RIP Charlie

It was a sad day in our house last week when we had to make the decision to put one of our 4 legged family members down.  Charlie has been a part of our life here on Bushy Tail Lane for over 13 years.  He wasn't an indoor member, but a part none the less.

The early years of boundless energy are a very distant memory.  We remember how we had to put boards over top of his 4 ft kennel because he would climb over the top of it, how he would run away to the neighbors and dig in their flower beds, and how he killed a few of our chickens.  He would bark excessively at Amish people, bark at sticks, get into trash, and drag deer/beef bones up from the woods that he found that the neighbors dumped and then leave them in our yard or front porch.

The later years he became a dog that we could let loose all the time.  He enjoyed every cook out and took his naps on our back deck.  He had become mostly deaf, and he would come in at night when it was cold or rainy and sleep inside the deck door in the kitchen.  We will miss him.  There is something comforting about having a dog around to alert you to visitors and other noises, even though it also was sometimes annoying.

The last month or so we were noticing that Charlie was having troubles with his hips and he was stiff going up and down steps.  He was eating as usual, but was losing weight.  He seemed to pant a lot and he wasn't hot.  His eyes seemed sad even though his tail would wag.  We could tell that his days might be nearing the end.  His hips seemed to get much worse the last week and one night he struggled to walk into the house and the next day he wouldn't get up.  Even with help, he wouldn't stand but just laid back down.  He didn't seem to be in pain.  He didn't fight at all when Lyn picked him up and put him in the car.  He seemed content to just lay there.

Devan and Renae were the only kids home to say good bye.  You were a good one for our family, Charlie!

All smiles.... trying not to think about the inevitable.