Willow

Willow & her hula hoop :)

2 Weeks Old

4 Weeks Old

This blog was momentarily delayed by a little puppy named Willow.  My poor husband has wanted a bigger dog for quite awhile.  He wasn't feeling very manly in a house full of girls and a miniature dachshund.  Lucky for us he had a coworker who breeds purebred labs.  We've known for months that puppies were on the way.  When they were two weeks old, we met all 9 for the first time.  From the first day Makinley and Willow were BFF's.

6 Weeks Old

 Roxy & Willow

 My Mom radar was going off even the first day we had her.  I couldn't put my finger on it, but something wasn't right.  Her symptoms progressed.  She at times acted blind, disoriented, clumsy, would cry, and the last week also started to lose weight.  She wouldn't eat or drink the last day while we waited for her blood work.  It was heart breaking.  She was supposed to be Jason's dog but I was the one getting up with her, training her, holding her when she had one of her episodes, and even when she was having a really bad time, she always responded to my voice.  She was my baby.  She was my future body guard and running companion.  She was the sweetest puppy we have ever had.

Saturday morning we got the call from the vet that the best thing we could do would be to euthanize her.  Her blood work showed many abnormalities.  Photos and video I took over the course of having her also confirmed the worst.  Surgery and food could be used to treat her condition but she could end up having numerous surgeries with the possibility of zero change.  He said she would never be a normal puppy/dog.  With her losing weight so quickly, the vet just didn't see things ending well.  She was born with a shunt condition that caused her many symptoms.  This may have been because she was the runt.  Usually this is a condition they see in smaller breed dogs.  Seizures would have been next.  As a family we decided to take her in together.  We were with her every step of the way.  The girls and I were constantly touching her and talking to her.  Makinley finally had to go sit with Jason as she quietly left us.  We brought her favorite blanket to bring her home in.  After a weekend of tears, Willow is buried in our backyard underneath my willow tree.  Our hearts are broken and our home is very quiet without her.

With all her special issues I feel like I haven't slept in 3 weeks.  She was totally worth it.  I can't believe she was only part of our family for that long.  I know this isn't running related but I thought you all would like to know why my Seattle RNR Race Report has been delayed.  We got her the day after :)  I am now working on 2 race reports and prepping for the Spokane to Sandpoint Relay that is coming up in August.

Stay tuned...heart mending in progress.