Coady

My son wanted a playmate for his rescue dog, Sasha.  She was an Akita and they were very careful to take her with them when they went to pick out Coady.  On the day he came to live with them forever Sasha walked down to the park to meet him.  That way she sort of brought him home and all was well.

Soon my son started receiving phone calls that the dogs were at the park, but when he looked out in his back yard, both of them were sitting there smiling innocently, wagging their tails.   Imagine thinking his dogs were at the park when he had this nice big tall wooden fence around the yard! 

And then, one day, he looked out the kitchen window to see Coady coming back over the fence.  You just can't keep an old rover in, but trying became the challenge that year.

Coady was some kind of mixed breed with a collie coat and German Shepard body.  He had the biggest head I ever saw on a dog.  I could see where people got the idea that he was part wolf, but he was just a wonderful, loving, big dog who liked to lie on top of his dog house when he was outside and on a big pillow inside.  He was smart, patient, and everlastingly loyal and kind.

He had to be put down this week.  He'd had lupus for a long time and it turned out he had cancer and other things, not to mention he must have been pretty old.  The last time I was there I really only saw him once.  He'd taken to going off to be alone and sleep.

I find myself strangely sad, knowing he is gone.  There is something about his passing that speaks to my heart in ways I don't really understand right now.