This isn’t a post I ever imagined writing. Ellie, my sweet, brilliant girl, this is for you.
You know how I always said, “When you go, I go?” Well, the truth is, a big part of me already did. Your canine cognitive dysfunction has gotten too hard for both of us. The spark in your eyes, once brimming with mischief and intelligence, has dimmed. It’s a cruel twist of fate that a dog known for her incredible mind would have it be the very thing to steal her joy.
Ellie, you were more than a pet. You were my adventure buddy, my confidante, the dog who helped raise countless puppies I was training (and even my own!). You were my demo dog, the perfect example of what a well trained Border Collie could be. But most importantly, you were my best friend.
This Saturday, April 6th, 2024, we say goodbye. It shouldn’t be this way. Lymphoma or kidney failure, those were the battles we thought we might face. But fate had something else in store. It feels so unfair, the cruelest irony of all, that your brilliant mind, the thing that made you so special, is what ultimately needs to be set free.
Words can’t express how much I love you. You’ve been the center of my world for so long. I don’t know how to go on without you, my furry shadow, my partner in crime. But I promise you one thing, Ellie: you’ll never be forgotten. The adventures we shared, the countless memories, they’ll live on in my heart forever, and the hearts of so many strangers you never knew, but who know you so well from my posts.
Run free across that endless doggy field, Elliebear. Chase sheep with boundless energy, your mind sharp and your spirit joyful once again. I bet someone is there waiting for you, ready to throw a Frisbee. That’s how I imagine an afterlife for you.
Until we meet again, my amazing companion. I’m going to feel so lost without you, but I know this is where our paths must diverge, with you leaving me for a better place, one with peace. I know this is where I must go on alone, no matter how hard it is, because it’s the last bit of kindness and love I can show you.
With all my love,
Your loving human (who will miss you more than words can say and has cried more tears than silly Alice, nearly drowning us all in them)
