Buddy, 1998-2008

This is a long time in coming. He passed away last Monday and I sadly have had no time to post this.


This was the first day I brought him home. I was 18 and it was the summer after we graduated from High School (1998 for those of you checking). I was at the fair displaying my pigeons and I was in the "children's petting barn". At that time they were still having kittens and puppies in there for give away and Buddy and his brown/white brother were absolutely adorable. We had just a month earlier, had lost our 11 yr old Border Collie, Sammy from cancer. He looked a lot like Sammy (who was a girl) and the entire family immediately fell in love with him. I remember having to decided if Buddy or Charlie was a better name. In a democratic way, we voted 3-1 in favor of the name "Buddy".


Buddy at 7 years old on a crisp fall afternoon.



Here is an undated photo of Buddy. I'm guessing he was younger, probably 4 or 5 years old. This was the time of the 35mm cameras, no digital!


Sadie absolutely adored Buddy. He had never had another dog on the farm and was always trained to chase off 'intruders'. While Sadie was part of the family, he never really liked her, but put up with her and she tried her hardest these past 4 years to try and get him to like her. Even the day he passed, she was licking his ears and face and he actually let her. He must have been that much in pain. SHe followed him everywhere, just like a shadow and he dealt with it :)



Sadie again with Buddy after her attempt to face lick ended LOL.


Here is buddy the night we decided to put him down. In less than four days, Buddy had gone from acting like a 5 month old puppy, to refusing to eat, excrete, or move. We found out after a morning at the vet's office that he was anemic, his white blood cell count was 3 times higher than it should be and that he was bleeding from a burst tumor near his spleen and it had gotten into his lungs and stomach. My sister and Grandpa put him in the garage and he had made it to the barn, mostly likely to die quietly away from the family he loved. It was with a tremendously sad heart that I watched the vet and her daughter help to ease his suffering. Moments after he passed, I went to pick him up, just like I did the day I found him sleeping in the petting barn with his brother, but this time I carried him over to a hole that had been dug, next to our last dog, Sammy. In the peaceful rain, in the fading moments of the day, I buried my Buddy, my pal, the who I laughed with, played with, and yes, got mad at. But at the end of the day he knew that he was loved by many, and that he loved us.

I'll see ya when I get there my friend........