I’m going to start by saying that if one more person tells me that he was just a dog and that I can just “get another one” I’m going to give you a piece of my mind and it’s not going to be pretty. It’s taken me until now to even be up to writing this–as a memorial for my puppy. We buried him today. Writing this is therapeutic for me.

But for every person who lacks understanding there are people that get it. I appreciate those people. Thank you for checking on me, and sending me love. I’m doing a lot better today, but the last couple of days were hard. Especially coming home without him there to greet me and excitedly run circles around my feet.

July of last year I was out in field service when a guy dropped a box of puppies off in front of a gas station. All of the other ones were taken, but this little guy here was left alone.

When I first saw him I loved him. I put the whole box in the car and peeled off to get him everything he needed.

He was so tiny!

No collar fit, his belly was all bloated, found out later he had worms, so I had him treated. Discovered that he was much too young for puppy food and was still nursing. I was up for the challenge. When he came in the house, he stood up to the cat despite his size and let her know he was there to stay.

I named him Domino. Because of the three large, black spots on his back.

He was family. Next month he would have been 1 and gotten a big boy bone. He had grown so much!

Tuesday May 22, 2018 I routinely let him out, and after about 20 minutes he should have come back. He didn’t. I called to no answer. The next morning he still hadn’t appeared. I was optimistic about finding him soon but with the move to Atlanta approaching in 2 weeks I was still worried sick. I took off work and looked for him.

Thursday May 24, 2018 my neighbor found him. He passed away under my house.

Under my nose.

I’m stuck hoping that he at least heard me calling for him, to know that he was loved and I would never ever leave him like that. He didn’t deserve that. Not my sweet boy. I have no idea what happened to my poor baby and I was giving myself headaches trying to figure it out and getting nowhere.

I’m trying to be ok.

He’s buried in my yard with flowers set to grow, so that even in death he can still bring beauty to the world.