Letting go

Tonight, I had to say good-bye to Reba, my dear old Lhasa poo who finally had enough of this old earth life. Reba came into my life 17 years ago and if I had had my way, I wouldn't have ever met her. It makes me laugh to think back on it now. Although I am laughing through my tears. It is a sad night.

About 18 years ago, I was sitting in my vet's waiting room with my Shih Tzu, Newt, when the cutest dog I had ever seen came in. She was a curly haired black dog with a little white spot on the top of her head and her owner said her name was "Precious." Oh my. When I asked what breed she was the owner said she was a Lhasa Poo. Hmm. I decided then and there that would be our next dog. Newt needed a friend I reasoned. (Newt later informed me that she did not need, nor did not want, a friend, oops.)

What I didn't think through is that poodles come in three sizes. Precious looked to be medium sized at about 25 or 30 pounds. She was probably a standard poodle mix. I started looking through the paper and eventually saw a litter at Green Valley Kennels in Chapel Hill and off I went. The mother was a blond Lhasa small for her size and the father was a black minature poodle. I still hadn't really put it all together in my head regarding size. I was picturing Precious in my head but not computing parental size into the equation.

So, I trotted over to the kennel to see the litter. The pups were tiny. Three or four weeks old, I think. I picked out a dark squatty one that looked more like a Lhasa Apsa than a poodle. After all, my sister had two Lhasas and I had a Shih Tzu, I didn't really want a poodle! Then, the next day, I took my new husband and my young niece over to see the litter to confirm my choice, much to my disappointment, they didn't like my pick, but instead chose a little fiesty poodly thing that stood at the bottom of the cardboard box and barked at us. Hmmm. But, they insisted and this was my new adorable husband after all, so I agreed and we chose the poodle one and waited a few weeks until she could come home.

Reba came home at 6 weeks which was far too young for a puppy that tiny. She weighed 1.25 lbs and almost died the first week I had her because the kennel told me she was weaned and she wasn't and I was so ignorant of dog things back then that I didn't realize she couldnt' eat the food I was giving her. Poor little thing was starving! But, I was smart enough to go to the vet and the vet patiently explained things to me and she obviously survived (thank goodness).

There were a few close calls in the early days, but the tiny little puppy grew. But, not much. I really didn't do the math well at all. My "Precious" puppy ended up a grand total of 7.5 lbs! Not even close to the size of Precious. Oh well, I loved her all the same.

Looking back at all of this, I have to laugh at myself and how much I didn't know about dogs and that reminds me to have kindness in my heart for all of my current and future clients. There is so much to know about animals and it takes years to learn. And some of us are slower to learn than others!

I have so many stories and anecdotes to share. They will come later. I'll stop and rest for now. Sending my blessings to my sweet Reba and all the other sweet dogs that have preceeded her.