My Loyal Macy

If you have ever spoken the words, "It's just a dog" then please do not read this post. It will be lost on you.

Today I lost my friend of 13 years, my beloved dog Macy. 13 years is a long time to know someone. She went through all of my good times and bad times in those 13 years. Through it all she never left my side, nor would she ever want to. You see Macy's main goal in life was to be with me. Her main passion was to be right by my side wherever I was. A constant companion. If I was in the shower, she was right outside the door. If I was in the bathroom she was right outside the door. If I was typing on the computer she was right there at my feet. My Mom loves to tell the story of when I was visiting them in Kansas and a tornado was coming through. I lingered up stairs to get something and Macy waited for me. She would not go down with out me. That was Macy. Always with me. That's exactly what she wanted.

I got Macy my junior year in college. My parents told me that I did not need a dog. They were probably right then, but it turns out I really did need a dog later. I went to pick her out at a local shelter. She had been dropped off with about 5 of her other brothers and sisters. I chose her because she was the only one that came right to me. She just walked right up to me like she had known me her whole life. I was in love.

When she was about 7 months old I almost lost her. She ran out of my apartment door and ran across a busy street safely. It's when she tried to run back after she saw me on the other side that she got hit by a car. The car ran right over her right hip. She was so hurt that when I went to touch her she bit me. We got her in the car and drove her to the vet who met us at his office. He didn't think she would make it through the night. She did. She needed an operation to put pins her hip to repair it. People told me it wasn't worth it. "Put her down" they said. But I knew better. I went to visit her in the vet's office and when they let her out of her kennel she limped over to me and plopped right in the center of my lap. I knew then that we needed more time together. I will always thank my parents for giving me 13 extra years with Macy. They paid for the operation with out saying a word.

Now, Macy was not perfect by any means. Her favorite crime was dumping over our trash. She ate more than her share of McDonald's, Chick Fil A, and Sonic if we left it too close to the edge of the counter. And don't tell Macy that chocolate is poisonous to dogs. The night before our wedding she ate a whole pound of chocolate with no consequences. She has eaten gum, gummi bears, chocolate chip cookies(she picked through the oatmeal raisin ones that were on the plate and ate only the chocolate chip ones) and anything else that we left out. One time I took her to a friends Birthday party. She ate half of the cake while we were in the other room. Oh and she loved bread! I can't tell you how many loaves of bread she has eaten in her lifetime. Too many to count!

I had been putting off this decision for so long. I knew she was hurting and having trouble breathing but I wanted her to still be here with me. Everyone always talks about the wonderful fun of having a dog but no one ever talks about the hard decisions that you have to make later in their life. If Macy could have it her way she would suffer through pain and whatever else so that she could still be by my side right now. I realized that it was my responsibility as the person who loved her most on this earth to make a very tough decision for her. It was so peaceful in the end. I cried into the soft fur on her neck and told her how much I love her and how she is and always will be the best dog I have ever known.

I miss her. I am heartbroken. I'm so used to her being here that it is strange to not turn around and find her sleeping behind me on the sofa. She was so much a part of my life and now she is gone. Are there dogs in heaven? I'd like to believe so. I'd like to think that she is up there running and playing like she used to. I'd like to think that she is up there just waiting to be right by my side again like she did here on earth.