20/10/2025
My gorgeous Marley Bear 🐻
It’s only been a few days since we had to say goodbye, and tomorrow will be the start of my first week without taking you out on our walks. I feel so sad about that 🥺
But as I’ve been trawling through years of photos and videos, I’m reminded of just how much love, laughter, and occasional moments of beautiful chaos 😂🙈 you brought into my life, and it feels wrong to sit in the sadness when there’s so much joy to celebrate.
So I’m digging a little deeper to push this sadness aside to honour you, and all that you were, and always will be 💛
You were the chocolate boy I wanted for myself but couldn’t have (apparently two dogs was enough) 🙄
But through your rehoming, I gained a new best friend (your mum) and I got to walk alongside you for the next nine wonderful years 🤎
You always loved your walks and were always so happy when I arrived to pick you up.
When you were younger, you’d bark impatiently if I took too long to get you and your sisters on your leads. The longer I took, the higher the pitch of your bark. There were times your mum and I would cover our ears.
I had to stay alert to your little escape attempts out the front door and your daring dashes toward the main road 🙈. You loved the chase, but it really did give me nightmares 🫣
As you grew older, the barking and mad dashes stopped, but we had our new race, the one to get you home before your legs decided they’d had enough for the day.
And once we were back, you’d hurry me straight to the kitchen for your ham from the fridge… or chicken, in your later days.
You loved having friends, and you were always so easy to match with other dogs ❤️
Your relationship with my Wilson always made me smile; you really bonded with each other, though there was always that quiet rivalry for my affection 💙
In your later years, you became a little more selective about who you spent time with (a trait we developed together 😆), but you always wanted to walk, even on your tired or poorly days.
And even when long countryside walks turned into gentle dawdles to your local green, you still had that same excited, purposeful rush to the front door, even with sleepy bleary eyes and legs that hadn’t quite woken up.
You were the boy who made me question my competence as your dog walker, disappearing mid-walk more than once in hot pursuit of your beloved cat truffles.
I’d end up calling in a search party, your mum and dad, only for you to reappear just before they arrived, looking very pleased with yourself.
I learned quickly that off-lead walks near residential areas were a big no-no. And a cheeky side-eye signalled you were thinking of doing something you shouldn’t.
And of course, you were the boy who’d sneak a cat truffle unnoticed and then come and lick me… right on the face 🤢
You were such a huge part of my life, Marley Bear, and it still doesn’t feel real that you’re gone 💔
But when I walk your favourite routes, I know I’ll feel you beside me.
Thank you for every walk, every laugh, every cuddle, every cheeky side-eye, every little hole in my leggings, and every lesson in unconditional love.
You made my life brighter in so many ways, and I’ll carry you in my heart forever ❤️
I love you, Marley Bear 🐻
Now run free with Mags, my beautiful chocolate boys, and eat cat truffles to your heart’s content.
And don’t let Bella and Jess boss you about — there is always enough room on that sofa!
Until we meet again 🤎🌈
