passed today.
Six years ago yesterday I answered a frantic call on what we here in the Cariboo call the " Moccasin Telegraph". It's a local radio community service advertising all sorts of things for sale.
After living alone for 12 years and constantly thinking about my last dog I was beginning to think about getting another. My neighbor, a dog lover herself, put me onto a message on the telegraph where a young couple may be forced to destroy their dog.
Not a chance I thought. I got in touch with the people and went to see this animal. Now I must say here that my favorite dogs are Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes.My previous dog was a Siberian Husky and his name was Chinook. My friends will recognize this by the name in my email accounts.
This was a pure bred, registered Alaskan Malamute and he was beautiful. The right size, strong as an ox and very friendly. When we first met he came right up to me, stood on his hind legs and licked my face. Right away I knew this was "my dog". He was already three and a half years old.
But there was a small problem. The May 24th weekend was coming up and there were going to be other dogs at the lake where we usually fish that weekend. I asked the young couple if they could hold him until the end of the weekend. They agreed, and on the Tuesday following the weekend when their young son was at school I picked him up. I knew the boy would be upset to see him go and figured it wouldn't hit him as hard this way. The mother had a problem with the dog apparently growling when she came near him with their new child. That was the reason for wanting to get rid of him. But they didn't want him destroyed.
When I arrived to pick him up I opened the door to my truck and before I could get out to help him he jumped right in. Yes! My dog. We returned to the lake to do some more fishing. I knew that the other dogs would be gone because the owners had kids in school. But my brother was still there.
First thing my brother would say is "nice, what's his name" I answered Virgo but it needs to be changed. He said you're right, we don't need any girly-boy names. Some of my brother-in-laws were still there so we had a bit of a brain-storming. Had to be a name similar. And after about 10 minutes my brother said AMIGO
Thus the new name.
The dog went everywhere with me. I got one of those chokes they use in trucks so the dog couldn't hop out. Safety first. His only bad habit was every time we passed a dark pickup he would lean over an bark. Drove me nuts on long drives sometimes.
Last year he got sick and I thought we might lose him. Turns out he killed and ate a shrew. He got better and life went on.
Three days ago he got sick again with the same symptoms. So I decided to wait it out.No such luck this time. I buried him this morning.
Be at Piece Amigo/ Virgo
5 comments:
I'm so sorry. There are few things quite as wrenching as the sudden loss of a pet...
Peace to you and Amigo...
Thanks for the story Gary E....
For the love of friends, animals are friends, dedication and company, I say a prayer for Amigo, and you, your heart is pure.
Be brave Gary...May I suggest a new dog from the shelter, the abandoned and lost pets make the best life friends, food, water, and a calming voice.
Soldier on my friend.
Thanks for your thoughts anon 10:40PM. I consider myself lucky in the pets I have had. They have truly been friends.
Grant G. thanks for that. I know how much of a softy you really are and I appreciate it.
As far as a new pet goes, it will probably be a purebred Husky but that is not in the immediate future. We have a house to build and when my girls are old enough to appreciate a pet we will get one.
Right now the Bride is pouring her time into a wild cat that has been living under the trailer for the past 10 months. Cats are not my favorite animal but this one is an excellent mouser and even got a jack rabbit last month.He is so good at what he does he even chased a fox from the yard. So he will stay.
And please don't be offended cat lovers. My distaste for cats goes back 50 years and I may write about it one day
Gary. My son and daughter-in-law, work with a rescue group, from the USA. these dogs are, Catahoula Lousiana hounds. They handle the Canadian side. The, USA group go to pounds and pick these dogs up, and find them homes. The kids called me and begged me to take Black Jack. He is a trained hunting dog,for wild boars. The idiot that had a pack of dogs, thought they would hunt better, if they were starved. Black Jack, only weighed 35 pounds, he should have been, 70 pounds. He had been chained to a tree, every year of his life, save one. My vet thought he was, 7 or 8 years old. He was so stressed, all the hair fell off his head. He has a terrible limp. My vet said, he had an old injury, and wasn't vetted for it. Black Jack, lived in California. A long haul trucker, drove him 1000 miles, a lady picked him up, and drove him to the Canadian border. My kids friends, picked him up at the border, the kids then, picked him up and brought him to me. For being chained, all those years, he is the sweetest old guy, and the pet of the neighborhood. Sometimes, I can get him to bay, for his supper. I can't imagine my life without him.
Sorry about your dog passing Gary, I lost my best friend Ranger just under a year ago. He is missed!
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