A Very Sad Day

Today our little dog Petey passed away. He was only 1 1/2 years old.

Since we've lived here, Petey has been mostly an outside dog...on his own accord. He could come in any time he wanted. We wanted Petey to have the same live all the other dogs have around here...free to run around and roam as he pleases. Very few cars come down our road so we really didn't fear him getting run over. Even though he liked to chase cars, by the time he would get to them, he was pretty much well behind them. Joe even said so himself, that if Petey got ran over it would be by one of us because when we leave he is right there by the car as we're leaving. This morning he went out a couple of times but came right back in (if Sally is out there, he won't come back in, he'll spend all day out there with her). One of the kids let him out again, I don't know who, and didn't ask because I don't want any of them to feel guilty. So as we were leaving to go to the bank this morning, I tried to get Petey back in the house, but he just wouldn't come in (and he won't if he knows we're leaving). We could try and catch him to put him back in the house, but he will just run farther and farther away from us...he is impossible to catch. Joe backed out and saw Petey behind us and then took off thinking Petey wouldn't catch up and would be behind us. Well he did catch up, and he went right under the front tire and pretty much died instantly. Luckily the girl's and I didn't see or feel it.

I do feel guilt, I wish we would have screened in our porch, or had a leash for him to be on outside, but out here in the country nobody has a dog on a leash, and we thought we were just giving him the country life I guess. The two months he was here, he was happy and loved it. He and his "girlfriend" Sally would roam the property hunting and playing or lounging on the porch. Plus at night and in the morning he would get loving from all of us. He really had the best of both worlds, I'm just so sad his life was cut so short. To help me cope, I wrote Petey a letter, here it is...

Dear Petey,

I am so sorry this happened to you. I blame myself for letting you run free. We should have had a leash you could go on, a fenced in porch, or even just a tennis ball that you could chase back into the house when it was time for us to leave. Your life was cut too short, you were only a year and a half old and still had a very long life to live. I was planning on you and Ashley growing up together. The kids did love you so, and so did I. What I will miss the most is you coming in my bed in the morning, giving me a sniff or lick, and then laying next to me until I myself got up in the morning. I will miss how good you were when being groomed (brushed, bathed, or hair cut). You were such a good boy with that. Always playful, happy, and ready to go. I was waiting for warmer weather to be able to play ball with you outside, with all this room to run, you'll never get the chance now, I'm so sorry. You were such a smart boy too, learning things really quickly...top of your training classes at Petsmart. You could be annoying to others, but were dedicated to us. We were your family, you knew it and you showed it. I'll miss watching you play with your new best friend Sally. She still comes over here, and it's so hard to see her here, without you right there by her side. I hope there is an after life for you and that someone there is scratching your ears and throwing you a ball. I love you so much my friend, and again, I am just so sorry.

My Favorite Picture Of You