My Buddy…a tribute:
This little dog entered my life in August of 2017. I was walking down Pearl Street in Boulder
with a friend and there was a pet shop that we entered. In this shop, they also had a dog
rescue. We started talking to the owner and
she asked if I wanted a dog. I explained
that since my precious border collie, Harley had died two years earlier…I hadn’t
wanted another one and still wasn’t ready for one. But, she asked IF I were ready…what would I
want? I said I would want a smaller dog
and an older dog that is trained and well-behaved. She immediately thought of this guy. She only had a picture and his name was ‘Bo’…which
happened to be the nickname of my long-time BF that I had lost around the same
time as my other dog. I saw that as a ‘sign’
for some reason!
I said I would think about it. She said I could just foster it and see how
it goes. So, the next week I decided to
do that…to foster him. I had never seen
him…just a picture. So, I met the gal
who had been fostering him at the store (the store had saved him from a kill
shelter in Houston and this gal fostered him for a week)…and she hands me this
little mangy looking guy with crooked teeth sticking out…and off she goes! Well, I went into the store to fill out the
paperwork…and it said I had ownership for $95 (with the amount $495 crossed
out!). I asked why I had to pay to
foster a dog. And the young gal who was
there that day said…”oh, you’re not fostering him…you’re adopting him!”. Then, I asked why it was $95 instead of $495…and
she said he was a discount because he was so old and nobody wanted him!!
Well, that was it. I
figured how bad could it be for $95!?! He became ‘mine’ on a Sunday afternoon in
Boulder, Colorado, August 13th, 2017. My friend and I walked around Pearl Street
with him…and everyone who saw him said…”Hey, little Buddy”…so, that became his
name. Officially: Buddy Bo Olsen.
The pet shop had arranged a visit to a vet as part of the
adoption…so, off we went in my Dad’s old Buick to Denver to the vet they
recommended. This vet determined he was
around 8 to 10 years old…and that his teeth needed looked at. He also walked funny so they took x-rays of
his hind quarters. After half a day of
leaving him there…out comes my dog with a bloody nose and shaking…they pulled
ALL his teeth! My new dog was toothless! Also, there was nothing wrong with his legs…he
just walked ‘funny’.
So, this was it…me and my dog go home to Greeley to live
with my Kikki Kat…who I thought would love having another dog around…as she
loved all the other dogs I’d had around her.
But, NOOOOO…the cat did NOT like this dog. Constantly hissing at it and acting very
unhappy to have it around! I don’t know
if it was due to the size of Buddy…or just the fact that this was the CAT’S
house…and no one new was allowed (all the other dogs I’d had were there before
her!)…or the fact that he was half blind and couldn’t see her and ran into her
all the time?? So, I decided it wasn’t fair to do this to my
long-time cat and was going to take him back and say it wasn’t working
out. But, my friend knew someone who
also had a dog rescue and she wanted him.
So, I took him to this woman. She
lived in a trailer with a bunch of other dogs.
I knew right away that Buddy loved walking…well, this lady was old and
didn’t walk the dogs. She also said she
wasn’t going to place him but wanted to keep him because he was so ‘special’. Well, I left him there one night…and after
that night…I thought…I can’t leave him with her! Whether the cat likes it or not…he’s coming
back! Til the very end…my cat’s never
seemed to like him…but, boy has she been looking for him now!!
My dog…my little Buddy was with me for 3 years, 3 months and
15 days until he suddenly just couldn’t walk on one of our walks around the
mall. I didn’t think too much of it…hoping
it was just a fluke. I took him home and
he got worse very quickly and couldn’t stand or even go to the bathroom that
night. He was still eating and drinking
well…but since he couldn’t go to the bathroom,
that was not necessarily a good thing.
We got through the night and to the vet first thing in the
morning. She was already concerned about
him and thought it might be time to go.
Of course, I couldn’t bear that thought and wanted a second opinion. The 2nd vet agreed. I could have spent lots of time and money
with him in the hospital…but, I did not want him to suffer through all
that. So, we made it through one more
night…but, by Friday morning, December 4th I could tell it was time to consider my
options. I had a nice vet here who
kindly took him and made all the arrangements for a peaceful transition for him
to cross the Rainbow Bridge.
He left me on Friday, December 4th at approximately
3:00 pm. And just like that my angel was
gone.
I wanted to write this out and also write a little about
this guy. First of all…he WAS an angel…and
I believe sent to me by my parents in Heaven.
In fact, I could just hear my mom saying to my Dad…”Dale we’ve got to
give her something to love”! The serendipitous
way that I just walked into that shop…how that woman was cognizant that he’d be
a good one for me…even that his name was ‘Bo’ and how that seemed like a ‘sign’…and
then when they messed up and said…’Oh…you’re adopting him”…well, it all just
seemed like it was ‘meant to be’.
This dog was so perfect in so many ways. He was so well-behaved…so loving…he loved
everyone and everyone loved him. If you
were lucky enough to have ever met him…you know what I mean. After his teeth were pulled…his little tongue
hung out of his mouth. It was so
cute! Having no teeth never stopped him
from eating! What a little piggy he
was. Mom was a spoiler too (would have
been with real kids too!). I’m sure I
fed him too much…and he got ‘stout’ (just like his mom??). But, I always thought he was ‘ok’. I sure hope that didn’t lead to his legs
going bad…maybe it did. But, I just
always wanted him to be happy!!
Some of his quirks…included…his gait. As I said, they always thought his legs were ‘bad’
and that something was wrong…but, one day at the dog park…he was walking next
to a French Bull Dog…and they had the exact same hind quarters and the same
gait! So, I always thought he was part ‘Bull
Dog’. In fact, after all this time and
never really knowing what breed or mix he was…it was just the other day at the
dog park (his favorite dog park was the one at the old Fort Collins High School…off
of Peterson and Lake) that a gal told me that she thought he was a ‘Schnoodle’…part
Schnauzer, part Poodle. So, I looked it
up and I think that’s what he was!
Finally, I learned…a Schnoodle!!!
And if you look it up…it says they look like a living Teddy Bear. That’s what he was…my little stuffed bear
come to life!! Oh how I adored that dog…
He rubbed his face in blankets…always loved rubbing his face…especially
after eating for some reason…like he was rubbing his whiskers clean!?! He also loved ‘digging’ at the floor or a rug
for some reason. It was like he needed
to ‘dig at it’ to get it ready for him to lie down somewhere.
He loved peas! He’d
eat canned peas (of course the ones without salt!). It was one of his favorite things…along with
carrots, green beans and the occasional jicama!
He was a picky, quirky eater. Rotisserie
chicken from Sprouts was a favorite too... and it was his last meal.
Along with the dog park…we loved walking around the CSU
trial gardens there at Remington and Lake. And one thing I will always remember
was not only how much he loved the dog park and visiting the other dogs there…but,
how he had to visit EVERY person at the dog park and make sure they saw him and
petted him. He loved the people as much
as the other dogs there. On our last
visit there the Monday before he died…he ran…yes, ran with the other dogs. I’ll never forget it.
He lived with me in three
places…starting in Greeley. He went
through some traumatic things there with me there that some of you know about! L
But, also including a move to Fort Collins and into our favorite house…an old
charmer, near Old Town just north of the
CSU campus. That was his longest
residence. Oh…how he loved that house…the
big yard that he could dig in…and the fenced in front yard where he could bark
at and run up to the dogs walking by! Then
a move to a not-so-great condo…but, still got used to it and had a little
fenced in area that was ‘his’. He was
always ready for a walk. Always ready
for bed…just when I said it…he’d follow me in to the room. I always had to lift him…whether into the bed
or into the car. Oh…the car. What a buddy he was for me in my car. He rode with me EVERYWHERE…well, that is whenever
I ‘had’ a car…Dad’s Buick, my Lyft rental cars, my friend’s car that he let me
use…or my wonderful ‘new’ car that I finally was able to get! Thankfully, I got our favorite car…a Lexus
SUV…for his last few months on earth and it was perfect for him to ride in the
back. He rode with me on Lyft rides,
delivery jobs, trips to Denver and Palmer Lake to see my cousins. He was my riding buddy. I can barely get into my car now without him…wondering
where he was. It’s just not the same
anymore. One of our last outings was a
regular trip to Sonic…where we’d sit together and eat…I’d get him a Jr. cheeseburger. He loved our rides.
Lastly, he got to spend many days with my dear friend Carol
at her house…who at 90 years old…was gracious enough to allow me to bring him
there. He was a joy to her and she was
good to him. I’m so grateful that he
brought her joy…doing all of those quirky things…rubbing his face on her bed
runner…digging on the carpet (bad dog!)…and giving her unconditional love. He would eat his peas for dinner…sit by the
table and have a few scraps (mostly carrots and healthy things!). He was never a pest or problem...oh
occasionally he’d always be laying right where she needed to walk! And the walks there …oh…he loved walking in
her neighborhood so much. I’m so
grateful for this time we had there. One
more cute thing I’ll never forget…is how it was late at night when I’d leave
her house…and I’d have to wake him up to get him home. When we arrived home…my kitty kikki was
always there to come up to my car to greet us.
She’d try to love on Buddy…he just really didn’t know what to make of
her!?!
My angel is in heaven now. I am not able to understand why
he had to go…especially now at Christmas.
That dog was my everything…my best friend and constant companion. I almost took a Thanksgiving trip and was
trying to find someone to take care of him.
But, honestly, I didn’t want to leave him…not even for a few days. I’m so glad now that I didn’t. He and I had a nice turkey dinner
together. And I’m so glad that due to
this virus…I was able to spend so much time with him here at home. Even though he slept most of the time…we were
together… a lot. It meant the world to
me to have that time with him.
My mother recorded some of her piano playing a few years ago
before she passed. One song she included
was ‘My Buddy’…an old standard written in 1922.
I never heard mom play it very much…so, when I realized she had recorded
it…I was surprised…and thought…oh, you did this for my dog! Now, it takes on a whole new meaning and
bittersweet feeling. I lost ‘My Buddy’. Oh, please be there in heaven with my parents,
grandparents and my other dogs for me…PLEASE…
MY BUDDY:
Nights are long since
you went away
I think about you all
through the day
My Buddy, My Buddy
Nobody quite so true.
I miss your voice, the
touch of your hand
I long to know that
you understand
My Buddy, My Buddy.
Your buddy misses you.
I miss you…
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