This Week's Thoughts on Pets in Our Lives

Henry came into our lives just as our beloved Duke, a Huskie mix, needed to leave. Henry is a Poodle/Bichon mix who joined our pack at age six just as Duke's health was failing. Both dogs were rescues from local organizations, and both filled our hearts to the brim. Henry and Duke met at an adoption event and got along famously. When we brought Henry home, Duke generously shared his bed with him for the remaining three weeks that Duke stayed with us.

We shortly thereafter adopted Mikki, another poodle mix, at age two. We hoped that she would be Henry's companion for the rest of his life. We did not want him to experience any more loss than he already had. But fate reminded us that we cannot always control the future. A puppy mill dog with many challenges, Mikki only stayed with us for six years. We were hoping she would outlive Henry, but it was not to be.

Just over a week ago we had to let another rescue, Tina, go. She was fourteen, blind and deaf, arthritic, and came to us with kidney challenges and only two teeth. She was the sweetest bundle of poodle/havanese, head-strong cuteness one could ever hope to meet. We coddled, hand-fed and cuddled her to the extent she would allow. And every day, Henry gave us the space to care for her as she needed, even when it came to spending more energy on her needs than on Henry's.

Tina's time with us extended well beyond the few weeks up to a couple of months that anyone projected. Under our care, and with Henry's support, she lasted a little over a year and reached her fourteenth birthday with us. We had originally hoped to spare Henry more loss, however his resilient self bounced back yet again.

Henry the Handsome Hero is now fourteen himself. He acts like a four year old most days. He has just enough feisty to keep going strong and alternately delight and aggravate us! It's easy to lose one's heart to the ones that are needy. It's also easy to overlook the contributions the strong, resilient survivors give us.

Thank you Henry. You have taught us so much and we look forward to every moment we have left with you in our lives.