Her job to watch over me is done.

In August 2023 my husband John passed unexpectedly but peacefully in his sleep, with his true love, our dog Cookie, at his side. John was retired and spent so much time with this dog. Watching her grieve was the most painful part of an unimaginably painful loss.

We stuck together, us two girls, and in the almost three years since we lost John our bond grew so strong she wouldn’t bear to be without me even long enough to let someone else walk her. She’d get to the end of the drive and then stop to look for me.

When a bully breed stops and doesn’t want to move, heavy construction equipment is needed to make them budge an inch.

Look at this angelic face.

The two of us were ubiquitous. In no way would I have survived losing my husband, my brother, and my niece in less than a year and a half without her. She took her job as my emotional support animal very very seriously…but that much work wears a body down.

I told her today she could finally rest and could tell Daddy what an amazing job she did helping me survive.

My niece, a budding artist, sent me this painting of her earlier this week. Gouache. We didn’t realize at the time a copy of the painting would be decorating Cookie’s urn.

Please, please give your pets all the love from me. And for those who’ve had to say goodbye to their best boys and best girls, please tell them that big staffie/pittie/hippo mix is really friendly but doesn’t know her own strength. 75lb lap dog.

We really do not deserve dogs. They bring home the quote, “”What is grief if not love persevering?”

FP Edit: thank you for letting me share my puppers with you all. This community still serves an important role for being a collective shoulder to cry on (as well as a collective finger to point at idiots like HAHA). I’m grateful for you.