Hello there girls.
I'm here to tell you about Happy.
Not the dwarf, not the feeling, but the dog who happens
to be... well... both dwarfish and happy for that matter.
Happy was the first dog that we adopted when we found we
were pregnant with Big Sister Margaret. On one part, we couldn't resist
adopting another red poodle, while on the other part, we were hoping that if
Happy and Margaret grew up together they'd be best friends.
When Happy came, there was a resident favorite. Her name
has Jennifer. also a poodle. And while Jennifer reigned queen and Stolich the
Patriarch stood as king of the pack (although they weren't exactly mates),
Happy was just running around being cute. Simply because he was. he really was.
Over three years, And a couple of dead poodles, one
poisoned Pomeranian, and one poisoned labrador retriever later, Happy started
acting up (in a good way). He knew as big as the pack was, he knew what he had to do.
After Jennifer finally succumbed to renal failure
caused by a batch of contaminated dog food (which also claimed her other
siblings and mother), Stolich was obviously not just a favorite but also simply
respected as somebody who stood revered partly because he was unusually old and partly
also because, well he gave us over a dozen new puppies we treated and loved like
children before you guys came along. Surprisingly (and happily), at over
fifteen years old, he's still here. Healthy appetite, healthy attitude, bad to
no eyesight, poor hearing, but I think a pretty decent sense of smell that can
sniff me out whenever i'm back home with you guys.
But more on Stolich in another post.
What made Happy particularly special the past year and a
half was that while us humans tend to pick favorites among our pets, he wasn't
exactly chosen. He actually made himself the favorite by fighting to stand out
and making sure that he was closest to us to your mother closer than anybody
was. Happy wiggled through door cracks just to find and be with your mom, he would follow your mom
like red furry shadow wherever she went around the house.
Man was he devoted. He loved your mom, and your mom loved him so much. And even more and more each passing day.
Funny enough for a tiny little dog, Happy had one giant
sized ego. One day, this ego got itself into a fight with Loopy the big playful
beagle, who normally doesn't hurt other dogs. Heaven only knows what really
happened, but next thing we knew, Loopy did a number on Happy and no amount of
prayers can help stitch together a handsome toy poodle with a fractured skull.
It happened on the actual day when Baby Sister Maddie hit
her first birthday. Your mother and I were devastated.
After losing so many dogs... well, more like four-legged
children, to a batch of contaminated dog food (read above about Jennifer. Or read here.), we
thought Happy was safe from that after all, and would hang around for a long
long time. Probably until you guys grew up. But life always has a funny way of
surprising us sometimes. although sometimes it just isn't funny.
It's been a little less than a week when we got news that
he really couldn't hang on. I'm still grieving. So is your mother. Happy is
worth grieving for and remembering. When i get home, i will head to the vet and
pick up Happy's cremated remains. I plan to sprinkle a pinch of his ashes in
the garden as tribute.
I'm writing this entry so you girls will remember Happy.
I know your mother and I always will.
 |
| Hey, Happy. We miss you terribly. Please say hello to the other kids up there for us, okay? |
'catch you later.
Love,
Dad
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