Good-bye Frazer

My mom had to go through one of those things that everybody who owns a pet dreads having to do...put her dog to sleep. She knew this day was coming soon. Frazer, the Shih Tzu in question, was getting up there in age. He was 15 years old and just not in good shape anymore. He had a whole host of ailments, but it's so hard to have to make this decision. At what point does your unwillingness to let your beloved pet go actually do more harm than good?

Mom made the right call though. He'd stop eating and his liver was failing. He was an old dog and it was simply his time to go. It broke her heart, though. I was talking to her this evening, and she's obviously still pretty upset, saying she'd give up using tissues for crying and was using towels instead. He was a pretty cool Shih Tzu and I'm not one normally fond of that breed. But he was built like a truck. Seriously, he was the Incredible Hulk of Shih Tzu, but very friendly and completely spoiled rotten. My mother fed that dog with a spoon and taught him how to sing for company.

He was a good dog and I'll miss seeing him when I go back to St. John's.

There was only one thing to do when you get this kind of news. After I got off the phone with mom, I went over and picked Boo up, who promptly huffed at me because he was napping. I scruffed him for a bit, gave him some of his favourite treat and then threw his favourite toy up and down the hallway. Afterwards, I put on a hoodie and braved the mosquitoes and took him on a decent length walk. He's curled up at my feet right now, a white dust mop of a dog, but one that's perfectly content. It helps easy the melancholy over losing Frazer, just a little bit.

They're only here for a little while. Love them while you can.

Last Five
1. Song with Rose - Elvis Costello and the Imposters
2. The boy come home - Matthew Good*
3. Sour cherry - The Kills
4. Sleep spent - Death Cab For Cutie
5. The big exit - The Editors