My dog.
No cartoon from me today. Here’s the reason for my silence:
We called him “Wasnum.”
The difficulty that my dear late Grandma had remembering names – coupled with her sing-song Welsh brogue – left her applying a single moniker to her various acquaintances: “Wasnum,” or “whatsisname” in English. I thought that would be the perfect name for a pound dog.
He was on death row when my wife and I adopted him in the summer of 1999. A large Shepherd/Great Dane mix, with dark brindling that must have been exactly what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had imagined when writing “The Hound of The Baskervilles.”
“That one’s vicious” was what the warden snarled – But Wasnum was simply a smart dog, who was afraid of a place that reeked of “end of the road.”
He came home with us because with his looks, we felt he might not get another chance, and he rewarded us by being the most gentle dog I have ever known. As with all dog owners I have some wonderful stories to tell about Wasnum. You should’ve seen the look on UPS drivers’ faces when they delivered to our house. Packages were often hurled into the shrubbery by a sprinting deliveryman, followed by the panicked beep-beep and transmission whine of the rapidly reversing brown truck – As Wasnum looked on, utterly puzzled. And because he was a big dog, I can regale you with an equal number of stories that would illustrate what a pain in the rear he was at times. When he lifted his leg on one of our boxwood bushes, it would wilt, and die within the hour. And you should take a look at my hardwood floors. Yet when our two daughters came along, he lovingly tip-toed around them, and treated them as gingerly as any parent.
Yesterday at about 1pm, when we were preparing for my daughter’s seventh birthday party, Wasnum lay down on his bed in the warmth of our sunroom and took a nap, from which he never awoke. He had been sick for about six months, but nothing prepared us for finding him lying still on his bed yesterday.
For all of you with dogs, give them a scritch behind the ears from me.
And for all of you that don’t have dogs, but want one…Go to the pound and rescue one please. Do it for Wasnum.
This entry was posted on Monday, August 13th, 2007 at 12:52 pm by Matt Davies.
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I'm so sorry for your loss. He sounds like he was a great dog.
Being an animal lover and having lost pets over my lifetime, I know how you feel and share your pain at the loss of a beloved furry friend. They are unconditional love in the purest form. Thank you for giving him some good last years. Rest in peace Wasnum.
yes, my beagle is the same way. he leaves his mark everywhere and other times nothing. its him imposing his will on us. and we still love him anyway. and I had gotten him from the Hudson animal shelter. he's going strong and stubborn as the day is long. But he barks and loves and protects us.
However, we had 2 ferrets and this past year.
my sympathies for your loss. and omn a note ; wow he looks like a dingo! or a tazmanian tiger.. ;-]
Thanks so much for your thoughts, everyone. It has been tougher than I expected it would be. My kids are having a hard time with the idea that he can't come back. Truth is, I am too.
And Steve, I had someone else tell me he looked like a Tasmanian Tiger once! Is there really such a dog?
I am so sorry for your loss.
You gave this dog a second chance at life, and he blessed you and your family with 8 years of wonderful companionship.
Tell your little girls that all pets wait patiently in heaven to see us all again someday.
I am so sorry for your lost. We had to say good bye to our "Buttons" on August 1,2007. My heart is breaking.
Ranks equal to your 9/11 tribute to Pat Danahy. Thanks
Pets become close members of the family and their loss can be as difficult to deal with as that of any other family member. I hope you'll consider giving another shelter animal a "forever home" – Wasnum can't be replaced but there's room in your household for another character to make their mark (literally and figuratively). Thanks for encouraging your readers to adopt at shelters.
Our condolences. Just gave our two a scritch behind the ears. Older one is a 13+ year old Golden that we know the time is short for. We hope they meet later …