Social media.  Who knew way back in 2006 when I first started blogging that I’d meet so many people.  Who knew when I stumbled across a blog about an agility dog down in North Carolina that one blog would lead me to other dogs with blogs, and their wonderful owners.

The years slid by with warp speed and, inevitably, some of my favorite dogs have grown old and ill or suddenly (at least to me) moved on to their next adventures on the other side.  So many dogs.

I was thinking about some of them this weekend as my friend Ellen struggles with the terminal cancer of her second ‘Merle Girl’ Boost.  She lost her Tika just last month and now faces the loss of another sweetie.

It’s almost too much to bear, and they aren’t even my dogs.

I was lucky enough to meet the three of them a couple of years ago.  We even got to go for a walk and I felt honored to hold Tika’s leash while Ellen took some photographs.  After reading about them for so many years I felt like I was in the company of celebrities.

And now hearing the tragic results of Boost’s tests my heart breaks for Ellen.

I think back to all the great dogs I’ve been lucky enough to get to know, even a little bit, here on the internet.  Sarah’s Misty; I cried all day the morning I read she had been set free.  Most of you remember Honey the Great Dane who danced with her mom at competitions and how sad we were when she had to go.  Eva’s mother Hana who left Eva when she was just a puppy, way too soon, and Dog Dad’s Deacon and Essex  the collies who had to go early as well.   And of course recently Katie’s Maizey and Debi’s Norwood.  Heartbreaking, all of it.

There are more, so many more, and all of these losses make me very sad — but the sadness never cancels out the joyous fun of knowing them in the first place.  And as Ellen herself said many years ago, if you hang out in a world filled with people and their dogs you’re going to face heartbreak.  But she says, and I agree, it’s worth it.

Katie the sheltie-girl puts it succinctly.   “We are only promised today, mama, let’s go to the park!”

 

Good advice sweetie.  And while we’re there we’ll take a moment to send good thoughts out to Ellen and her Boost.