Puppy Love

Elizabeth T. Spencer

Only the runt of the litter was left of the advertised Australian shepherds. Who could turn down the small black, white and brown puppy with the cropped tail? Its little legs could hardly hurry fast enough down the dirt road to greet us ... virtually rolling toward our feet. So like a small bear cub, with dark eyes begging to be loved, that we named him “Sugar Bear” from the beginning and took him home.

Never mind the fact that the vet found he had a mega esophagus, causing myriad throw-ups, and probably not lasting a year. We couldn’t let her put him down.

His favorite game with Bill was playing catch, fetch, and toss up with the many tennis balls brought home from weekly doubles games. S.B. could really jump high, never failing to catch.

About a year later, daughter Lucy, a devout animal rescuer, brought S.B. a “companion.” In came “Annie,” a solid black part chow with curled up tail and part black tongue to prove her “chowhood.” She’d lie upside down on the family room couch with her head hanging over the edge, her sharp white teeth showing her big smile.

Sugar Bear took one look at Annie and was fascinated by the curly, happily-wagging tail. Why did she have one when he didn’t? He bounded over to her, grabbed her tail and dragged her down the basement stairs, out the screen door to the steep back yard. They had a marvelous time romping all over the yard. Annie adored him. They became inseparaable except when sleeping. Since both had been spayed, it was perfect.

Several years later we needed smaller quarters and caregiving. We could not keep the dogs in the condominium we had found and loved dearly. Lucy came to our rescue, taking the dogs with her to North Carolina. Our dogs and Lucy’s dogs took a while to adjust, but they did.

Later she had a small farm. She and Don built a good house, a huge barn, and restored an old tobacco curing house into a studio. Their marriage united five dogs, as many cats, two horses, and a pair of miniature horses.

Sugar Bear’s job was to watch over all the animals; herding the horses; everyone except the small house dog. S.B. was in his element running the farm. His was an outdoor job with less embarrassment, plus keeping vigil on the land at night. His house was a stall in the barn with Annie.

Gradually age took some of the animals. But Sugar Bear remained king until last week.

Somehow he knew his time was up. The deep bond between Lucy and him enabled him to communicate: “No vet this time.” “Let’s go to the barn.” There, she sat with him, his head in her lap, for a long time, and said good bye after eleven years of loving.

So, on Sunday, June 29th, Lucy and Don buried him. They even held a prayerbook service for him. All his fellow playmates gathered ‘round. After the solemn, weeping service, they all left ... except Annie, who sat on his grave all evening. She still does.

Yes, there were tears, but he had earned his rest. He was a noble member of our family and brought us joy and love.

Ó Elizabeth T. Spencer July 10, 2003