In what is not my favorite week ever, I had to say goodbye to my 5-year-old English lab yesterday. He was such a sweet buddy, and totally unintentional. I started to foster him during the pandemic for a co-worker. She had been diagnosed with cancer and got the dog for her son but her family couldn't take care of both of them. So he arrived at my house as a 9-month-old unruly untrained 76 lb ball of exuberance and fear. Over the years he became my little shadow. On car rides he had to rest his chin on my shoulder while I was driving or it just didn't feel right to him. I was less thrilled with his loud barking in my ear during said car rides. Eventually we agreed that if I opened the window he would bark out the window instead of directly in my ear It didn't matter what I was doing, he was with me. Washing dishes? He was laying on the floor next to me with his chin on my foot. Working in the garden? He was doing his best to dismantle the garden fence so he could help with that too. He frequently helped me with the compost pile as well. We just had different goals, I wanted the compost in the pile and he was pretty sure it was time to spread it around the yard. He was really quite sick this fall, and we were hoping against hope that it was a fungal infection and a bacterial infection and that he would get better. Unfortunately the treatments didn't work and all indications point to a brain tumor. He really was the best unintentional dog! And my little buddy. I call him a bright start because he was with me such a short time, and passed very young. I'm grateful to the program for giving me the tools to care for myself while I cared for him, to notice and name my emotions, and to honor his memory in healthy ways.

{{{Skorpi}}} My heart is with you and your loss. Especially with all the dysfunctional people around, my dog who just turned 7, is my lifesaver. I have put down two dogs, one before covid and another during covid, and it's a pain I can't even describe. But if you love a dog, you get it. So I'm so sorry you have lost your buddy. May another one come along soon. peace & love