TJandDante

It will be a month ago Wednesday that you left us.
I never wanted a dog. In the summer of 2001 my son talked me into letting him have a dog. He wore me down and he brought home this 4 month old blonde colored goofy dog that ripped his bed up in the middle of the yard the first night I had him home. After a month my son enlisted in the Marine Corps and 6 days after 9/11 he went to boot camp. The lonliness I felt for my son was eased by this dog that I had now inherited. We became fast friends. When my son came home on leave, his dog was ecstatic beyond belief. When he would go back to his base, the dog would sit at the top of the basement step and "listen for his boy" for 2 or 3 days. That dog saw me through empty nesting and 2 deployments.
This last spring I was sad to have him turn 8, since his breeds life span is only 9-11 years and we though we may only have him for a couple more years. In August at a routine nail trimming at the vet I asked about the two small lumps, one on the back of each leg. I thought they were muscles but they were not, they were lymphoma.
Because we were lucky enough to have the help of a caring Holistic Vet and a new diet, supplements, and love, we had 4 really good months with him. We went for two walks every day right up to the day before, he loved nothing more than his walk and if you held a steak in one hand and the leash in the other, he would pick the leash EVERY TIME (and Dante loved his food!)
We miss him so much. Its still strange to go home and not have him greet us at the back door and to have to lock our back door now-we haven't in years.
Here's a toast to the best dog anyone could ever ask for. Never peed or pooped in the house, never chewed anything that wasn't his,never bit anyone, and always made me feel safe and loved in his company.Dante, I hope you're enjoying heaven as much as we enjoyed you on earth!
TJ

dryan777

TJ,
I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. Dogs are so much more than our "friends". They are such an integral part of our family and life. Dante sounded like such a wonderful dog, and nothing can replace the love and companionship you shared. My heart goes out to you, as we are near the same situation with Kobe. May you find comfort and peace in the memory of dear Dante.
Dan

Benpaws

Dear TJ,

I don't know how I could have missed this post but I did. I just read about you getting another dog which is like Dante's twin and that is just wonderful.

Dante will always be in your heart and forever left paw prints on your very soul!

God Bless,
Joanne & Shadow