A Letter to My Seamus

My boy Seamus,

Thank you for being my dog. My dog. It is really hard to say, "Goodbye."

Yes, you weren't the perfect dog. You were a chatty corgi, barking at everything. And your bark was loud. People could hear you down the street. The girlios took your lead and learned that if they nagged at Mom long enough they got what they wanted. "SIT WITH ME. RIGHT NOW. RIGHT NOW. I SIT ON THE LEFT." "IT'S 4:30 PM. DON'T YOU KNOW I EAT AT 5:00 PM." So so annoying, but when you made that noise like Chewbacca it was hard not to smile. "Rrrroooooh!" Your face was so expressive. The Lord gave you eyebrows, and you could work 'em.

A sweet face

I remember when we brought you home. You spent your first few months in a house with no stairs. As you walked into our home with stairs up and down off the landing you looked so confused. The stairs have always been a little weird for you with your wacky back and wiggly hips.

When we first got you I would read my Bible on the sofa and you would crawl up on the pages snuggling in pressing your nose leaving your watermark. You were known for laying on any object that was on the ground. Anything. Paper. Socks. Jackets. During a Pampered Chef party at my home you laid on the folders on the floor.

You loved the girlios, letting them lean, hug and play with their friends.

I am sorry that you never got to eat at the pace you wanted. Winnie always had your food in mind and in sight. She wouldn't even let you by the kitchen table. I loved being able to give you empty peanut butter containers. I am sorry that you didn't enjoy riding in the car. I am sorry that you never liked anybody touching your paws. I am sorry that someone left the gate open twice, and you wandered away. Winnie came right to the front door, but you followed your nose. The second time a man picked you up and you were exchanged from car to car. The first time I rode my bike looking for you, and when you saw me you ran to me full of energy and excitement. "Mom, I found you!"

No candy for you!

You were picky about your water bowl though. We have three water bowls inside and one outside. You liked your water fresh too. Once, the water bowl upstairs was empty, and you pushed it down the stairs to let us know it was empty. Many years later you learned that same pushing motion would let you out the screen door. An old dog learned new tricks. It was so much better than that time you ran into the screen door.

With other dogs you were dog aggressive on walks, protecting the family. However, you always waited for the dogs in neighboring yards to come out so you could 'chat' with them. Taking running leaps off the deck eventually wore on your little legs, but in your youth you could catch flies and dragonflies in the air. You never really got the hang of catch as you always let Winnie have the ball and barked the whole time. It only took about 20 throws to wear out corgi legs. When Winnie got tired, you refused to play. Such a funny pair.

Winnie and Seamus

You never liked to go to a kennel. As a nervous dog, you would suffer for days after your return. When we moved into our current house, we put you in the kennel for the move but not for the packing. You were always nervous when we packed, even for vacation. The first morning in our house my husband woke up to you throwing up next to his head. You threw up four more times. I'm so glad we never changed the carpeting before we moved in. We tried to have house sitters from then on.  Just for you.

Thank you for being our weather dog. You were more predictable than the Weather Channel. Six hours before a front came through you would be in your kennel. The kennel was your safe place. After barking at company, hearing loud noises, while the girlios practiced piano and through storms, the blue box was your haven.

Stretching out your spine

When we took obedience class together, you graduated at the top of your class. The instructor told me during one of the classes, "You know he just wants to please you." Yes, you did. Early on you slept intermittently on the bed, but as the years went on your place was at the end of the bed. At night you would stretch you spine out along my leg and your breathing and warmth would calm me, especially on those nights my anxieties got to me.

When the girlios took their naps, you took one with me. Since B was gone, you would sneak up and take his spot by the pillow. You were sneaky on the sofa too. Though you preferred the left, when someone got up you took their warm spot. Especially when you licked a huge spot on your side. Stinker. Thanks for taking one last nap with me yesterday. The girlios have their lovies. You've been my lovie for years. There will be a void when you are gone.

My sweet drooly boy

I am sorry you got sick. I was hoping my boys would meet each other, but it wasn't meant to be. Thank you for 12 years of service. For 12 years of faithfulness. For 12 years of love. I hope we've loved you well. We will miss you. We miss you already.

Good Night Sweet Prince.