We sure do miss old dog.
It’s just not the same around here without a fuzzy-faced greeting from an old pal.
Not the same at all.
I look for him when I come home at night, when there’s no nuzzle meeting me with a soft “Herrow.”
I think of him when I walk through the neighborhood, and my eyes always tear up at places he liked to stop.
I feel him near me when I clean leftovers out of the fridge, I swear I can hear him whispering, “Where are those meatballs going? Surely you wouldn’t toss those out? Wha?”
See, when you’ve enjoyed 13 years with the world’s greatest dog, well, you tend find yourself spoiled for any other.
You cringe at stories of dogs who eat furniture, obsess over the mailman or possess other odd behaviors.
He never did any of those things, he was just always … a gentleman.
And as much as Hubbs has shut down the boys comments about getting another pooch, it took me by surprise when he recently blurted out, “You know, when we get another dog, I think I might like a German Shepherd Mix.”
What was that?
Not if.
Not someday.
When.
The truth is, I’m not ready. And I know he’s not, either.
But you have to start somewhere.
And so, as we do with all important decisions, we’ll start by just talking about it. Without crying.
Someday … not sure when … I know we’ll have another dog.
Perhaps a Herman Shepherd Mix-Up* 🙂
*”Herman Shepherd Mix-Up” is in homage to our friend’s son, Trevor, who as a small boy referred to the family dog Jake, a Lab/German Shepherd mix, as a “Herman Shepherd Mix-up.” Ha ha ha! Kids.
If you’ve also lived and loved with the “world’s greatest dog pet,” how much time went by before you jumped back in?