Gavin left this morning

He was an amazing friend and companion for 17 years. Our bond changed over the years as he went from my sweet little boy to my sweet old man.
We battled cancer twice and radiation induced neuropathy.
Sadly, cancer came back in his abdominal cavity and he had internal bleeding.
I held him for 2 hours in a warm blanket and calmed him down and his shivering, hacking, and spasms subsided. We said our final goodbyes at 12:45 AM this morning.
I left him wrapped in a blanket on a couch with his head on a slight pillow, just like he liked it. It looked like he was just sleeping.
My home is cold and empty without him. His presence permeates everything.
I look for him every time I enter a room.

 

If someone has asked me to describe the perfect dog, I would never have even thought to include all the wonderful things about Gavin.
He was so sweet, so gentle, so unobtrusively attached to me. He was never pushy, he even begged by standing/sitting a few inches away from you and not touching you.
He loved getting petted, but never asked for it. He followed me around as I moved from room to room, but always waited a few minutes to see if I came back before checking up on me. He just wanted to know where I was. He was happy just being in his dog bed in whatever room I was in. He did great on LONG road trips, happy to be in a hotel room with me at the end of the day. As long as he had one of his dog beds, he knew where to sleep and was happy. He never pushed to greet new people, standing a foot away from them and letting them initiate. Once they did, he was a sweetheart. He loved getting belly rubs. When he was younger he would roll over for me on command and make his 'wookie' noises. His hearing loss affected him greatly, but he was just as sweet and gentle. He just wanted to be with me and I just wanted to be with him. He loved the beach, even when he could no longer run and play. He was.....just wonderful. I miss you so much Gavin