We knew that this day would come - but it is never easy when it does. Our 16 year old Black and Tan coonhound has reached the point where we need to say Goodbye.
She has been a part of our family for nearly all of our married life. She has been a wonderful companion, guardian of the house when we are not home, and a play pal to our cat. Sarah was easy going, laid back, and as kind and gentle as they come, and she has never started fight - but she wouldn't back down from a fight and was able to defend herself when she needed to and never came out of the fight a loser. She has traveled with us and was always a welcome guest at other folks homes, we have gone camping, canoeing, hiking....to family reunions....she was family!
She was unbelievable trusting, and would do anything I asked her to. She really didn't like being in the water, and one day we were swimming in the pond and she was hanging around on the edge. I had a big piece of styrofoam left over from our house construction, and I floated it up to the bank and asked Sarah to get on. She walked onto the styrofoam and I floated it out into the water. She just stood there calm as can be....and even repeated it later in the day so we could take this photograph of Sarah on her "iceberg"!
Our cat absolutely adores Sarah, and from the first day the 80 pound Sarah could play gently with the 10 week old kitten. Whenever the cat sees Sarah he runs up and greets her.
Sure.....Sarah had an issue occasionally....just like any family member. Her right ear was a constant battle to keep from getting an infection, and it is a battle that we never really won. Sometimes she would drool without boundaries - but she had a couple of acres of underground fence boundary area and we could evict her from the house when the salivary glands were hyperactive.
It is a sad day in our lives - but Sarah has given all the love she can, and has even provided us years of "bonus time". Her breed is only supposed to live 10 years, and all her siblings passed away years ago.
She is going to be missed.....she was a big part of our family.