Goodbye Good Friend..............

Today was a sad day.  We said good-bye to our dear friend Tucker, our 14 year old lab. I got him for my 15th birthday and he was a little ball of yellow fur and energy! When I moved out, he stayed at my parents and I really missed him.  Every time I went home, he was the first one I went to see and the first one to greet me. (he was an outside dog). The last few days have been hard on him and us.  It was truly heart-breaking.  For the last few weeks now we could see him deteriorating.  He was having issues walking and getting around.  Then for the last few days he wasn't eating or drinking.  My parents were feeding him whatever he wanted, just to ge something in him.  My dad, who truly, truly loved this big beast (he was 126 lbs!!!) made the very dfficult decision to have him put to sleep today.  He called the vet, crying.  My big, tough guy dad, crying over his best friends last day.  Only, we ended up not needing the vet.  This morning I made the trip to my parents house to say good-bye while they were at work.  I walked around to the back of the house, by his dog house to find him lying there, already gone.  I knelt down beside him and said "Oh Tucker, I am so sorry I missed you".... I sat next to him for awhile and talked to him.  I called my mom at work and we cried together. I picked up his massive paw and held it for a second.  He was really gone, my dog for 14 years was really gone.  I prayed all night the night before that he was die in his sleep and he did.  He was laying there, with his chin on his front paw....  So I guess my prayer was asnwered!  Connor wanted to leave some coins (his fav. thing) with Tucker.  So he laid them on his paw and my dad buried them with him. 

The hardest thing was talking to my dad after.  He broke down on the phone.  His buddy is gone.  I know he is in Doggie Heaven right now though and breathing fine and chasing a stick like he used to do!  

I took these pics 3 days befor he passed away....