Goldie has a minion!

Golden Retriever the Blob Puppy

I loved her despite her most obvious flaw.

She was human.

My mother warned us early that no good could come from dealing with humans. She'd known nothing but fear and pain before she came to live at the big grassy place with lots of cats.

Most puppies heard optimistic stories of what it would be like to find their forever homes. We were taught to rely on our instincts and to never accept food from humans unless Mother said it was okay to eat.

Mother was hovering nervously in the background when the human girl came to greet my sister and I.

Keep your distance, my golden-haired child. She'll lose interest and leave us alone. You can stay here with me...forever.

The human pup stroked my hair and spoke softly, lulling me to sleep with a love-smell even more powerful than Mother's. I made the mistake all good dogs have made from the beginning of time.

I loved her back.

I loved her more than my fiery mate with his blazing red coat and foolish grin. I loved her more than the four children he gave me.

I loved her even when I realized she was abandoning me.

There was no cruelty in the action. Times were hard. The Alpha Human, the one my girl called "Dad" had lost his job. My girl whimpered about it often, worrying if they'd be able to keep any dogs at all. Baron was as decisive as ever. If my mate couldn't stay with his Alpha, he would go to some hunting family that could appreciate a powerhouse of a dog.

Little Shadow hadn't quite lost his puppyish looks. He didn't bark or howl when I was coaxed into a strange car with treats and sweet words. There was an understanding between us. He would love my girl in my absence. She needed to be loved by a good dog.

Even if that dog was no longer me.

I tried to love my new family. They were kind people with a good yard and plenty of wonderful toys to share. I was sick with worry for my girl. Shadow was so young and worse...he was a male. There are things males simply can't understand, regardless of whether they walk on four legs or two.

I couldn't eat. My old toys lost their luster. My new family had brought my fuzzy tug bone, my squeaky yellow porcupine ball and the rubber rainbow fish that held up to even my most aggressive attack of the chewies. My heart just wasn't in a playful mood. Not even scraps right from the dinner table held any appeal.

My girl had shared her food all the time. It tasted better even than meat I'd caught for myself.

My spirit paused at the door of the kennel that was never really mine. This kind family, they would find another dog soon. One with all the love in the world to give to those sweet, deserving children who simply were not mine.

My spirit was free of the limitations that had trapped my cumbersome body. I flew on the winds all the way back to my true home.

I found her kneeling in the dirt with her arms around my son. I loved her more in that moment than I ever had. I was grateful that she would spend even one precious second of her life mourning me.

I was there in that moment, leaning against her free side, giving her an invisible token of my love one last time.

Photos

Goldie always loved her tug toy. She wasn't very big for a golden retriever but she was STRONG! I had to work to win at tug-of-war.

We went for walks every day except for in the absolute worst winter weather.

My father added Baron to the family about a year after we got Goldie. The butterball to the left was the only puppy in their first litter. Champion was the smartest dog I ever owned. Unfortunately, he figured out the gate latch one night shortly after his second birthday and vanished. We never found out what happened to him.

A photo of our three dogs shortly before we lost Champion. From left to right: Champion, Baron and Goldie.

Goldie's second litter had three puppies. We were going to find homes for all of them until we lost Champion. Shadow then joined our family. We lost Goldie when Shadow was about a year old.