Shu Shu

Back in 1990 when I was 18 and fresh out of high school (some of you stop groaning and thinking how young I am, the rest of you I am not that old, piss off) I got very ill with pneumonia and ended up in the hospital for 5 weeks. When I got out of the hospital, I got to go through therapy due to the trauma (been there, done that, got the white streak in the hair) and a demerol addiction. Part of my therapy suggestions was a pet. At about the same time I was thinking it over, a friend I worked with informed me that her boyfriend's dog was in labor. Off we went. I got there right after the first puppy was born, but I got to help with the second one and hold her as soon as she was born. I claimed her for mine.

I went every day to spend time with this new puppy and get her used to me and so I could get to know her before bringing her home. She was an absolute priss of a pup. I told my mom this and her name became Shu Shu. Because she was very very shu shu and all that implied. Hated getting dirty. Walked with one paw in front of the other which gave her a jaunty little bounce to her walk. She was always happy. If she had been human, she would have been the perfect blond cheerleader. She liked everybody. There were no strangers, only new people to love her. She is the only dog I have ever seen that didn't squat to pee. She launched her back end into the air and held herself on her 2 front feet and when she was done would walk a little ways forward before she ever set her back feet down. She took prissy to an extreme.

As a puppy, she loved marshmallows. She would eat them if you didn't watch her, until her little belly was big and round. Then she would lay on the floor and give little burps. She never begged for food unless you offered her a bite first. If you gave her a bite first, she would then sit at your feet and if you ignored her, she would reach her paw up to touch your knee then sit back down. She was never rude.

When T and I first got married, money was tight and we lived with his folks for about a year. My father-in-law does not really care for animals. He adored Shu Shu. He would carry her everywhere, feed her cheese and treats and get upset if she sat in anyone else's lap. She won him over completely. When she sleeps, she sticks her tongue out of her mouth and when you wake her up, it takes her a good 10 minutes to get that tongue back in. I have proof. Here she is getting woke up by the camera.



Such a princess. At the age of 9 years old she had her first littler of puppies and she was a champ at birthing. Once she got them out it was our turn entirely. Puppies are messy. She didn't do messy. The next year she had her last litter. Five years ago we had her fixed and at the same time had a golf ball sized tumor removed from her stomach. We didn't do a biopsy. She was 10 years old. If it was malignant, we wouldn't have put her through the hell of treatment, and if it was benign, why spend the money for a biopsy?

Last night at around 10:45 I held my baby in my arms, told her I loved her and watched her take her last breath. I cried. I am still crying. I don't know why pets get to us the way they do. I just know it hurts when they leave. My father cried when I told him. My father-in-law cried and dug her grave for her. Today she was buried and all of the family attended. This isn't normal and we have never gathered for any other pet. She was just that special to us. I'm not angry about her death because she had a very long full life for a dog. It wasn't unexpected because she has been spiraling down for 2 weeks now. I'm just going to miss her and her happiness.

Goodbye, Baby Girl.

P.S Dear God, I'm down. Please stop kicking me now, k? Thx.