Louie

Louie had to go to doggie heaven today. The past month he has really started to slow down and stopped eating in the past week or two. He got really skinny (abnormal since he was always a fat dog!) and would sleep all day only waking up to go outside and then come back in and go right to his bed. He stopped begging for food or wanting to walk around and we knew he was not doing well. I happened to be staying at my parents house the last week he stopped eating. We decided it was time to take him to the vet again (he had gone a few weeks before) and see what the vet had to say. My mom didn't want to hear the bad news so she made me go with my dad. The vet told us he had lost about 4 pounds in the past few weeks and could tell by feeling his stomach that it was swollen and he had other internal problems. The fact was that he was in pain and was obviously not doing well. On October 6th Louie had his 13th birthday and was well into the range of being an old dog. My dad and I had decided after hearing the news from the vet that it was time to let him go. He wasn't going to get better and we couldn't take him home just to watch him be in pain and starve to death. The vet left the room and we both lost it. Dad wanted to leave right then and there but I just couldn't let that be my last goodbye. So we walked him around outside and around the back of the building for a few minutes and let him have his last moments of being outside sniffing around, one of his favorite things to do. After rounding the building we went back in and I picked him up and handed him off to the nurse who came around the desk to take him. I gave him a hug and lots of kisses as she took him and then left to put him in the back room. It was so hard seeing his little face look back at me. My dad had to pay the bill so he stayed in for a minute and I went out to the car. I had to cry and just let it all out. I loved that dog and it was so hard leaving him there. I knew it was the best for him, but his sweet little face looking back at me was just too much to bear. We rode home in silence except for the sniffing and trying our hardest to hold back the tears. When we got home I went in and saw my mom in the kitchen and lost it again. She ran and gave me a hug, knowing already what the outcome was. We hugged for awhile and then sat on the couch and I told her what the vet had said, and then talked about what a great dog he was. The house already seemed like it was missing something and wasn't quite right. Louie was such a family dog. He wasn't one that just stayed outside all day. He had to be inside, laying next to you, or touching you. He left the room when you left. He howled when you came home and ran around crazy getting all excited. It was easy to love him and become attached to him. He was a hyper fun and excitable dog most of his life and loved kids. I will definitely miss that dog and the happiness he brought to my life and my kids. RIP Lou (Sweeca Beeca)

Both my kids LOVED Louie. Here is the day before he died