Shadow

2009

January 16, 2009
Missed By: Michelle, Ralph and Mandy

Shadow, our best friend in the world

Shadow was the most special part of our family for so many years, but not long enough. We always laughed because he was the "free" dog that was so sick as a puppy that he needed to be hospitalized and cost almost $500. We always felt like we may have saved his life and he gave us so much in return.

It all started when we bought our first home in 1994 and Mandy (then 11 years old) wanted a dog, although she was very fearful of them (for no apparant reason). Her friend in her Girl Scout troop said her aunt's dog had puppies and so it began, our lifelong dream of sharing our home and our hearts with Shadow, who was truly our own "shadow" by following us everywhere.

We always compare him to the famous "Marley" from 'Marley & Me' fame. Like Marley, Shadow could have been described as the world's worst dog. He survived jumping out of a moving car and we heard later, that he even got his head stuck in a well before we got him as a puppy. He did so many mischievous things over the years that there are way too many to name.

He was such a good watchdog for those early years while his Dad worked nights to keep us safe. We don't know where all the time went, but before we knew it, he was old and having difficulty with so many previously routine things. We lowered our bed to the floor when he couldn't jump up on it and made many other accomodations for his comfort. This main photo shows him looking out the window - "guarding" our house and watching our neighbors, which he loved to do.

It happened so fast - he seemed fine that night before we lost him - eating ice cream (his favorite) - and then after almost 15 years, our precious Shadow stopped breathing at the animal hospital. Each day, it is so hard to be without him. We laugh and cry about him and wonder how we will get through another day without him. How other pet owners get through this is amazing.

Shadow is missed so much and we hope we never took for granted how much he meant to us. The vet said we had bonus years with him and we feel fortunate about that, but it still wasn't long enough. Our hearts ache and long for Shadow each and every day. We hope that his memories will bring us comfort one day and replace the hurt that we feel. Thank you Shadow for making our lives complete for so long.

Dear our beloved Shadow puppy:

We thought about including one of the special poems that many others have used to memorialize their pets. We decided to tell this story to share how much a part of us Shadow was and hope that one day we can find some comfort in just his memory, as it hurts to be without him. We love you more than anything Shadow and are grateful for the time we had with you and will never forget the joy you brought to us for all those years. Love from his Mom (Michelle), Dad (Ralph) and sister (Mandy)