I lost my first dog on May 23rd, 2016. Bandit was my best friend for 12 years and when the time came that he was suffering and there was nothing we could do to help him get better, I had to let him go. I owed him that. He saw me through some of the worst times in my life and it was my turn to hold him while he peacefully breathed his last. It hurt...bad.
I initially expected it to be a LONG time before I was ready for another dog. That first week after losing him I cried off and on every day and absolutely ached for my Bandit. Upon hearing the news of Bandit's death people asked me if I planned on getting another dog and I was overcome with a bitter sadness and would tell them as politely as I could that the only dog I wanted at the moment was MY dog, my sweet Bandy Boy. My mom had also been saying for years that after Bandit we wouldn't be getting another dog in the near future, so the years ahead looked pretty bleak and, well, dogless. Imagine my surprise when she pulled me into a hug and said, "I know I've said all along that Bandit was our one and only dog, but I also know that you need a dog in your life, so when you're ready we'll start looking."
God bless my mother; she often knows what I need better than I do. I was equally surprised when it only took about a week for missing Bandit and missing dog ownership to become two separate sadnesses. Walking, cuddling, caring for, and playing with Bandit was a large part of my daily life. Without him I felt a little lost and not sure what to do with myself much of the time.
When the gray clouds of my loss dissipated, I found Sky.
He is a border collie, the breed I've always dreamed of owning. His name came from his coloring which is called "blue merle" as well as those beautiful sky blue eyes!!
He's currently eight weeks old and we are so in love with him.
Right now I am enjoying watching him discover the world...
...and trying to keep him out of trouble!
Stay tuned for our adventures together because he is going to grow into an amazing dog!
- Monica
