Winston

We put Winston, my fifteen year old Brittany, to sleep this afternoon. Even though I knew it was coming it has still been a rough day. I think back on all the times we had together and cry, but also smile. He was a good dog and a great friend. I am blessed that he was in my life. I am thankful too, for, on more than one occasion, he probably saved my life as well. His presence made my decision to stay in Dallas. When things were rough, he was always there for me, and I tried to be there for him. In our front entryway, there is a thingamajig made of brass that he invariably bumped into these last few weeks when he was up. It was a way to let us know he needed something. Whenever I hear that again I will always think of him.



I shall use the rest of this entry to share some memories of him.


He came to me as a six week old puppy on December 24, 1995, a present from a girlfriend. I always said, "Got rid of the girlfriend, kept Winston." His first night with me was traumatic. I had to usher at Christmas Eve services. Barely had enough time to get a crate, a dish, and some dog food. When I came home early Christmas morning, he had left presents everywhere, so I cleaned up. We went to sleep on the couch.


He was very easy to potty train. I put a leash on the door and he learned very quickly that if he pawed at it, it was the signal to go outside. One time when I ignored the signal, he took it upon himself to use the bathroom.


Having a puppy in a 500 square foot apartment was a challenge. We took walks...long walks, sometimes up to five miles. Living in West Plano/East Lewisville there was plenty of room. We even walked on the Bush turnpike before it opened. We watched Fourth of July fireworks from the Bush bypass to the Dallas North Tollway one year.


Every morning I would wake up Winston would be sleeping on my feet.


While I lived in the apartment, I was spending one week a month in Maryland dealing with my father's estate. This meant Winston spent a lot of time at the Preston Royal Animal Clinic (where we took him for the last time today). He did not like being there and would bark the whole time and not keep down his food. They were as glad as he was when the trips to Maryland stopped and I moved into a house in Lakewood.

It was during the stay in Lakewood that the most frightening event occurred. The air conditioner was being worked on. The worker left the door ajar and Winston got loose. I was frantic. It was 5 pm and we lived near a busy street. I looked all around the house: no Winston. I went out to the garage to get in my car. Now the garage was in back of the house and as I went around to the driver side who should I see walking up the alley but Winston. We had established a walking pattern of going down the street to some vacant land and then coming back up the alley. This is what the purpose was, that he had a familiar pattern and would not get lost. Good boy Winston!

Another time (summer) the a/c was out (again!) on a weekend. When the temperature hit 100 degrees inside, it was time for us to check in at the La Quinta at Central and Meadow. He finally stopped panting and slept well.

Then there was the move to the apartment on McKinney. After living in a rental home for fifteen months, this cramped apartment was a change. And I started working, which meant he was confined for 14 hours a day. Walks were not part of the program since I was walking a route for the US Postal Service but Winston handled it admirably. Fortunately this was only temporary. When Cynthia and I became more than just friends, Winston and I moved into her house which had a nice backyard and a companion for him, Nicole.

One year Cynthia and I were hosting a garden party. Winston was confined to the dog pen. Somehow he got out and was standing by the gate waiting to be asked in. He went where the people were and not out the driveway.

At night while we were sleeping Winston would come into the bedroom and ask (woof) to be let up, which in my sleep I always let him do.

Finally came the day when Nicole left us. We were going to Houston two days later so Winston went to spend the weekend at Preston Royal Animal Clinic. When we brought him home, he raced through the house looking for Nicole.

He adjusted to Nicole's departure well. He welcomed a new companion in October, Frankie. Frankie was more of an alpha than Winston but he adjusted. He was beginning to show signs of age. His hips were weakening, he had lens luxation, and congestive heart failure. His diet became more specialized. He began to have panic attacks and sometimes aspirated. During one of these aspirations his tongue began to turn blue and we got him to the Emergency Animal Clinic in five minutes. There are no speed limits in an emergency. We found that rubbing his throat worked just as well. Eventually he lost his left eye but he adjusted. This past summer his right eye went blind and his world was the couch, the bed, his dish, and outside (where he had to be led by a leash). But as long as he was happy, we could deal with the various issues. By Thanksgiving we knew the time was short so we arranged for his last appointment with Dr. Cameron. We brought him in and said goodbye. When it was done Frankie sniffed him and then kissed him goodbye.