Changing Times

Remembering Millie

We knew she was coming to an end, but it was hard to see old Millie declining. She was a special girl: a long-coated red Dachshund who had wandered up Dan's driveway almost six years ago. At the time, she was in a great deal of pain, with half-healed wounds caused by the boiling-hot liquid that had been poured over her back. We were obligated to advertise a "found dog," so we did--in the most half-hearted manner possible--while we treated her wounds and filled her starving belly with venison and fresh eggs and goat's milk. She was scared to death of us, fear-biting at us whenever we tried to clean her wounds and even when we tried to feed her.

Over time, Millie's physical wounds healed. Her scars prevented her from ever growing the beautiful long, red coat she should have had, but we loved her, wispy hairs and all. Over time, the biting and snapping went away, replaced with warning growls. Eventually, even those growls disappeared. She was never as affectionate as the TFTs and Teddies, but she would wag her tail when she saw Dan coming to let her out in the morning and when she strode past me in the evening, eager to return to her crate for dinner and a good sleep on soft blankets. She barked saucily at me if she thought I was taking too long to pay attention to the queen--her--and gave me occasional, highly treasured dog kisses. Millie had a routine and that made her happy.

Lately, her eyesight had been fading. We mentally revised her age upward, from the seven or eight that we had originally thought to ten or eleven. That would have made her about five when she found us. We didn't want to think about what she had endured in those five years. In the last month, she had been finding sunny places to sleep when she was let out in the daytime, instead of rambling off on "dog business." She still ate, but less, and got less benefit from it. She had an eye infection, which responded well to treatment, but it took a lot out of her. The week before she died, she lost two pounds. She was still getting enjoyment out of life, but it seemed close to time. Dan and I are both believers in quality of life having precedent over quantity of life. We decided that if she did not bounce back from her weight loss that we would take her on her last ride to the vet.

Last Thursday, March 31, Millie took the decision out of our hands. She laid down in the sun for a final time in the dog yard and went peacefully to sleep. I found her stretched out, head on her paws, the way she always slept, when I tried calling her inside to feed her. Millie was never an overtly affectionate dog, but I had come to love her. I miss her profoundly. Godspeed, Millie. You were a wonderful dog.

Better News: Puppies!

Millie died the day before I was leaving for Monroe, to pick up Yuma from her co-owner's house. It was a bittersweet day when I left, as I would have liked to help Dan bury her, but I couldn't put off the trip. You see, Yuma was pregnant, and I was bringing her home to have her puppies here. Kathleen and I had discussed it: we both wanted Yuma, the first LoupGarou puppy to be born in five years, to have her first (and maybe only) puppies with me. It had only been an accident of fate that landed Yuma with Kathleen permanently, so having her litter here would be a small restitution for "losing" my puppy to Texas.

We were smart to avoid postponing the trip, because Yuma had her puppies just three days after returning from picking her up. We'd figured that we'd have almost a week before she delivered, but . . . surprise! Our guess is that the four-hour ride home and the intense thunderstorms the day she gave birth prompted the slightly early delivery. "Tumbleweed" and "Sarsaparilla" are doing just fine and are gaining weight by leaps and bounds. I'm hoping for slightly less tumultuous days ahead, but I'm glad that they are here. They will be "Puppy Culture" puppies, so I might be posting about that program, too. I'm looking forward to watching them grow from Shmoos into something that approximates a dog! ;)

Widget Report

It's been too long since I've made a Widget report! He has been living with Dan for several months now and it's amazing to see his progress. He's gone from Bitey Boy back to the loving, happy puppy that first came to me. He nearly wiggles out of his fur when he sees Dan in the morning and gets his morning treat. He doesn't growl any longer when I hold him "too long" or when I put him on the table. He's making A LOT of progress! He's also learned a trick! I'll show it off in the next Widget article, if I can get a decent video or picture.