I’d be remiss if I didn’t dedicate a simple and meaningful post to the dog who brought our family so much joy. So here it goes…
To start this off he technically wasn’t mine – he was a total bonus and came along with Nick. What was a very challenging time when Nick and I got together Buddy was the first to accept me. Truly. He followed me around, sat at my feet and protected me and Roxie when Nick was traveling. It didn’t matter that he was 6 and had a different life previous to me, what mattered to us both was that we were building something new. And instantly he was my Buddy, too.
He was as loyal as they come – he listened, he herded, he just wanted to be near. He laid in all the wrong places like doorways, right in front of the dishwasher and directly right behind your feet. If you said any of the key words “frisbee, cat, dinner, potty, outside” he would give the cutest head tilt.
He loved frisbee, balls, chasing cats and diving for just about anything in the pool. He loved being around Hudson, too. And because of that Hudson will always have an affection for dogs, which to me is honestly the greatest gift Buddy could have ever given us.
He hated elephant sounds, thunder and the mailman. When he was pissed at us he’d jump on our bed and completely mess it up.
The dude could dismantle any crate, open any door and jump over our dutch door in mere seconds. He was also the most efficient potty goer ever!
People often say owners look like their dogs and I will say Nick and Buddy had a lot of similarities. Forget the long snout for a second – he was tall and lean, handsome with long hair, insanely smart, athletic and loved a good challenge. The two couldn’t have been more of a perfect pair.
It’s hard to watch a man lose something so special. Buddy can never really be replaced, but now the long black hair on our bed frame on Nick’s side of the bed doesn’t irk me anymore. I want to keep his drool marks on the stairs because he was just waiting there so he could be close. The scratches in our hardwood floors and window sills seemed like a petty thing to always complain about. He left his mark and I’m glad he did. Our house is more lived in because he was with us. I think we’d all give anything for that super annoying high pitched bark, or just the comforting feeling that he’d be laying somewhere in sight with his white paws crossed. Buddy’s presence was so prevalent and the love he had for us was evident that everything now, sadly seems so different.
He lived hard and fast and crazy and that’s pretty much how it ended – hard, fast and crazy. We’re still trying to wrap our heads around it, but in the end his last week was spent with family and an endless supply of love. To those with pets, just do us a favor and give them some extra love today. We made a donation in his honor to the Aussie Rescue and Placement Hotline – where Nick found him. It just seemed like the right thing to do – just another way we and others can appreciate all he did for us.
Bud, we love you so much man. It’s just not the same without you.
You made our crazy family complete and we’re forever grateful for everything you did for us.
May 8, 2006 – June 10, 2017
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