Sad news

I have sad news to report. Our beloved Cocker Spaniel, Shelby, died on Monday evening, January 18th. She succumbed to liver disease at the age of 38 months. We were blessed to love and care for her for 20 of those months.

She really was the biggest love-bug of a dog I’ve yet come across. All this week, at times when my eyes welled up thinking of her, I just scanned my memory banks for images of her running across the living room, sliding to a stop at the front door as I arrived home from work. I have hundreds of fond memories of her. So many times I’ve heard a sound in the house, like Shauna cutting vegetables in the kitchen, and I've thought, “Shelby’s going to rush into the kitchen when she hears that.” Now of course, she won’t be doing that anymore.

It’s been a tough week, to say the least. I came home from work at noon on Monday to spend the afternoon with Shelby. That morning I had already made the final vet appointment for 5 pm. She was deteriorating fast. The previous day I had been watching TV with Shelby on my lap, and she’ll usually stay there sleeping until I have to get up. But not on Sunday. She kept getting up and wouldn’t settle until I put her on the floor. She couldn’t jump down on her own anymore. She then walked slowly into our bedroom and lay down where it was darker. She did that several times.

On Monday afternoon I had been lying beside her on the floor stroking her. After about an hour I thought she was asleep so I quietly got up and went to the front door because I had noticed earlier that the front gate was unlatched. I quietly opened the door and closed it ajar, not completely shut. I heard Shelby get up; her nails can easily be heard on our hardwood floors.

By the time I got to the gate, closed it firmly and turned around to retreat, Shelby had somehow pawed opened the door, come outside and fallen down the 5 concrete steps that lead to our front door. She was on her back with her feet flailing. I immediately righted her and picked her up. No damage seemed to have been done, but of course she was upset. I carried her back to her mat beside our bed and stroked and talked to her for another hour or so. She calmed down and went to sleep.

At the dreaded 4:30 hour we left home to bring Shelby to the vet clinic. They have a room that seems to be set aside for last visits. I know because I’ve never taken a pet to that room for a regular vet visit, but we’ve been there 3 times in the last 3 years to have a pet euthanized (Mystic, Shelby and Shelby GT).

We talked to the vet for a while about Shelby and all agreed that nothing more could be done for her, and assisting her into her final rest was the kindest thing we could do at that point. We knew it was coming but that doesn’t necessarily make it any easier. The vet took Shelby into the back to insert an IV line into an artery of one of her front legs. She then brought her back in the room for us to have some final quiet moments, which turned into at least ½ an hour. My wife and I talked about the good times we’d had with Shelby, and I talked softly to Shelby and stroked her. I was lying on the floor with Shelby’s head cradled on my arm. Just before 6 pm the vet came back in the room and we agreed it was time. The vet administered the final injection and Shelby’s head plopped down on my arm for the last time. Shauna and I were crying and continued to do so after I gently passed Shelby’s body to the vet.

A little while later, when we figured the lobby was mostly empty, we composed ourselves as best we could, and left.

I know lots of pet owners don’t want to be present when a pet is put to rest; it’s a very personal decision. I didn’t witness the passing of my first Spaniel, Mickey, something I’ve always felt at least somewhat guilty about. But I felt I had to be there for my 2nd Spaniel, Shelby, and of course for our most recent friend, Shelby GT (her formal name on her papers).

The house is too quiet now, and I’ve put all of Shelby’s laundered sleeping mats (she had 5 of them) downstairs in a neat pile on her wicker basket. On top of them I placed her leashes, her collar, an unopened box of flea medication and her fleece vest (my Mom made it for her). I removed her City license and added it to my keychain.

I’ve already sent out some emails to select breeders and Cocker Spaniel Rescues. Now we wait patiently to meet our next canine companion.

And that makes me smile.


April 5, 2008


Jan. 16, 2010