Today we had to put our little beagle dog to sleep. Girlie. She and her sister Toto are 14.5 years old. A good innings, some would say. It doesn't really make it any easier today. It was time. Girlie was losing her balance and falling over and hurting her little nose and mouth. Her spirit had gone. She wasn't making a sound, no barking, or crying. She never complained but she was in pain.
I can't imagine not having her around. Each time I see something that reminds me of her, like her lead attached to the fence where she layed in the sun yesterday, I feel this ache again. Some say she is only a dog, but she was my baby before my children were born. We bought her home when she was 5 weeks old, the cutest puppy with the long beagle ears.
Girlie and Toto had their share of mischief over the years. Things that come to mind and make me smile - just a bit are:-
1 The day before our wedding, these two bad beagles ate the hubbsters late grandmothers wedding and engagement rings. We had to wait, then to "find them".
2 The day after our wedding, they both came in and helped themselves to the wedding cake. The bottom tier had paw scratch marks all over it.
3 As puppies, we came home from work one day to find all my potplants completely destroyed and the plant racks, and stucco from the walls - chewed.
4 All my work high heeled shoes were chewed beyond recognition, frequently.
5 We went on a beagle hunt one day on a farm with numerous pure bred beagles chasing rabbits and foxes. As ours were of the "cheaper" variety, they led the chase all the way and left the other purebreds in their wake.
6We took them both to puppy pre school and were told that they were "neurotic"
We just buried her and planted a poinciana tree ontop of her. She had one where we lived before moving to the farm. The kids did goodbye notes and pictures and we put those in with her.
These two bold beagles had their share of good times. Camping, fishing in the boat, exploring islands, farms and beaches. Chasing rabbits and foxes in the paddocks years ago. Swimming across the river to explore the rocks. Laying in the sunshine on our farm. Being totally and utterly spoilt rotten. They have even been in an airplane. Their life has been good. I wonder does Toto understand what has happened? She is not in the best of health, but she seems still happy and "with it". I suppose her day will come too, and we will go through this again.
People always identified the hubbster and I as "oh you have those two beagles". It almost seems like the end of an era. I feel lost and part of me is missing now.
Enough of morbid. I celebrate her life, Girlie 28/11/94 - 2/4/09.
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