If you ever read My Favorite Things by your Dog Roth was the epitome of that.
Food My favorite thing
Car ride My favorite thing
Walk My favorite thing
Cats My favorite thing
Dogs My favorite thing
People My favorite thing.
He never met a living soul he didnt like.
He was the eternal puppy, like Peter Pan, he never grew up. He never lost his enthusiasm for life; he loved life and all its wonders, despite his last few years being a struggle to deal with his LP. That struggle and the fight he put up to survive took a toll on him physically and 10 days ago his heart grew tired.
He waited for Jan to come home, she was in the door 15 mins, when he froze and went ridged, he had trouble standing, so he just lay down gently, he looked us both directly in the eye, and we both saw his light begin to dim. He told us it was time.
He allowed us to roll him into a blanket and carry him down the steps to the car, instead of fighting to stick his head out of the window he laid down on the back seat and placed his head on my lap. He was leaving us on his own terms; he was very calm and peaceful.
When we got to the vets office, he struggled to stand, he wanted to make the last walk by himself, unassisted, and he did.
In the office he stood quietly while the vet checked him over and confirmed he was in heart failure. When the vet finished he laid down with his head in my lap again, when the vet came in with the injection, he offered his paw, his head grew heavy and he was gone. His eternal flame was finally dimmed.
He made his journey to the bridge calmly and with dignity, leaving only happy memories of our 90lb goofball hunting dawg couch potato, lap dog.
No longer will I get a rabbit kick in my back in the middle of the night, no longer will I have to race him to the litter boxes, I wont get to laugh at his counter surfing habits. I wont get to complain about a soggy pillow from his pillow sucking addiction.
Instead, when I am missing that big lug nut, I will look to the sky and see his eternal flame once again shining bright and strong , this time lighting the way for those that will follow him.
RUN GOOFBALL, run to your hearts content, just look back occasionally and know that we LOVE you.
Until we met again big guy.
