By: Patricia Francis Good
A close friend once asked me if I ever had a lover while I was married to my husband. I answered
“No”. But I lied. I had a lover boy for twelve years named Doogie. And my husband knew all about
the love affair. He slept in the same bed with us every night!
Doogie
Doogie loved me unconditional and passionately, like most dogs do of their loved ones. He never tired of being around me, in fact wherever I was, Doogie was close by. There will never be another
Doogie, but from the moment we met until he took his last breathe, I loved him deeply and he loved me. Such a gift he was to me! He slept by my side (had to be touching) and kissed me every chance he got! He was definitely a lover boy!!!
It all started while I was the Development Officer for the San Antonio Humane Society. One day our Executive Director, Nancy walked by my office with this tiny white puppy. Skip & I had just lost a dog and had another dog at home named Coco who needed a friend. Skip wanted a West Highland white terrier. He sure looked like a Westie to me, even though it turned out he wasn’t.
As the story goes, Doogie had been picked up off the street by the City Pound. Our trucks routinely went to the Pound to pick up healthy dogs we could adopt out to good homes. Twenty-four hours before Doogie was scheduled to be put down at the Pound, our staff arrived and saw him sitting in a cage, perfectly healthy. He had come into the Pound without a mother or in a litter of other puppies and was all alone. For that reason he was scheduled to die. Our staff rescued him and brought him back to the Humane Society for adoption.
Coco & Doogie
After checking with some donors who liked Westies to see if they wanted him (but didn’t because they wanted a female) Nancy let me take Doogie home to see if Coco would like to have a brother. Well, sure enough, she did! Doogie was so tiny we had to put a bell around his neck so we wouldn’t step on him! The two of them were great pals until at the age of three, Coco developed a kidney condition that abruptly ended her life. Skip and I were devastated by her death and so was everyone at the Humane Society because she too had been a rescued dog and had made appearances with me at speaking engagements as a proud alumni!
At one personal appearance, when someone began singing “How Much Is that Doggie In The Window” Coco decided to bark twice at the end of each lyric! She was a great ambassador for the Humane Society
and she was missed greatly by everyone who knew her, including her little brother, Doogie! Well, as I said before, one day at the Humane Society little Doogie rode into my life in the arms of Nancy May. It was love at first sight for both Doogie & me. And even though I was married, I couldn’t help myself … I fell madly in love with Doogie! There’s something about the love from a dog that doesn’t compare to anything else.
But as my husband Skip pointed out, Doogie was again the only dog and needed a companion to play with besides me! And that is when we adopted Punkin, another male dog from the Humane Society who was highly recommended by Nancy May, who had taken him into her home for a while.
Life was good! Doogie had a BIG personality! No dog, animal or person could enter or walk by our property without hearing from him! And, while walking in the neighborhood, he claimed all streets his own and no other dog was welcomed to walk when he did!
And Punkin was just his constant companion. He followed Doogie’s lead and whatever he did … just a few seconds later … Punkin did as well except for kissing! That’s where Punkin drew the line …. absolutely NO KISSING on the lips!! But, Doogie did it all the time…even with complete strangers who came to our house!!! And, he always wanted to be the center of attention…and usually he got his way. Now, I suppose you could accuse me of being abused by my lover or not a very good pet owner, but the way I saw it, Doogie was just being Doogie! And I loved him just the way he was ….strong but loving and fun!!!
In the fall of 2022, my husband Skip fell and broke his ankle. For the next two and a half months, Skip struggled with his health. Doogie was right there to encourage him when he was home and to
cuddle up with me at night after staying with Skip in hospitals and rehab centers during the other days. But, then Skip’s big old heart gave way and on the morning of February 3, 2023 he died in the hospital. I was devastated. When I came home from the hospital, the dogs seemed to know and Doogie was especially attentive to me in those dark days after Skip’s death. I really don’t know what I would have done without Doogie. He was always available for hugs and kisses and sometimes I just laid down next to him and cried. He never left my side.
A year and a few months later, Doogie started to show signs of illness and I took him to the Vet. He
had bladder cancer and it was inoperable. I couldn’t believe my 12 year old lover boy was going to be
the second member of our
immediate family to die. In such a short amount of time, our family of four would soon be only two and my grief hit a new low. My kind hearted Vet told me to bring him back every week so he could check him. But, Doogie never enjoyed going to the Vet and so I asked if he knew any Hospice Vets in the area. He knew a very good Hospice Vet named Julia Beverley and gave me her phone number (210) 999-9100. I called Julia and told her that I had worked as a development officer for two non-profit hospices and that I wanted Doogie to have the same kind of “comfort” care as the people of those hospices were given. The next week Julia came for a visit.
Dr. Beverley
She was everything I had hoped for in a Vet giving end of life care to my beloved Doogie.
Surprised by how active he still was under the circumstances, Dr. Beverley said she had been to my regular Vet’s office and had looked over all the records. She said she would be honored to take
care of Doogie. She gave me signs to look for when the end was in sight and some pills to give him for pain. At the first sight of any of the signs I was to call her. She said this way we could keep his suffering at a minimum, which I agreed was what I wanted for Doogie as well.
The night of June 24, 2024 came and my niece, Mandy was over for dinner. Before she left for home we walked outside with Doogie and he threw up for the first time. That was one of the signs that Dr. Beverley had told me about. I called her. She said give him one or two of the pain pills that would help him sleep until morning when she would be arriving. I gave Doogie the pill and he laid on my lap all night sleeping peacefully. I stayed awake with my arms around him all night long.
On the morning of June 25, 2024 our dog walker, Chelsea arrived to walk the dogs. Doogie jumped up and ran into the laundry room to greet her. Chelsea looked at me and asked what should she do? I told her if Doogie wanted to walk, then take him for a walk. She attached the leash to his collar and off they went down the driveway and into the street. Two blocks away, Doogie went down, too tired or sick to walk any further. Chelsea picked him up in her arms and turned towards our house and began to walk back. She had just lost her precious dog the month before. I don’t know how she did it. But as they approached the house, Doogie wiggled out of her arms and
walked up the drive way as if to say to our neighborhood that he would not allow them to see him struggle. That was the kind of strong dog I knew Doogie was!
On this his last day on earth, he walked up the driveway and into the house and made it up into my lap before he fell into a deep sleep. I held him close.
Within the hour, Dr. Beverley arrived. Chelsea had decided to stay so the three of us were gathered around Doogie as he was sleeping. Then, he woke up and looked around. He saw all three of us surrounding him and thought this was a party and he was the center of attention! He was enjoying himself and accepted all the petting and kissing. By now the urge to pee came over him and he jumped down and made his way out the doggie door to the back yard. After he finished his business, he stood very tall and looked straight into my eyes and held them as if he wanted to tell me something. I felt like he knew he was leaving and wanted to assure me that everything was
going to be alright. A few minutes later he walked back into the house and jumped up to his place on the couch surrounded by Chelsea, me and Dr. Beverley. We gave him another pain pill that made him sleepy.
Then Dr. Beverley said that when we were ready she would give him a shot to make him go to sleep. I hugged him hard and kissed him one last time and then I gave the order to begin. She gave him the first shot and he peacefully went into a deep sleep. Chelsea and I said
our goodbyes to Doogie and with the second shot; he died peacefully in my arms. From the time he was diagnosed until the day he died was exactly two and a half months. From the time Skip fell and broke his ankle until the day he died was exactly two and a half months as well. Both of them went peacefully with hospice care which was the only thing I could give them in the end to ease their suffering and their pain. That kind of unconditional love is what they both deserved in the end and what Doogie had taught me by his example.
I got Doogie’s ashes back in a beautiful urn with an orchid plant, a tuff of his hair and his paw print
from Dr. Beverley within a few weeks after his death. A hand written note from her was included that said how honored she was to have provided Doogie with comfort care at the end of his life.
My lover boy is gone now, but he will always be a part of me.
NOTE: When I was at the San Antonio Humane Society every speech I gave would begin with this question: “How many of you have lost a dog and someone told you to get over it because it was just a dog?” Most of the time, every hand went up. And then I would say this: “They are so wrong. It was not JUST a dog. It was one of the most important relationships you ever had. That dog loved
you unconditional, which is more than most humans can do. And that dog deserves your tears!”
I will keep crying for Doogie. If you have lost an unforgettable relationship with a dog, keep crying too. Because the love they gave us is still worth it!
BACON CHEDDAR DOG TREATS
These bacon dog treats are as simple to make as they sound, and can be made in as little 30 minutes! You only need four ingredients, and your dog is sure to love them! everything you’ll need, and how to make them!
INGREDIENTS
- 4 strips bacon
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cups milled oatmeal, with a small amount extra.
- 1 ½ cups milled oatmeal, with a small amount extra.
- 2 large eggs
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- If you haven’t already, cook the bacon until crispy, then break it into small pieces.
- Combine the first three ingredients into a mixing bowl.
- Add the eggs and mix until a sticky dough forms.
Combine the first three ingredients into a mixing bowl. - Flour the countertop with a small amount of milled oatmeal.
- Place the dough on the countertop, and
the treats with a cookie cutter. - Place treats on a lined baking sheet and bake for roughly 20 minutes, or until light brown.
- Allow the treats to cool completely, and then serve!
INSPIRATION:
