03/31/2026
Boots
My husband and I obtained this silly, playful and loving Teacup Poodle mix back in April of 2008. My Shar Pei/black lab had passed away, and I didn’t think I could ever love another dog again because the pain of losing her was unbearable. My mother in law’s neighbor had puppies and when they asked her if she knew anyone who could take in a puppy, she immediately thought of me. My husband wasn’t sure I was ready, but I was invited over there, when unexpectedly, the neighbor Julie placed this little gray puppy in my arms. She went on to tell me that her name was Boots and she is mine. I looked down into this adorable puppy’s face and the rest is history. She brought us an immeasurable amount of love and joy into our home for an amazing 18 years. I have never had a furry family member live as long as Boots. She absolutely loved playing with her toys. She could play for hours on end. She would play alone, or come up to me and “strongly suggest” that I engaged with her in a game of tug-of-war. (Her favorite game) Naturally, I would let her win almost always, but I made sure she earned it and she absolutely loved this. Her boundless energy was fascinating to witness because she did so well into an advanced age. She would destroy her toys, so I started buying her unstuffed toys, or toys that were not able to be destroyed. She was strong for a little dog and I believe she thought she was much larger. She started slowing down a couple of years ago and her Vet believed it was likely that the hard lumps near her throat were cancerous. Unfortunately, they were too close to her jugular and Vargas vein to be removed, especially at her advanced age. She still lived an extra two and a half good years before losing her hearing and a good portion of her eyesight. She started losing interest in her toys, but never lost her appetite. The excruciating decision to let her go came when we noticed, although her appetite was still strong, she grew very weak and could barely walk. We also learned that the cancer likely spread into her intestines, which explained the massive weight loss. We said our tearful goodbyes, Wednesday, 3/18/2026. I miss you so much baby girl! I believe all dogs go to Heaven because they are so full of unconditional love. Thank you for 18 beautiful years together, Boots. ❤️
