Your Pet Loss Stories

'The Story Of My Sheltie'

by Erica
(Pennsylvania)

Valentines Day 2000, my mom and dad came home to surprise my sister and I with our first puppy ever. A Shetland Sheepdog was chosen because of my grandmother having adopted a Sheltie a few years earlier. My father kept calling him Buddy on the way home so that's the name he chose. He brought him inside and we opened our eyes and it just took my breath away, I had been given a puppy finally after all the months we've been begging for one.

I just couldn't believe how fast he grew, it could even be faster than a baby transforming into a child. I've always had a fasination with animals, mostly dogs for many reasons. See animals have a way of talking without speaking they move people by their loyal ways and being loving without even knowing you. And Buddy did just that.

The years went by without me even thinking, I was growing and so was he, I turned into a teenager and he stayed acting as a pup. While I had attitude and kept mouthing off he stayed sweet and innocent.

To shorten up the story my dog was merely eight and a half years old when he developed a slight eating issue. Buddy had stopped eating for about four days and my mother became concerned. I thought nothing of it, just stayed home with my boyfriend and goofed off. In the meantime my mom and dad took Bud to the emergency vet clinic in Pittston.

Hours went by and nobody had answered their phones, I became frantic. Finally, around ten my parents came crying on the porch and I opened the door asked where he was. Buddy wasn't coming home he has kidney failure I was told. I thought this was a joke, I completely lost it ran to my room and bawled my eyes out. Couldn't even call my boyfriend after he went home if I wanted to.

After half hour of catching my breath I told Kyle and he was so upset. I just couldn't believe god would take our little baby away from us so early and so quickly. Buddy came home from the hospital for a night for us to spend with him and then his fight with this was over forever. I've never seen my dad cry so much than this day.

The lord took our puppy away from us, but I believe that everything happens for a reason and he needed him for some Sheltie business up in heaven. Now it's going to be a long vacation until I see him again but I honestly think of him everyday and the lives he touched while he was on this earth and I promise I will see him again someday.

We now have a new two year old sheltie named Sugarbear after Buddy. And when it comes his time and the next dogs time I will let it be. I will always love them and every single animal in the world.