September 10 was one year since I said goodbye to a dear little friend. Sick, blind, and not enjoying life anymore, it was time to help my good girl along. I’ve had and loved dogs all my life and losing any of them hurts, but that one—my god, that one hurt so deeply it’s taken this long to be able to write about. For almost seventeen years Gyp was my shadow and she left a mighty big hole behind.
She was a Rat Terrier. Her AKC papers read Mountain Gypsy but she couldn’t read them and so answered to Gyp. She was everything a rattie should be: tenacious, determined, and a rodent exterminator. She was my adventure dog and went on hikes, Jeep rides, sat with me when I wrote, and joyfully taught me new things. When tasked with raising large breed puppies she taught them the ropes with grace—and took no crap from them. She was top dog and ran our house like a drill sergeant.
After the loss, my twelve year old Great Dane, Polly, was devestated. She became depressed and lost a considerable amount of weight. She recovered from that over a few months, but she was lonely and began to have separation anxiety. Gyp can never be replaced but I need a small, bold, sweet dog in my life.
It took a year for my heart to be ready for a new puppy, but now that he’s here, it’s like a balm to the wound in my soul. Meet Boone, a Rat Terrier mix. Nine weeks old with a lifetime of love and adventures ahead. He’s been here a few days now and Polly is starting to slowly warm up to him. It’s an adjustment for all of us, just as losing Gyp was. Boone has already brought so much light and activity into the house. It’s fun watching him explore and learn who he is (not to mention potty training). And the spot on his back couldn’t be any more perfect.
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