Maggie the Cuddle Buddy Cat-dog

My family's dog passed away naturally while we were in town, so I was thinking of some memories with her.

 

When I was growing up, I always wanted a dog but my parents said No. We could only have small (short-term) pets. So imagine my surprise when I was in my first year at BYU and my mom tells me they inherited a dog from some friends... I lived at home that summer so I got to bond with Maggie. She was really a special dog, and I will tell you why. Usually I can't stand dogs - they are stinky and slobbery, and jump up and bark too much. But little Maggie did none of these things (with the exception of barking at the doorbell). I thought she was more of a cat-dog because she would always leap on somebody's lap and cuddle. She'd even sleep in bed with me whenever I was in town.

 

I like to think we had a special relationship. After that summer, I never lived at home again, but everytime I visited she would remember me and give me lots of attention. Probably because I treated her well, when my young brothers liked kicking her around! But they grew up too and had their individual special relationships with her. I think most of us just loved having a cuddle buddy.

 

Peter says when he came back from his mission (two years ago) he could tell Maggie was aging. I noticed last time we were here, a few months ago, how old she seems. She wouldn't cuddle so much; she wasn't active; she wouldn't bark at the door anymore. She just laid around. She lost color in her fur and all the hair fell out of her tail!

 

Over new years the past couple years we had been predicting how long she'll live. My dad exected her to be gone long ago. She lasted a good 12 years or so (we had her the past 8-1/2 years) and was never sick (my mom will say that's because they used the dairy-free dog food. As soon as they switched, she lost her stinky dog smell). She just passed away suddenly the way old people go in their sleep. I think that is sweet, so I am at peace with it.

 

(I have lots of pictures I can add when I get home but that will have to wait)