Your Family pet.

That says it all really doesn’t it? Family. That’s what they are. Not just a pet.

I’ve had 5 wonderful rescue dogs since I was born. These were never all together, they were our close companions over the years.

Our first was Max, our little collie.

Our next little guy, (I say little, he was much bigger than Max) was Ben another collie. As lovable as he was feisty. Don’t get that wrong though, he just had a kick about him, but not a mean bone in his long haired body.

Along came Patch. *takes breath*. A blue merle collie. The fluffiest of them all.

Very soon came along Digger. A mixed Staff/Lab. Muscles for days but a gorgeous dopey attitude to life.

In 2008, our Nan passed away so I took responsibility of her little fatty Yorkshire Terrier, Elle Bear.

Every single pet named above was loved the same. SO hard. Losing every single one broke us, it tore us apart.

But this post is about our pet dog, Patch. Our latest loss.

I’ll always remember the day we went to the rescue ‘Viking Oak’ to check out some new dogs. We had not long lost Ben, and the house wasn’t a home without a pet. But we are dog people, they’ve such personality!

We asked to take a certain dog for a walk, just around the rescue so we could get a feel for if he was the boy for us. With seconds, he was ours. We knew it in our hearts. Out he came bolting along.
Silly little me, still a young teenager wore all white. A rainy day, mud everywhere, I still wore white. I’m sure Patch wanted to teach me a lesson, so as soon as I got a hold of his lead….

OFF WE WENT!

Yes, we. I went flying. Straight through the muddy puddles. Straight on my bottom. Straight to the biggest belly laughs!
I often get reminded of my first day meeting him, and it always reminds funny.

Well, that was it, he was the one for us. To live with us, you had to have a real character about you and he sure did. When Digger came along just a couple weeks later, we were greeted with even more character. Sadly, too much for each other.

Over the years they spent together, they were kept apart by the door between the kitchen and dining room. And indeed it was as much a pain in the bum as you can imagine.

A few times, they got to each other and it was nasty. How can two such awesome dogs dislike each other so much?

Anyway, we dealt with it. They both received so much love and were a huge part of our lives.

Some years later our Digger had a tragic accident.

Every day he would jump on the table to look into the garden. Nosey little lad he was. Perfect.
But, this time he jumped back off the table and sadly landed terribly.

I had just returned home with my little boy from the theatre one day when I received that phone call.

He had jumped and broken his back. An accident, but one that cost his life and our hearts. My brothers heart was shattered and to this day I know it is still broken. Digger was his dog you see, and his best friend.

As much as Patch didn’t get along with Digger, Im sure he missed his presence and that little nose up against the window.

The years went by and Patch was the only dog we had. Well, he lived with my parents but he was all of ours. Our furry little brother who loved to sit on your lap.

2018 was here and Patch suddenly grew old. What happened to the puppy that stayed young for 16 years? His 17th year seemed to make him frail. His back legs were going, his liver was failing. He was nearing the end. My heart is heavy while typing this but I feel I must.

Id received a phone call from my Dad one evening and he told me that he didn’t think Patch had long left. A month maybe, a couple of weeks at most. But he was deteriorating fast. Those weeks turned into a few short days.

I had to get to see him, hold his paw one last time. 

We packed up the kids, my camera and headed down to my parents home in Kent.

Patch was so frail, just standing took it out of him. Where was my boy? This old man was stood before me, looking up with me with desperate eyes.

He was so ready.

Dad picked up his lead and we asked Patch if he would come for a little walk with us on the back fields where he always went.
To my surprise, he got up. It’s as if he knew how desperately I wanted this last walk with him and my Dad.

It was slow, we took our time. It was a 1 minute walk usually but it took about 10 on that day.

The longest walk of my life.

I pulled my camera out and began snapping away. I was determined to capture his last day with me with forever photos.

As Patch stood, my Dad walked over to him. He got down on his knee and just like that, they heads came together. This part has me gasping, I remember the moment so vividly. It was raw, it was real. My boys stood in front of me showing real love.

These photographs weren’t about posing, they were memories.

I had to get a last smiling photo with him too, so I handed my camera to my Dad and got down to Patch’s level.

We headed back in and I knew I had to leave shortly so I laid with Patch on the kitchen floor. Our boys gave him one last huge and kiss, a finally stroke on his pretty little head and got in the car with my husband.

I needed some time with him, but as much as you think you would be able to get up and go after a few hugs and kisses, you can’t.

He was looking up at me, longingly. It was as if he was telling me it was ok and he was ready to go.

I laid with him for so long, but it’ll never feel as long as I’d like.

He had a hard start to life, he was found on the streets and obviously beaten. But he came into our lives and had nothing but love and a hell of a lot of sausages! Oh how he loved his sausages.

I told him how sorry I was that I couldn’t help him, that I couldn’t stop the pain but that I loved him so incredibly. We had him 15 years and he was a huge part of us, part of my children too.

The day he left us, I knew it. Before any phone call.

It was 10am and I took a huge gasp of air. I’m quite open to life and death even with a pet it seems (not out of choice) and feel it strongly.

I knew he was gone. He was now in his forever sleep. Our boy was now at rest.

Not long after, my dad called. ‘He’s gone’. Just as I thought. I sat on the stairs and cried. My husband was sleeping, I had people putting up the blinds in the lounge but I just sat and sobbed.

You were such a huge part of my life, Patch. More than a pet, you were a part of my soul. You got me through parts of my teenage life, through tears you gave me that little nose nudge and I fell into those eyes so deeply. Everyone who met you, loved you. Yes, even Malik!

As much as I know you’re out of pain, Id do anything for one last nose nudge and hug.

Goodnight Patch. We love you.