The priceless love of a good dog…

The Priceless Love of a Good Dog…

At first her name was Daisy. She spent most of her time in a too-small dog crate. It wasn’t her fault that she may have grown bigger and stronger than her family could handle in their apartment.

So she found herself without a family….on display… hopeful…lonely…. confused. Until my daughter’s family brought her home and rechristened her Enza, a name derived from the character in a wonderful story…..

It’s a tearjerker story.

…….we should have been prepared.

So entered our Enza…..boundless with energy.

She chewed and swallowed dish rags. She loved messy diapers. She went on multiple forays into the kitchen garbage….. She simply didn’t know how to contain her gratitude for taking her into our lives and giving her a forever family. I think it took a good long while for her to realize that she could stay. She tried so hard to thank us that she knocked things over….even some of us.

But, oh those beautiful eyes and that intelligent face. Volumes can be spoken without any words when a dog’s eyes meet its master’s. Her eyes spoke the deepest “thank you” every time she saw one of us. Every single moment of her life, her new family brought unadulterated joy to her doggy heart.  Exuberant…. wonderful…..(sometimes painful!)…. joy…..

I remember saying, “Don’t worry, she’ll grow out of this stage.” Ooops. Maybe not….

But I don’t ever remember coming to the house to visit without stopping for a moment to greet the keeper of the gates. I never forgot to give her a good scratch on her chest and a “good girl.” And she never forgot to thank me. Ever.

Then came the call in the middle of the night. Something was terribly wrong.. I drove to town to stay with the kids while my daughter took Enza on her last car ride. It was so obviously the right thing to do. Who knew how long she had been in pain, uncomplaining, staying at her post?

I watched my daughter bundle her in a blanket and drive off into the dark and my heart broke. For Enza, for her family, and for me. I said my goodbyes through tears and now it was me who was overcome with gratitude. For a beautiful dog who loved beyond measure and gave every ounce of her heart to all of us. Well done, good girl.

Now it is Dillinger, the English Spaniel, who sleeps on Enza’s sofa and snuggles with her kids. He keeps watch over her yard and greets me when I visit. He hasn’t replaced her. No one could. But he has picked up the baton she has handed off to him and he carries on well the job she started. They are a good tag team. Enza and Dillinger and our kids. It is a sweet sorrow to know the priceless love and the loss of a good dog.

Thank you to all the good dogs of my life.
Thank you to Freckles, to Tammy,  to Maggie, to Tori and to Inga. And thank you to Enza. Well done, good dogs….