Doggie Funeral

Our beloved Dexter had to be put to sleep yesterday.  He had a brain tumor.  Well they were 85% sure he had a brain tumor.  The next step was to go to Knoxville and have an MRI.  Spending $1500 to confirm there was nothing more to do for him seemed like a poor use of resources.  I’m still paying for my own $1500 MRI after all.

Love that face!  

We adopted Dexter from Legacy Boxer Rescue in Dallas.  It’s easier to adopt a child than do adopt a boxer from the organization.  They are thorough to say the least.  Once a friend with an adopted child and I compared notes on the child adoption home visit my officials verses the boxer adoption home visit.  We concluded that the boxer home visit was more involved.

We got him for Bruce, although he and Bruce only got to be really close buddies in the past 2 years or so.  When he got the news Bruce said, “But now I don’t have a dog anymore!” That broke my already bruised heart….

Reed walks around the house asking, “Where Det Ter? Where Det Ter?”  Dexter was his first word. 

Playing with Reed.

He was a great dog.  That’s just it –
 he was a dog.  I have a long history with terriers.  They are moody, cantankerous, clever and smarter and many people I know.  That wasn’t Dexter.  Although he was not stupid, one couldn’t describe him as clever or cunning.  It was nice to have an uncomplicated dog like him. He was ferocious looking, but I never heard him growl or saw him snap at anything.  

The last dog died last year in the middle of August.  Without the aid of heavy equipment, the average man could not dig a hole in the rocky clay dirt of the GTSA.  So we let the vet take care of Katy.  That was not the best decision for my very literal son. 

So today we’re having a dog funeral.  I have no idea how this is going to go down.  Seems like this should be covered in a parenting book.  Maybe they could add pet funerals to the mountain of leaflets and literature they send home with you after delivery.

When I think of pet funerals, I always remember the Lamont fish funeral from the Cosby show.  Like the TV show, may we find some laughter in the sadness and have the resilience children display.

Love ya Dex!  You're missed.