Best Dog I've Ever Known

We had to put our old dog Josey to sleep yesterday. The last year had been a hard one for her. Her back legs refused to work well, so she had increasing trouble walking and in recent months could not get up stairs at all. Internal organs were failing, and in spite of Kathie's many valiant efforts to help her with diet and medications, things did not improve. Last weekend, she stopped eating and developed other problems. So, it was time. Josey would have been 16 in June, so at the usual seven people years for every dog year, she was nearly 112 years old!

You may know that I haven't been enthusiastic about having a dog or dogs. It isn't dogs, per se, that I dislike but rather what I think of as a whole series of inconveniences associated with having them. But Kathie loves dogs and the affection between her and her dogs is very real and rewarding for her. I have to say that Josey was the best dog I've ever been around in my entire life. She was gentle and sociable in so many ways. She was quiet (Tighe! Pay attention!), and she was beautiful.

The English Shepherd breed is not common. Kathie says only about 80 litters a year are bred. The close-knit community of lovers of the breed jealously protect and keep them healthy and genetically strong. Kathie was able to find one of these breeders in Florida. At that point, Josey was named Duchess and had actually appeared with her siblings in some type of promotional video made by the Disney company. Kathie arranged for her to be flown to Chicago, where we picked her up at the American Airlines cargo terminal. We could hear her yipping in the back when we arrived. She settled right down with us, but the flight and dog crate must have been scary for her.

She took to Iowa's winters readily. We had another dog, Murphy--a Golden Retriever, at the time too, and so he showed her the ropes, including how to nap.

Josey was always very festive during the holidays and looked forward to opening her own gifts, of which there were frequently many of the tasty variety. She had her very own Christmas stocking.

When we bought the lake home, we thought she might find the harder winters there difficult, especially if we took her along while we skied or hiked on the lake. So, Kathie got her some boots, but she never really liked them very well. She did this weird sort of high stepping walk with them on.

In the summers, she loved being down at the dock, especially if there was fishing to watch. She always got excited when a fish got on the line, but she never seemed that interested in the fish once they were out of the water. Here she is watching as Henry learns to fish.

Boat rides were a favorite thing for her. Like dogs who stick their heads out of car windows, she liked to stand at the bow with the wind in her face and flapping her ears about.

Josey was always great with children. The grandchildren still tend to ask about her when we speak by phone, so I'm sure they will miss her greatly.

I always loved this photo of Josey and Henry studying whatever is going on in the woods and under the bird feeder up at the lake.

Josey and Kathie hung out together lots. Frequently, she had trouble with some type of affliction on her legs that made her lick constantly to the point of making the legs sore. So, she often sported some very fancy wraps that stopped the licking.

Gentle as she was, she did kill a couple of young raccoons in our back yard. She tried for a porcupine once at the lake as well, but she wasn't as successful in that effort. Josey also did battle with a skunk once, and that didn't turn out well.

Josey and Kathie's moms were extraordinary friends. I always felt like they were "old souls" together. Josey even visited Mom when she was at the care facility in her final days just one year ago.

At one time, a neighbor's dog viciously attacked Josey and hurt her very badly. Nevertheless, she recovered. Kathie was an exceptional nurse during this time with bandages and other attention, including a T-shirt to protect the wounds. Eventually, Josey fully recovered.

We took her canoeing with us once in the Boundary Waters, and she loved that. I wasn't crazy about how she didn't stay centered in the canoe, but we managed, and on the portage trails, she enjoyed traveling back and forth to the next lake.

When Tighe came along three years ago, Josey was curious and Tighe was quite nervous about her. But they soon became friends.

Josey taught Tighe all sorts of things. I look at these pictures and imagine Josey explaining how to behave in our yard, why they sometimes had to be separated from visitors, and when to expect food and treats.

I said earlier that she was beautiful. Her coloring was amazing and shows off quite well here.

Most of all, she was Kathie's wonderful and very good friend. They had an amazing bond, so that it was heart-aching for Kathie to have to say good bye.

We are left, though, with many happy memories and images. RIP Josey!