Kia
A donation was made in memory of Kia by Dr. Kelsey Havens on May 08, 2017.
January 27, 2017
This is the end.
I’ve had the Doors song looping through my head for the last 3 days, sounding the death knell of my truest and most unconditional friendship. After 15 years on this earth, my beautiful Kia went to sleep forever today. She’s been the most joyful, energetic, stubborn, frustrating, nerve-wracking, joyful, kind, annoying, awe-inspiring, joyful, ire-inducing, amazing, joyful, wretched beast of a dog in the world. She is my first child, the one I panicked about when she escaped the yard the first weekend I had her; the one who wouldn’t come when called, unless she actually wanted to, despite bacon, hot dogs, or cat kibble; the one who peed in other peoples cars and houses, but never in mine; the dog who LOVED walks pretty much anywhere, but best of all off-leash, on the trails above Canoe beach. She loved her cat, Moose, who beat her up on a regular basis, and who used her as a jungle gym when he was a baby. She loved her K9 friends, Jake, Emma, Duke and Rudy, even giant Rupert (because he didn’t try to flatten her). And god almighty she loved her food! When asked what breed she was, I always told people ‘4-legged stomach’. It was her religion, her passion, her goal in life, and she never let obstacles like counters, containers, or garbage can lids stop her. I always knew that if she stopped eating, something would be deathly wrong.
How horribly right I was. The combination of kidney failure, gastritis and pancreatitis has felled my little wonder dog. Fifteen years is a long life for any dog. Fifteen years is not long enough. There is some solace in knowing she’s been a happy little beastie, despite recent, progressive, hind-end paralysis, despite going mostly deaf and mostly blind, despite not being able to surf the counters anymore. There is some solace in remembering the hare-brained, spazoid dog that ran a hundred more miles than I ever walked, just for the sheer joy of it. There is even some minute solace in knowing that I have the power to relieve all of her pain and suffering with one small injection. There is no solace in the act, though, just an abiding, crushing pain at the knowledge that I will never call her ‘bad dog!’ again, whether in joking or in earnest. I will never again turn around and trip over her because she snuck up behind me, thinking I had food. I will never again roll my eyes at her as she runs over my feet AGAIN with her cart. I will never stroke the silkiest, softest ears in the known universe again. Never seems like such a long time…..
So, this is the end. Goodbye and safe journey my darling girl. I hope to meet your beautiful soul again sometime.
This is the end.
I’ve had the Doors song looping through my head for the last 3 days, sounding the death knell of my truest and most unconditional friendship. After 15 years on this earth, my beautiful Kia went to sleep forever today. She’s been the most joyful, energetic, stubborn, frustrating, nerve-wracking, joyful, kind, annoying, awe-inspiring, joyful, ire-inducing, amazing, joyful, wretched beast of a dog in the world. She is my first child, the one I panicked about when she escaped the yard the first weekend I had her; the one who wouldn’t come when called, unless she actually wanted to, despite bacon, hot dogs, or cat kibble; the one who peed in other peoples cars and houses, but never in mine; the dog who LOVED walks pretty much anywhere, but best of all off-leash, on the trails above Canoe beach. She loved her cat, Moose, who beat her up on a regular basis, and who used her as a jungle gym when he was a baby. She loved her K9 friends, Jake, Emma, Duke and Rudy, even giant Rupert (because he didn’t try to flatten her). And god almighty she loved her food! When asked what breed she was, I always told people ‘4-legged stomach’. It was her religion, her passion, her goal in life, and she never let obstacles like counters, containers, or garbage can lids stop her. I always knew that if she stopped eating, something would be deathly wrong.
How horribly right I was. The combination of kidney failure, gastritis and pancreatitis has felled my little wonder dog. Fifteen years is a long life for any dog. Fifteen years is not long enough. There is some solace in knowing she’s been a happy little beastie, despite recent, progressive, hind-end paralysis, despite going mostly deaf and mostly blind, despite not being able to surf the counters anymore. There is some solace in remembering the hare-brained, spazoid dog that ran a hundred more miles than I ever walked, just for the sheer joy of it. There is even some minute solace in knowing that I have the power to relieve all of her pain and suffering with one small injection. There is no solace in the act, though, just an abiding, crushing pain at the knowledge that I will never call her ‘bad dog!’ again, whether in joking or in earnest. I will never again turn around and trip over her because she snuck up behind me, thinking I had food. I will never again roll my eyes at her as she runs over my feet AGAIN with her cart. I will never stroke the silkiest, softest ears in the known universe again. Never seems like such a long time…..
So, this is the end. Goodbye and safe journey my darling girl. I hope to meet your beautiful soul again sometime.
