Our yellow labrador, Titus Maximus, my husband and I on a walk, taken over seven years ago.
When a dog steals your heart
it becomes that kind of love
where a bond of mutual trust
is formed from the start.
It grows stronger through the years
and when it is his time
and your heart is filled with grief
you watch through your tears
as he’s quietly put to sleep.
You’re thankful for what you had
and the memories that you keep,
but now you say goodbye
after his last and final breath,
and when it’s time to part
you clutch his collar, leash and tags
like they’re pieces to his heart.
__________
Joyce E. Johnson (2015)
Paw notes: Our beloved yellow lab, Titus Maximus was ten years old when we had to have him put to sleep. He had a cancerous brain tumor that caused epileptic seizures with other deteriorating side effects. We got him when he was just an eight week old pup, and he was the most mellow yellow lab we’d ever seen, easy to train, and so loving and affectionate with everyone. Titus was the second lab we owned as we had a black lab once too before getting Titus. Blackjack became paralysed due to deteriorating hip dysplasia and arthritic joints. Although they both were not our only dogs owned through the years they all were very special and we have good memories of all. It never becomes any easier as time goes on when you have to make a difficult decision after they’ve lived a long time, then have to say goodbye and have them euthanized.
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