09/02/2022
I had to put my dog down today.
We knew it was coming for the a while but it still hurts. She was around 16. She was a rescue so we never knew her exact date of birth.
Her name was Poppy and she was a mix breed with whippet, collie and a little bit of Doberman. Or at least that’s what the vet figured out. There is no Labrador in her despite what everyone thinks. She liked to run around in fast circles.
I want to share some photos and memories with you.
My mum chose her from the shelter because she had big brown eyes and was so quiet but when we brought her home we became known as the house with the barky dog. She was infamous with posties, many newbies being told about her. She didn’t bite. But she loved to bark up at the window as they delivered the post.
Our house is on a corner so the back garden faces one street and the front faces another. The dog would run through the house from the back gate to the front to try and see the people walking past. Children would race her from time to time. Now and then you’d hear someone say Oh Poppy, it’s only us! As they walked by.
She was a nervous dog. Whenever she spent time in the kennels she had to be moved to the quiet area because she would stress too much. She loved the kennels though because she got extra long walks and got to role in mud and dead animals. She would stink for weeks afterwards which meant her nickname became Poopy. A nickname she would always respond too.
She was the nosiest of neighbours watching everyone from the living room window. Obsessed with our neighbours across the street. Anytime one of them opened the front door, her ears would perk. I always wondered what she thought about them.
We didn’t properly train her, she knew a few commands but it was always just the basics. However we did unintentionally train her to tell us when the washing machine or tumble dryer was finished or when a gate had been left open in the garden.
The latter of those skills was a later in life event as when she was young she was quite the escape artist though a dumb one. She was always my idiot dog. She could have easily squeezed through gaps in our gate or jumped it but no. Only if it were left open would she run. And it would be to give herself a walk or have you chase her. It stressed us out that game, she loved it.
One time when my Grandpa was healthy, he had been looking after her and lost her in the woods. He searched for her for three hours before deciding to return to his house, preparing himself for the difficult phone call to my mum to explain what happened. When he got back to his home however, Poppy was waiting, tail wagging sitting on his doorstep. She’d found her way back and apparently was mighty pleased with herself.
A couple of weeks ago, she had escaped. It wasn’t the manic kind from when she was a puppy, it would seem she really had just tried to give herself a walk. She had even started to make her way back to the garden when she spotted me and bolted. I caught her. She hadn’t been as fast as she used to be.
Poppy loved to catch rabbits. We live near farms and so she’d often catch them on walks. Unpleasant for us but she was always pleased with herself. The farmers liked that though. Helped protect their crops.
She wasn’t just my mum and I’s dog. Whilst she hated dogs, bad experiences and too nervy to socialise, she loved humans. My best friend was there the day we got her and would always be around to help and play with her. One time she spent hours trying to train her to sit. The dog would lie down instead. We couldn’t stop laughing. We know she knew how to sit. I can’t help but think the dog just wanted to annoy her.
My dog has seen me through breakups, lost toys, parental divorces, ill grandparents, exam stress, death etc. She didn’t like crying, would walk away whenever I was sad but once I calmed down she’d always sit by me.
She had seen me through the good times too, weddings, new siblings, friendships etc. She especially liked when I had new friends as it was new people to give her food from the table.
Throughout this whole thing I keep dipping in and out of present and past tense because it’s still weird to me she’s gone.
I love her. And it’s so quiet without her.
I miss her so much.
She was an idiot.
She was my idiot.
Poppy ❤️
