05/19/2026
From March 18, 2025:
HOW DO YOU SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR BEST FRIEND?
A little over 13 years ago, a truck loaded with 40 dogs arrived in a Walmart parking lot in Rhode Island. The first one off was a scruffy, skinny black dog named Harry. He came off the truck, and was handed to us, along with an envelope by the representative from Double Dog Rescue in Tennessee. He was full grown, a bit shy of two years old, and an emaciated 36 pounds. Harry kissed me that moment we met. The entire ride to his new home in Stoughton, MA, he had his paw on my wife’s shoulder. The first week, he was extremely quiet, and hid near his crate. He would go in there when his anxiety acted up, or when he felt uncomfortable. It was his safe space.
For awhile, we thought he might be a mute. He never barked or uttered a sound. He was tentative around food, but loved to snack on treats. Several times he dug his way out of our fenced in yard, and neighbors would ring the doorbell and ask if we had a black dog. When we answered “yes,” they’d point across the street to where he was running around. He seemed to love kids, and enjoyed their company. Our back yard looked like it had been bombed, with deep holes all around it. He’d dig until he found a root, and then he’d eat it. He’d eat pretty much anything that wasn’t tied down. He loved to run around the back yard, with a deflated basketball or football. It was impossible to get it out of his mouth. He loved to run---and even more liked to be chased.
But, often his only interest was food and treats. He once knocked a CVS bag off a shelf, and ate the contents (pills.) He went to the emergency room and had his stomach pumped. He went into my office (the door was shut and he somehow opened it) and ate a dozen dark chocolate bars. He went to the emergency room to get his stomach pumped.
His anxiety resulted in his eating parts of the dining room table and chairs, the kitchen floor and the kitchen cabinets. But, we discovered his endless hunger could be used for good! We took him first to Petco for training. Then to Petsmart. Both places told us he was very smart, and he learned to sit, roll over, lie down, stop, etc. I continued his education at home, and he learned to kiss on command, give high fives, stretch on demand, and so much more. Soon, he was winning contests, like Pine Hills Top Dog, and Top Dog on Cape Cod Fan Favorite. The winnings went to rescue organizations. It was win-win! I started a fan page for him on Facebook, and it reached 26,000 fans. And, they were rabid fans. His personality could go right through the computer or phone. His photos showed a ruggedly handsome boy, with an incredible personality. He captivated everyone he met in person, and on social media. When he had a total knee replacement around six years ago, he received over 500 cards, and dozens of gifts from 48 states! I couldn’t believe it. Made his rehab easier, as we gave him a new toy each week. His fans have written literally millions of messages since his page was created. They truly loved him. And, he knew it.
Meanwhile, he slowly became a huge part of our family, and my best friend. Our trips to the Cape Cod Canal drew fans to his favorite rock on the jetty. They thrilled in meeting him and having their picture taken with him. He was an ambassador for our newest home, in Sandwich on Cape Cod. He would literally greet tour buses with dozens of seniors, and charm each of them! An assisted living facility in Stoughton gave him a ribbon, and their thanks when he came and high-fived a lineup of women in wheel chairs. Harry delighted at meeting people, particularly seniors and children.
In addition to his deflated balls, his favorite toy was a peanut that you could insert treats into! He would literally throw that---and a treat ball—at us repeatedly to refill. Like a child who wants a story read again and again endlessly, Harry’s peanut was a similar story.
Harry loved to go on rides with dad. It didn’t matter where we went. The Canal was one of his favorites. So was the East Sandwich game farm, where he met dozens of old friends, and could be off-leash running, and chased by his pals. He loved going out for ice cream. Soft serve vanilla was his flavor of choice. He loved rides so much that I purchased a hybrid car, so I could leave the AC and radio on when I did errands. He was so happy to listen to the radio, eat treats, and have a cold water bowl.
Harry had an amazing personality. He was warm and open to meeting new people. But, there were certain people he didn’t like. And, he let them know. He was a very good boy at discerning nasty people. If he liked you, so did I.
Those who followed his page knew he could be naughty. He once broke into my office, knocked over a waste basket, and ripped up everything in it. When I came home, he proclaimed his innocence. He dug his way out of the backyard in East Sandwich, too. Like in Stoughton, we had to secure UNDER the fence, too. He loved the gang at Halloran Park in Stoughton, a mix of some of his favorite humans and dogs. Most are no longer with us.
They say dogs Harry’s size (he grew to 72 pounds) have a 12 year life expectancy. He would have been 15 in June. So, I should be happy I had over 13 years with him. Since we discovered he had a malignant and fatal tumor, I reminded him numerous times each day how much he was loved. His mom did, too. And, his brother even traveled many hours to say goodbye. Harry was a big black bundle of love. He will live on inside my memory and my heart forever. But, you never get over losing a best friend. It’s the most pain I’ve felt since I lost my father in 1981.
So how do you say goodbye to your best friend when he crosses over the Rainbow Bridge? You hug him, and kiss him, and tell him he’ll always be with you. And, you hope and pray that one day you end up in Heaven, and all the dogs and people you’ve ever loved are there to greet you.
