Goodbye, Little One

I made the heartbreaking decision to put my dog to sleep this week. He has been a faithful part of my life for the past fifteen years...before either of my marriages were even a thought. I am going to miss the little guy.

Rowan came to me when I was running a rehab department at a nursing home. One of the head nurses brought he and his brothers to work one day to distribute them to people who had offered to take them. The young gal who was supposed to take Rowan had a change of heart, and he was left without a "home" to go to. Being the softie that I am (I had NEVER wanted a dog prior to this, mind you, I lived alone in a small townhouse with two cats and was gone much of every day), I took him home. He came home in a shoebox, and didn't even fill it.

Sweet little thing used to travel with me everywhere and anywhere. He laid on my sports bag at soccer games, dutifully watching until we finished playing. He accompanied me on many trips around the area to visit friends, and, while I was working, he managed to get me to come home a few times per day to potty train him when he was young (he accomplished this by persistently showing me his frustration with my being gone). He was a smart dog and knew well how to communicate with me. Many times I could almost swear he understood every word I said.

Rowan accompanied me through many changes, and did not complain when he was ousted by marriages, moves, babies, added children...each change he adapted to and welcomed after a period of adjustment. Three years ago he allowed our new kittens to pounce upon him and play with him ~ and would even offer a bit of play in return, ambushing them on occasion when they came around a corner~ treating them as if her were a grandpa and knew his role was important. His siblings had died (two other cats I had when he arrived to our family) and the new cats were much younger and friskier, but he was indulgent and tolerant despite his age. It was sweet to observe.

Rowan was a social dog. He always greeted everyone with a smile (often mistaken for a snarl), and loved to make a round of the immediate vicinity, visiting our neighbors each day before retiring to his bed. Rowan always protected our family and home first and foremost, and I will hold many fond memories of his standing guard positions...Once he was released by me that all was well, he shifted into a happy social dog again. My former husband used to say, how can a dog who is small enough to step on scare people?? But, he did - his bark and growl were ferocious when he was protective, and if someone were at the door who didn't know him, they expected a very large dog to accompany me when I opened. Instead they got a tiny dog (yorki pooh) who ran out the door, tail wagging, jumping up in greeting. Quite a dichotomy.

I found myself yesterday looking to prevent him from running out to greet the family walking their dog (which was always accompanied by my shout "Rowan, come back here!" and his making a loop, being sure to extend his greeting first) ~ totally unaware of how startling he was to people. If I were to sum up his temperament, I would have to call him Jekyll and Hyde to most people who knew him; "Rowan one and Rowan two" as a former landlord who watched him used to say...but to me he was always sweet Rowan. He trusted me, and in his last days he barely left my heels in his insecurity at his body discomfort.

God bless you, little one. Thank you for the many years you gave faithfully of your love and care. You will be well missed by those of us who knew you.