Callie with Bandit at the Cabin in 2006
Bandit was almost 16 years old - a doggie senior citizen by any standard. He had not been in the best of health, and when we were there in July we all kind of knew that Bandit wouldn't be around next summer when we came to visit. My dad is a dog person. We call him the "dog wisperer" - he has always had a way with canines, and he has always had one in his life. During my childhood we had Fubar the basset hound, Red the irish setter, Mia and Fritz the dachshounds, Snoopy the beagle. All have moved on to the great dog beyond, and now Bandit has joined them. I think about this as I listen to our "evil" chocolate lab, Ruby, bark in her crate (where she was sent for stealing Carter's burrito.)
TT
My dad called today to chat a bit and to let us know that his beloved dog, Bandit, died on August 8.
Bandit was almost 16 years old - a doggie senior citizen by any standard. He had not been in the best of health, and when we were there in July we all kind of knew that Bandit wouldn't be around next summer when we came to visit. My dad is a dog person. We call him the "dog wisperer" - he has always had a way with canines, and he has always had one in his life. During my childhood we had Fubar the basset hound, Red the irish setter, Mia and Fritz the dachshounds, Snoopy the beagle. All have moved on to the great dog beyond, and now Bandit has joined them. I think about this as I listen to our "evil" chocolate lab, Ruby, bark in her crate (where she was sent for stealing Carter's burrito.)
Knowing that Bandit was getting on in years, my dad dug a hole in the side yard, covered it up with a board, and waited. This was supposed to be Bandit's final resting place, prepared in case of a winter death when the ground was frozen hard. Instead, Bandit made one last trip up the hills to the little cabin in the woods with Dad and Sue. He died peacefully in his sleep in a place that he had spent many happy times. Dad told me he debated loading Bandit into the truck and bringing him back down to town to "his hole", but it didn't feel right. So he dug a spot behind the cabin and Bandit can rest there for eternity. It's a perfect place.
Of course, Dad has a new dog. He and Sue went down last week and got a border collie from the animal shelter. They named him "Stuckey".
TT
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