Buddy, our handsome Golden boy, was well known in our town. For twelve years, daily wa
lks took him and his Golden “sister” Kara through the town square with stops at the library, church, banks, real estate office, coffee shop, and ice cream shop to say Hi to friends. He marched in Little League parades and performed in the dog show at the local summer festival. He especially loved running on the beach, chasing seagulls. He was really fast, even as he got older. People would just stop and watch him. His speed was impressive. Everyone loved Buddy and he loved everyone! And he so loved his family. He knew each of us by name and was always happy and excited to see us…even if we just went to check the mailbox. He really was loyal and faithful, true to his name.
At age 12½, Buddy suddenly fell ill. It came on quickly. We were devastated. Although Buddy was always happy to go anywhere, the vet’s office was not his favorite place. He would park his 65 pound body on my lap and give me that “please protect me” look with his big brown eyes. We always knew that if the time came that we had to make an end-of-life decision for Buddy, we wanted his last moments to be at home surrounded by the family that loved him. And then that day came. Although saying goodbye to Buddy was one of the hardest things we’ve had to do, Dr. Schoenberg made it the best experience it could possibly be for both Buddy and for us. That means a lot.
Since Buddy’s passing, many people have told us how he touched their lives or made them smile. Many people have cried with us and for us at the loss of such a special member of our family. His passing was mentioned in the local newspaper. Losing Buddy was hard beyond words, but knowing that we did the right thing for our precious boy by having Dr. Schoenberg come to our home so he could pass in a place that he loved surrounded by those who loved him gives us comfort. And we know he’s chasing seagulls…still the fastest dog on the beach.