Bailey
“Didn’t you want a dog?” was my best attempt at changing the subject. That was my response a decade ago when my wife asked if we could start trying for kids. At that point in my life I didn’t even want to have plants because watering them was too much responsibility. Kids? Let’s see if we can handle feeding a dog first. So, we got Bailey.
It would take quite a while to share all the things She taught me. I had no idea I would learn to, without hesitation, stick my hand in a dogs mouth to remove whenever she just picked up, even if it was petrified dog poop from the prior renters pet. Yup, that was gross.
She was completely sweet through us having kids, and she put up with so very very very much. Bailey’s ears are made of the softest material on earth (those who have felt them will agree) and even when they were the subject of a toddlers firm yank she never bit back.
Jump forward to now. Two kids in and we’ve moved almost a dozen times. San Diego, San Francisco, Pennsylvania, and so many road trips in between. Bailey has been there for all of it. At last count she went coast to coast with us at least ten times, more than most humans ever will.
People would still ask how old the puppy is. Her eleventh birthday would have been next month.
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Last summer I returned from two months in Mexico to news that she was not well and had weeks to live. When I say I returned to this news, we literally went from the airport to the vet and got the bad news. We were beyond devastated.
There was this one memory I had that got me the most. Back when we were talking about getting a dog, I remember looking up life expectancy of breeds and having a conversation with my wife about what a commitment this was. To emphasize the significance I remember saying “I’m going to have this dog when I’m 40” which is a big deal when you’re still in your twenties. So last July I was 38, and when I got the news all I kept thinking was, “she was supposed to be here until I was 40” 😢
Well we changed her diet and put her on medication and doggie acupuncture and we managed to get 9 more months. I had a birthday, we’ve had multiple camping trips, and even some trips to the beach which she has always loved. Her specialty was digging in the sand yanking both of her front paws back simultaneously like she was a long snapper.
Sunday we took her to the vet because we knew something was wrong, and of course got the news we didn’t want to hear. She was in pain so the time had come. We should have been better prepared since we knew she was sick, but we weren’t. Even our son had things planned. “I really wanted her to be alive for Halloween” he said. Hearing that had me ugly crying faster than I thought was possible. I asked what she was going to be and he said Swiper (from Dora) or a trash can because she gets into everything. I guess to a five year old those two things are interchangeable.
We took her home for one last night together. Monday afternoon we returned to the vet and she passed peacefully.
They call Vizslas velcro dogs. They’re loyal, affectionate, and loving. Bailey was all that and then some. I’m incredibly grateful for the many years we spent together, for all the adventures and memories, and that my twenty something self was not yet ready for kids. Bailey was a great teacher, companion and friend. We will miss her dearly. Rest well sweet girl.
P.S. A note from Tuesday morning: first thing that sucks about not owning a dog, when your 5 year old son spills yogurt all over the kitchen floor you can’t just say “Bailey” and have it all cleaned up.
