Christmas is for dogs

It’s almost that time of the year when, well, you know, kids of relatives come around and ask for their Christmas gifts.

Gorby, my now-famous Toy Poodle, was giving me a quizzical look the other day as I was listing down the names of people I have to give gifts to this year.

"It’s good you’re such an understanding doggie, you don’t ask me for anything," I say to him. "Except your favorite fried-chicken treat."

It is with Gorby that I share all my secrets. After all, he is my room companion. I talk to him all the time – most of the time he listens. But there are times when he prefers to come and lick my face (his way of telling me to shut up, perhaps) or there are other times when he closes his eyes and nods off to sleep.

"Wake up, Gorby, I’m not yet finished talking to you," I say to him. But that doesn’t work when Gorby is sleepy. He just goes right back to sleep.

As I was making my list I got to thinking about the year that passed. You know, so I can make a list of those who were nice and nicer to me. This way it makes deciding who-to-give-what-to a little easier.

And then it hit me.

Last Thursday would have been Yuri’s 10th birthday. Yes, Yuri my Mini-Schnauzer.

We put Yuri to sleep over two months ago. He was nine years old.

When I brought Gorby home early this year I thought that he would help bring back to Yuri the life that seemed to have left him. It worked for a while.

Yuri’s health just started to deteriorate faster than I could do anything to help him. And when I sensed that the pain was too much for him, I said enough and let him go. It was not easy to do. But I had thought about it over and over again. Each time we had to bring Yuri to the vet because of a sickness that could not be cured, my heart bled. And one day, when I saw Yuri could stand no more, I knew the time had come to say goodbye.

We were there when Yuri was put to sleep. I held him until he was no more. But I made sure that I left the other doggies at home because I did not want them to experience any anxiety seeing Yuri go.

We held a small funeral for Yuri and planted a plant with white flowers over his grave.

Yuri was a champion dog. Yep. He won second best in show at the PCCI dog show once. He also won all the best-in-breed competitions that I made him join and the best in group, too. Yuri started joining doggie competitions when he was six months, that lasted until he was about two years old.

Yuri sired one litter of six pups with Greta. I was hoping that he would have one more – but that was not to be.

Of Yuri I have only the happiest memories because he was an angel of a doggie. Yuri never complained, which is why it was hard for me to see him suffer so much when he was sick. He would quietly accept any medication or procedure that had to be done on him. The only way I knew it might have been painful was from the look of pain in his eyes.

I am sure that although Yuri is not with us this Christmas, like all pet lovers, I believe that Yuri is in doggie heaven waiting for me to meet him there.

Life goes on at least for now.

And then there was the Pug Bud whom I adopted from my sister-in-law. "He is very sick," she said. "I hope he will be OK with you."

We accepted Bud into our home. Again Gorby tried to cheer him on. But it was a very futile effort. Bud died a few days after he arrived in our home.

Two dogs gone in one year. How about that?

Christmas is here. Time for family and celebration.

I continue writing my list, although I have done no shopping yet.

Gorby watches, still wondering why I have not turned off the lights yet. It is late.

Maybe tomorrow.

Yup. Tomorrow.