01/07/2025
I’m not really sure how to begin this post, but here goes nothing.
The outpouring of grief from the community was felt hard the last few days. Collectively you came together last year in many forms and gave me another beautiful 12 months with the boy who stole everyone’s hearts in his biggest hour in need. I was, still am, and will always be so humbled and grateful that so many of you helped. That was life altering for me in so many ways.
I have read every message both public and private and felt the love and support that’s come through. I appreciate every single person who’s checked in on me knowing how tough it is to lose your heart dog.
To the girls who have taken it upon themselves to donate to Sweet shepherd rescue on behalf of J-fry, thank you. While Jeff would of course have preferred that food be donated to his stomach, I can’t think of a better way to honor my boy than for another dog to be cared for. SSR made him an honorary GSD last year in his hour of need and successfully helped raise funds despite being a non government funded rescue and I’m so grateful for that.
The flowers I’ve recieved are beautiful with lots of people stopping in to offer sympathy and support. There’s too many to name but please know I am grateful for every single one of you.
When you own a pack, you don’t get to just fall apart and grieve. You spend the moments you can making sure the rest of the pack is as balanced as possible, because they too, are grieving the loss of their mate. You still need to ensure their needs are being met as best as you can in those moments. Boy energy bought structure to my pack and the girls are a bit lost without it understandably.
Tomorrow is not promised for anyone. We only have our dogs for a short time so the next time you think you’re too tired, can’t be bothered, are frustrated, want to give up, take a breath, step away momentarily to re-centre yourself and then go back and connect with your dog. There will come a day that you’ll wonder why you got mad at all the trivial little things like chewed up shoes and dirty marks on the walls you’ve cleaned 100 times. None of that matters in the end. All that matters are the beautiful memories you got to create with the most pure of beings that we get to call ours. That walk, that game of fetch, that obedience lesson where you looked like an absolute clown even though you’ve practiced eleventy billion times at home and your dog is solid on the command, that snuggle in bed on a winters morning, even though you feel like you’re being crushed by their weight and can’t breathe. Those are the things that matter.
I miss you my boy, most of all I’ll miss those moments on the bed where I got to open my arms and ask if you wanted to come and snuggle. Even on your final night at home, as uncomfortable as it might have been for both of us, you never denied me that privilege and I will always cherish it as our best memory in those early morning hours before you left me. I love you so very much.
From me and mine, to you and yours, it’s good night from us ###
