CHAMP

      We don’t know when Champ was born… only that he came into our lives about twelve years ago. Where he came from, no one knows. Why he came to them, we all know. It was to love and be loved. To protect them from harm, to be a companion to them.

      There had been numerous pet dogs at their home prior to Champ’s arrival, some purebreds, and some just plain puppies. For one reason or another, none stayed a long time.

      Champ was not a puppy when he came into their lives, but a grown dog. A dog that had been injured or born with a birth defect that affected a back leg. His handicap was most noticeable when the weather was cold.

      There are so many happy memories that will always be a part of their lives. I learned to love Champ because of his friendliness toward me. Could part of that have been because of my habit of carrying scarps from my home to share with him? No, Champ was just that kind of pet.

      Although Champ was friendly to most people, he as a great watchdog. Should someone come near their property, he would begin that certain barking that would alert Heather, Bob or the children to that fact. He had a different bark for people than the one he used when barking at an animal. Heather and the children were never afraid to be alone when Bob was away. They knew that their protector, named Champ, would keep them safe.

      Last fall the signs of old age and approaching death began to show on Champ. As the colder months came upon him, the family made special provisions for him (and the family cat, which also had a disability.) A lighted area in the garage was fitted with a warm blanket on which they could sleep. On the really cold days and nights, an electric heater was placed nearby to keep them comfortable.

      When Champ came to the point of not wanting eat the dog food that was provided each day for him, the family began preparing special food for him. Patsy would prepare beef bullion, a soft scrambled egg, or maybe a raw egg. Heather saw to it that there was plenty of fresh water as well as the special foods that she, too, would cook for him. No matter how hard they tried, Champ continued to waste away.

      Finally, on the 10^th of February, Champ left his bed in the garage and made his way toward the road where he had spent so many days, watching, guarding the property. Death came to him as he lay near the spot that he would be when the family returned home after a day at school, work, or at play. It was as if he wanted them to remember him as their guard dog, not a patient that needed their care. So, that afternoon, Champ pulled his last tour of guard duty.

      Heather found him near the driveway, and though her heart was broken, she went about the chore of lovingly preparing him for burial. After wrapping him in a blanket, she loaded his little body in the back of the Mule so she could carry it to the gravesite she had dug. She chose a spot near a tree where he would be protected from the afternoon sun, but could be in the morning sun. That was what Champ like to do. Enjoy the sunshine.

      Each family member grieved in his own way – Heather with open tears; Tommy with reserved sadness and Patsy grieving alone over the body of her beloved Champ. She placed a photo of her and Champ underneath his front leg, indicating that a part of her would be with him wherever it is that dogs go when they leave this earth. Champ would forever be watching over her. Heather, in the fashion of Hardee women, spoke to the lifeless body, admonishing him to go on into Heaven, find her daddy and be healthy in a perfect body. Bob does not openly show his emotions, but he, too, felt a loss in the passing of this pet.

      Memories that I have of Champ include how he would stand by my car after I had pulled into their driveway, waiting impatiently for me to get out of the car. All the while, he would be wagging his tail in that fashion of his, and hitting it on the side of my car. Heather told me that as he walked down he hallway in the garage which lead to the attached living area, his tail could be heard, thumping on the wall.

      It was not unusual for Champ to run beside, and them behind, a family vehicle as someone was leaving the house. He would follow along until the vehicle reached the next driveway a quarter of a mile down the road. Then he would slowly make his way back to his home where he would patiently wait for the family members to return.

      Although he was well provided for with ample food at home, he had this habit of going over to Grandma’s to see if she had put out any scarps for him. And usually she had.

      Last year when Patsy and Tommy became owners of a couple of little kittens, Champ grudgingly became their friend. Something happened to Patsy’s cat, but Tommy’s cat, whom he had named “Lightning” continued to try to follow Champ around. When Champ became ill this winter, he welcomed the cat to share his bed. They became dear friends, keeping each other warm.

      February 10^th will be a day this family will remember for a long time. But, more than that, they will remember the twelve wonderful years that Champ shared with them.

      Thank you, Champ, for bringing so much joy and happiness to my family.