Dog Days Are Over

Well, I got some disturbing news today. Our beloved family Golden Retriever we got when I was in 6th grade is being put to sleep today. . She's 15 years old. That's 105 in dog years. ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE. According to my mom, she can't even get up to walk, and my dad usually has to carry her outside to take care of her business. She can no longer hold it anymore, so she's been having many accidents. If you know the Golden Retriever disposition, this is humiliating for them. It's very obvious she is in pain, and I think my parents are definitely doing the right thing.

I have been thinking a lot today about the good times I spent with Maddie. One of my more clear memories is the time I brought her up to Stillwater for a weekend when I was in college. It was still May, but summer break had started, and it seemed like every college student still around town was always outside doing stuff. Knowing I had one of the coolest, most "chill" dogs around that could do all sorts of awesome tricks, I decided to take full advantage of this. We went to a friend's house who lived right next to campus, where I knew all sorts of good-looking students of the male persuasion (certainly not as good-looking as my now-husband of course)walked/drove by. (I was a marketing major. The first thing you learn about success is LOCATION, location, location)! Maddie would never stray out into the street, she was too smart to do that. But she would go as close as possible, and go give kisses to anyone that gave her any attention. Let me just go ahead and sum this story up- thanks so my dear, friendly, outgoing, kinda flirty, childhood friend Maddie, I scored 3 (THREE!!!) phone numbers that day. So what if two turned out to be cousins (awkward), and the other was hiding a full-blown mullet under a Duke hat? Maddie was the best sidekick ever.

Maddie joined out family when I was going through the awkward middle-school age. Trying to figure out who I was, and where I fit in. I didn't know then that this was pretty much a life-long process.

She was there when I got home from every practice.
She was there when I got made fun of all through middle school for having "vampire teeth".
She was there when I got my first crush, and started using makeup for the first time.
She was there when the "Fun Group" came over every weekend my senior year of high school.
She was there when I commited to play softball at OSU.
She was there for my first party when my parents were out of town.
She was there when I came home from college for a night after a bad game or a rough exam.
She was there when I went through my first hard breakup with my college boyfriend.
She was there when I first brought my best friend Josh home to see good ole Mustang.
She was there when I still cleaned my engagement ring every night, and eventually my wedding band.
She was there when I brought my precious newborn baby to my parents.
And she was there last Christmas, when I said goodbye to her, knowing that it would probably be the last time I ever saw her.

I know everyone thinks their dog is the best dog ever, but Maddie definitely was THE perfect dog. I know that Macy- our 4-year-old Golden Retriever we got in Mesa, AZ right after we were married- will be just as great as Maddie was, because she used to imitate Maddie's every move. We always considered Maddie a part of the family, and I know that this was extremely weird to some of the people that came into our home.

All this being said, I think that the song "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence & the Machine is the perfect song for the day. I really don't know ANY of the words to the song, just the chorus and it definitely applies today. RIP Maddie, you were a great dog. I love you.

Maddie Tweed- Dec. 2 2005- Mar. 3 2011