Champ - Feb 1998 to August 31 2009

Champ May 31, 2009
This picture was taken exactly 3 months before he died. Hard to believe.

Champ, our beloved yellow lab, died sometime in the wee hours of Monday morning. He started looking bad on Saturday. He finally came inside after spending some time outside just lying in the driveway in the rain. He was well behaved for our visitors and, of course, begged treats off of me while I was cooking. Overnight he vomited his dinner and when I got up Sunday morning he wanted to go outside first thing. I found his "deposits" fairly quickly and got those cleaned up. He was doing his typical sick routine...going out behind the workshop and lying around, eventually coming up to the gazebo and lying on the dirt floor there and just looking sad. He didn't want to eat anything. I tried to give him his pills with peanut butter...usually a favorite...and I had to force them in past his clenched teeth. His gums felt hot and his nose was dry and warm. We let him lay around outside much of the day, but eventually we got him in. He couldn't eat. He drank a little water and eventually vomited that back up. As the day progressed he grew increasingly weaker. He was stumbling around, barely able to pull himself upright by the end of the night.

We showered lots of love and pets on him. He obviously felt so bad it was sad to watch. As we were preparing for bed John asked Christine to check with the vet, Dr. Epstein, to see if she could bring home an injection so we could put him to sleep at home. Being the last to go to bed, I gave him some gentle scratches and told him that we loved him very much and how great a dog he had been for us. I didn't think he'd last the night and he didn't.

I got up Monday morning and Christine was in the entry way, cleaning him up. He had died during the night. He was so quiet. After months of heavy panting it was strange not hearing that sound any more. He looked so peaceful and that was a comfort. He had such a wonderful personality. Champ was just always happy as long as he was with his people.

John got up and went into the back yard and dug a grave. I helped him take Champ to his grave and helped him fill it in. We said a little good bye to the guy and then headed in for work as usual.
It just breaks my heart to have lost this dog. He really and truly was such a fabulous dog. He was rambunctious and undisciplined, but very loving and happy. Christine picked him out of a large litter and she did a great job. His personality fit in with our family so well. He could be a real pickle...running off and getting into trouble, but he was our pickle and we adored him.

I just don't see us getting another dog any time soon. It was too painful to lose him. This has been a really crappy year with too many deaths of too many people (and critters) I've known and loved. It sure makes you appreciate the little things that you can still enjoy...a beautiful sunset, a big harvest moon, a sunny day that has just the right temperature. Sometimes that special thing is just making it through the greenlight when you really need to get someplace. Whatever it is appreciate it before it's gone.