Saying Goodbye

We lost Buckeye to cancer on February 12, 2011.  Thankfully he had a very short illness and didn't suffer too much.  He was able to die peacefully at home in his bed (the morning of his appointment to be put to sleep), after we were all able to say goodbye to him.  Mark and I grieved terribly when we made the decision to have him put to sleep, but after he was gone we felt at peace because he wasn't suffering.  He had been on Prednisone (a steroid) for many years, and we had been told from the beginning that it would shorten his life.  We were thankful that we didn't have to make any decisions about treatments, etc. and that he went rather quickly.  

July 2010

The kids are doing pretty well.  They knew he was sick and we told him that he wouldn't be able to get better and would go to Heaven.  Cole was very concerned with who would take care of Buckeye in Heaven, so we started listing all the family dogs who would be there waiting for him, and also how he would be able to eat as much beef as he wanted (he was allergic) and chew grass (loved it!) without getting in trouble.  Buckeye never played with the kids very much - we would go for walks and play some in the yard, but he wasn't a very active dog.  Buckeye did take very good care of them and Cole and Kara knew that Buckeye would stand between them and any trouble. 

December 2009

April 2009

Buckeye was our 'practice kid' - we got him soon after we were married and had to learn to be responsible for someone else.  The house is empty without him, and I don't hear anyone knock on the door anymore (after 9 1/2 years of him barking at the slightest noise).  

He was a good dog and we loved him.

October 2006

Rest in Peace Buck