He is very small but mighty. And we love him. After 14 years, he is just about the most perfect dog one could have. He meanders around our back yard content to not run off. He barks the fat stray cats out of our garden. He is tolerably patient with our young daughter. He is perfectly snuggable. Unfortunately, he is also very old.
Fergus started out just like any other puppy, he was bitey and defiant. So often you would be supervising his outdoor time, to turn your back for a fraction of a second and he would be a quarter mile down the road. Who knew such tiny little legs could hustle like that?! We learned very quickly to never trust his sense of adventure. And yet one day he matured and was happy to sun himself in the backyard. I can look out our kitchen window and see him, eyes closed, nose up sniffing and the breeze blowing his wispy ears.
Fergus has traveled thousands of miles with me, and for a portion of his life he was a tiny mountain dog. He would bound up and down the giant boulders with the same enthusiasm as his larger buddies - he just needed an occasional boost up! Whoever said small dogs were only meant for laps never took their small dog to the great outdoors, because let me tell ya, they love it out there. I've had to pick burs out of his ears and tail just as much as a large dog. All the while he'd have that happy dog face from a good day of running around.
Our fluffernutter is past his prime, but he still wags his tail the minute he realizes you're home (the poor guy can't hear so well anymore). You have to loud-talk to him and carefully enunciate your words because he is going quite deaf. Large sweeping hand gestures help as he's going blind too. We don't mind though. We know our days with him are becoming quite limited. He has a heart problem, and more and more his days are being taken over by a wheezing cough. The medication is slowly beginning to not work, and all of us are starting to feel the quiet dread of the inevitable. I catch all of us - my husband, my daughter and myself - giving Fergus just a little bit more lovins now. Someone sneaks him a bite of their fatty steak trimmings. Someone lingers just a little longer while giving him a goodbye pat for the day. Or, letting him sunbathe for 5 minutes longer on their lunch break. All of us have been indulging ourselves and our little hound just a little more.
I can't say that I am expert on how to get over the loss of a pet because, really, who is? I just wanted to take a moment to share just how much one 6 lb. ball of fluff takes up so much space in our lives over here. His day is fast in coming, and even though we are prepared, we won't truly be ready for it. I don't think anyone can be. I want all of you to go hug your hounds and love them up just a little extra today!
I know I'll be sneaking Fergus an extra treat tonight, along with his heart pills. Then I might scratch his ears until we both fall asleep on the couch. It will be worth it.
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