I’ll miss you thunder buddy

Unsure about the response but I’m doing this more of a get it out for myself. It’s been a hard 2 days.

Charlie was the last puppy in his litter at the animal shelter and I adopted him in 2011. Charlie was euthanized at home today with his family.

I’m posting this because I guess it doesn’t really hit you until it hits you. All the things our dogs see, witness, and experience with us. I was single when I adopted him. I have a wife and a daughter now. She’s two and usually yells CHARLLLLLLIIIIEEEEE when she gets home. He won’t be able to clumsily hop down the stairs to greet her anymore, but he is also not in pain anymore. I’m happy for that my friend, as the last 2 days holding you up while you couldn’t walk destroyed me.

Charlie was a big boy. He loved to dance, chasing lizards, loved tennis balls, liked playing hide and seek, saved my life 2x (sorry I yelled at you for barking so much I had to get up to see wtf the problem was), loved his dog friends (most now passed), HATED THUNDER, and I know you loved me. You loved me so much you would follow me to every room I entered, sometimes driving me insane bumping your big head into the back of my knees, but you were always there. Annoying me to no end some days! But always my protector, my friend, and my family.

I’m sorry you had to see me go through breakups, work changes, house changes and new people entering your life you weren’t sure about. You were mostly right about those ones.

Thank you for trusting me with the new people you approved of. I’m so happy you got to see me get married, get promoted to the job I’ve always wanted and have a daughter who is obsessed with you. I’m sorry I washed your beds and hid them in the spare bedroom after the vet took you today. I’m not trying to forget you, I’m trying to limit her pain as well.

I am trying to finish this because I can hear her upstairs asking her mom where you are.

You were so loved. Thank you for accompanying me for 14 years. I miss you so much Charlie and you were such a good boy. Say hi to Shea, Ali and Maeby for me.