Colonel Atwood

Yesterday morning I got up as usual to make coffee before I took care of the dogs. I let the dogs outside, but Colonel took 4 trys to get up falling back down 3 times. He finally made it. I had decided a few days before his days were limited and had been making him hamburger as a treat when the other dogs were eating outside. I made it again with garlic and melted some cheese on it. He would not eat it but finally did a few bites. I went upstairs, with tears streaming down my face and decided today should be the day. The appointment at the vet was for 40 minutes from then. I put Colonels dog bed in the car and got him into the car. I rode with Colonel in my lap. At the vets, I carried Colonel’s bed in and laid it down in the room. I sat down on the floor next to his bed and removed one of my shoes. (Colonel always liked to sleep with friends shoes and would often grab one when we came home to show you he was thinking of you. He never chewed them just recognized our sent.) I gave him a cookie and he put his paws across my feet on the floor of the Vet's exam room. I pulled my shoe up to be close to him. The vet came in and told me the shot would take from several seconds to a minute. I started telling him I loved him with his name and his nickname “my buddy”. After more than a minute the vet said his heart is still beating but faintly. Then Colonel took a big deep breath and raised his head up into my face looking into my eyes. He then collapsed. He always barked at birds and planes over the ranch and I called those intruders air space violations. He had lost over 60 pounds in the last several months and had arthritis in his hind legs. He was a big old boy that loved everyone. I hope there is a dog Heaven and he has a warm comfortable bed and now can eat hamburger.