In 2013 we welcomed Laddie (or Big Lassie as he was then known) into our family and our hearts. He came from a collie rescue organization and was in love with us right away. Well, he was in love with us - our slippery linoleum kitchen floor and stairs to the second floor not so much. We think his former home had carpet and was all on one level. But he adapted quickly and almost immediately he bonded with our other dog Cookie.
We often call Cookie our "Tigger" - she is just about as bouncy and high energy as a dog can get. She actually does bounce up and down on just her hind legs and look like Tigger bouncing on his tail.
If Cookie is Tigger Laddie was our Eeyore. Large, mellow and fairly sedentary. Although, when properly motivated by a passing truck or a squirrel he could actually get up to a pretty fair trot. And he and Cookie did frolic quite a bit and chase each other around the family room.
But his favorite thing was lying down. Lying on couches, lying on our bed, lying in the middle of the kitchen floor where you where trying to get into the refrigerator, and actually lying down to eat from his food dish.
He was six when we adopted him and we knew we'd be lucky if he made it to 13 but we were still incredibly sad when we got word this past November that he had a nasal sarcoma and it was indeed malignant. We hoped we could spend one more Christmas with him but it was not to be. He passed quietly in his sleep December 23rd. The only bright spot was that he was at home surrounded by his family and it seemed to be either age related heart or kidney failure rather than the cancer.
We knew it was the best, most peaceful end for him but it was very tough on us never the less. We just weren't ready to say goodbye. But then, is anyone ever really ready to say goodbye to a beloved animal companion?
We will do our best to move forward knowing that we gave him a good life and that he was happy with us. But we will always miss him.
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