Oh Lola. Such a good dog. A Yellow dog. They are the best dogs. They love to be active, as active as you let them be, swimming, playing, fetching, chasing, and then love being lazy, laying down at your feet in between meals, and the next opportunity to be active. I like them for thier lazy phases. One thing is for sure, boy do they shed.
We got Lola in 2011 after my sister picked up Lola's sister from a litter from a alleged reputable breeder. We got the runt of the litter, she was all that was left. A few weeks in she started showing a limp and we went right back to the breeder. "Historic bloodlines from European Royalty.......", "Hey, then why does my dog have a limp?"
The breeder stood "behind every dog". So he said drop her off and we could pic any puppy from the next litter. Ok, sounds good, "What about Lola?". He said he would probably 'Take her in the back of the property and shoot her in the head"........ 'Okay, c'mon Lola let's get back in the car". He explained dogs are a product, for sale, and returns do have to happen, but he can't have a farm full of lame dogs". Mmmm....alrighty then.
So in short, we got Lola during my second marriage, so I lived with her from 2011-2014. So many good memories, so many trips she made with us, to Roscoe, to the Adirondacks. Loyal, fun, I've never seen a dog so happy to see me, she literally pissed herelf even as a puppy. She grew up
with the kids. Below is just what a fishing buddy dog does. It was shortly after Hurrican Irene had ripped through the two house on the West Branch of the Ausable River and I was working on some drainage stuff and there she was, right by my side. She was that kind of friend.
So yesterday Juliet and Erin notified me that they and to put Lola down. Erin met Cindy at the dog hospital and Lola was too far acutely ill to be saved. Cindy for years had managed her gait, her diabetes, and there were a few other things that required vet help.
Pets, from my own dogs now, to the chickens I re-homed a few months back, bring and incredible amount of love and joy to our lives. The rewards are great, but the responcibility and work it takes is substantial. And I mean like in being a really good pet owner. Like taking them to regular vet appointments, feeding them food other than kibble, taking them on long walks, more than once every few months, and not yelling at them to drop and squat on command because your late to go somewhere. That's kinda sounds like me.
Lola was good for my family, and good for me. I am glad she is in a better place. It may sound a little macabre, but I only wished we treated our terminally ill fellow human beings with such dignity and respect when their time has surely arrived. From what I have seen personally and professionally there is no reason for people to languish in pain and without a quality of life just waiting to die. We are humane to our pets, but not each other. Money and politics, and big Pharma, keep us "alive" longer than, for some of us, longer than we should be. I wish we could all go in our sleep, or just put to sleep, when we become tired and it's our time to go. RIP Lola Falana