Jon Grider
03-03-2011, 8:05 PM
The cards were stacked against her from day one, abandoned at about 4 weeks old,undernourished, belly distended from masses of worms thriving inside of her and frostbitten feet. I reluctantly took her home anyway, my 4 year old son had asked for a small black puppy, and she pitifully came home with me in a small cardboard box. My son, Gage, was battling a bout of the flu, but came down the steps to greet me like he usually did when I came home from work. I placed the box on the small child sized cherry table I had made for him and the pup whimpered from within. Gage, even with a fever, opened the box and in a voice I'll always remember, excitedly said "It's a puuuuuppppppyyyyy."
Gage named her "LeReeza", where he got that name I'll never know, but that was her official name, but for convenience was shortened to "Reece".
No one could ever quite figure out what strange concoction of breeds she was, short stubby legs, sausage shaped body, but with a cocker spaniel forehead and ears.
She made our vet a rich man, this Reece. Various afflictions always seemed to plague her, chronic ear infections, a horrible spider bite that caused a baseball sized sore on her back, and then about 6 years ago, cancer that required removal of her glans. In spite of her health issues, she always seemed to love life and loved to be with her "pack", our small family.
She loved chasing the squirrels out her territory, playing fetch tirelessly with Gage or whomever else didn't mind handling a slobber soaked tennis ball, and taking walks in the woods.
I could always count on a warm tail wagging greeting when I got home from work from this little black dog who had such a huge heart. After thirteen years of giving joy and love and receiving the same, her heart stopped yesterday.
Yes, she was just a dog, but at the same time much more than that, a much loved member of our family that enriched us profoundly. Amazing, the bond between an animal and humans. She is missed greatly and will be remembered by our family forever.
Gage named her "LeReeza", where he got that name I'll never know, but that was her official name, but for convenience was shortened to "Reece".
No one could ever quite figure out what strange concoction of breeds she was, short stubby legs, sausage shaped body, but with a cocker spaniel forehead and ears.
She made our vet a rich man, this Reece. Various afflictions always seemed to plague her, chronic ear infections, a horrible spider bite that caused a baseball sized sore on her back, and then about 6 years ago, cancer that required removal of her glans. In spite of her health issues, she always seemed to love life and loved to be with her "pack", our small family.
She loved chasing the squirrels out her territory, playing fetch tirelessly with Gage or whomever else didn't mind handling a slobber soaked tennis ball, and taking walks in the woods.
I could always count on a warm tail wagging greeting when I got home from work from this little black dog who had such a huge heart. After thirteen years of giving joy and love and receiving the same, her heart stopped yesterday.
Yes, she was just a dog, but at the same time much more than that, a much loved member of our family that enriched us profoundly. Amazing, the bond between an animal and humans. She is missed greatly and will be remembered by our family forever.