Goodbye my faithful friend, my constant shadow. I’ll never again smooth the fine hair around your eyes and ears, or rub your belly between your front legs the way you love. Never again be exasperated by your leaping frenzied greeting when I come home at the end of the day; never again try to laughingly untie my shoes while you try even harder to wash my face as I bend down. Never again laugh as you run your odd little run, jump, jump, hop with one back leg for some unknown reason. Never again stare at your fine form and be astonished at how much your body is shaped like a young piglet, even down to the stubby tail. Although piglets don’t have bowed front legs like you. Never again settle on the couch and invite you up to nestle against my side, perfectly still and content until an odd noise grabbed your attention causing you to leap down, growl, bark and investigate. But you’d be right back begging to come back up as soon as you made sure all was well, using those adorable big brown eyes. Who could say no to those eyes?! I couldn’t. Never again will you race across the lawn giving a rabbit a merry chase. Never again will we hear your crazy barking at the ATV. Or watch your desperate and determined search for a snowless area to do your business.

Whenever I was home you were always with me, sitting at my feet or should I say on my feet, or watching me, trotting along beside me as I did my chores. Never complaining, always enthusiastic and full of fun, or ready for a cuddle. You made our home lively and fun and very special.

My brave little friend, I miss you. Even though you thought you were ten feet tall and king of the world, you couldn’t handle the coyotes that invaded our space. Why oh why did I let you outside at that moment? Why oh why did you have to be so brave and chase them so far out into the field where they suddenly turned on you? We called and called and searched for hours with flashlights but not a trace could be found until the next morning. I’m sorry you spent the long cold night alone after being so brave. But we found you and placed you gently in a special grave beside our little maple tree, the one Matthew gave me. Matt’s little dog together with his maple tree. I thought you might like that. Close to the house, facing south for the sunlight that you loved to stretch out in.

Mugsy using the big brown eyes