Lessons In Love From A Dog Mom

I still have trouble talking about Pookie’s last moments. Pookie was my 11-year-old beagle who was taken too soon. We knew he had back pain but didn’t know he had a mass on his heart.

Any dog parent would say they weren’t ready for their pup to pass, but this is definitely the truth in my case.

Pookie left us 2 years ago this September but I still break down when I see someone grieving the loss of their pet or if I tell the story of his last moments. I feel the heaviness in my chest again like it was September 2014.

Even though I’m now a beagle mom to two precious mini beagles, my life is forever changed because of my baby Pooks.

Here is what I’ve learned:

• You can never take too many pictures. After Pookie’s passing, (I still can’t say the D-word) I immediately flipped through all my phone pictures. I took so many random videos of his quirks and dirty looks. How many people catch their animals giving them a mean side-eye? I am forever thankful for this. Now my 2 beagles are frequently featured on  Snapchat or they’re hogging up space on my camera roll.
• They are sometimes more present than the adults in our life. I have deeply mourned the loss of family members but brushing my teeth didn’t bring back memories of grandma. It reminded me of Pookie. He sat near me everywhere I went. If I vacuumed, he was chasing right behind me. Even though I sleep next to my husband every night, I noticed the absence of a snuggling puppy against my legs.
• I appreciate my time with my pups more now. The beagles may make frequent appearances with their playlist on Snapchat but I really work on being present when I’m walking them. Every walk makes me think of Pooks and I regret not taking him out more. When I first lost him I would have given anything to be next to him after a long day. The house felt extremely empty without him. I remember those difficult days and now I make sure to put my phone down for their favorite tummy scratches. Does anyone else notice their pet’s jealous or sad faces when they’re preoccupied with a phone or laptop?

Their unconditional love and insane excitement when you come home is priceless. On National Dog Day I want to send my love to puppy heaven and thank my husband for finding the two perfect pups for our family. Spend some extra time with your pet today and don’t forget to catalog all your pictures!

What lessons have you learned as a pet parent?