The Hard Part About Loving Dogs

The hard part about loving us dogs is that there is a very good chance you will outlive us, and you will have to say goodbye to us. You all know it, in the back of your minds, or sometimes in the forefront. Most of you know people who have lost dogs they loved and said it was so painful they would never bring another dog into their lives. But most humans endure it, and choose to love a dog again - because what we share together, human and dog, two entirely different species who come together, is so special and so pure.

I feel badly for Lesli today, because she's facing the loss of her dog Cali. She's the one in California that Lesli visited in June - the one I wrote about when Lesli got back from the visit. When Lesli moved back to Canada, Cali stayed in San Diego with Jeff.

What Lesli didn't know when she visited in June was that Cali had cancer. They've tried chemo, but she got word from Jeff yesterday that the chemo didn't work. The cancer is in Cali's bones, and she is dying. As hard as she's trying to keep her sad energy from me - she forgets that I am very hard to fool. I know she's hurting. She loves Cali a lot. That's why she has me. If it wasn't for Cali coming into her life, we wouldn't have shared our lives together. Because Cali is the one who made Lesli fall in love with dogs, and what we bring to her life. If you think about it, Cali really changed her life.

I never met Cali. But she sounds like a great dog. Different than me - Lesli tells people she's the sweetest, most gentle dog she's ever known. That's NOT how many people would describe me! Despite that, I think we would have been friends if we'd met.

I wish I could help. I guess I help just by being here. At least she's not mauling me tonight.

I better check on her again. She's probably doing that strange thing where salty water ends up all over her face, and I try to lick it all off. Not because I want to show her I love her. Because of the salt. Mmmmmmmmm....