Remembering Nick

It is with a heavy heart to share that my parents’ rescue papillon dog, Nick, passed away in early August, at home in my Dad’s arms with both of my parents with him, outside on their deck with the sun shinning brightly. It was very peaceful; and it was heartbreaking simultaneously. Nick was seventeen and he lived with my parents for eleven years. Nick stayed here on earth as long as his body allowed him to stay.

Nick came into my parents’ lives in 2011, the same year that Doug and I rescued Biscuit. Nick was such a good, sweet little dog, and my parents loved him so very much and they treated him like one of their human kids. Nick adored my Dad, and literally followed my Dad everywhere, whether that be watching my Dad while he used the exercise bike; going outside with my Dad while he worked in the yard; sitting by my Dad while he worked on his computer; going for car rides together; or cuddling up with my Dad while he took a nap. Also, you could always find Nick in the kitchen while my Mom cooked, hoping to find any remnant of food on the floor to eat; and Nick always went to my Mom when he wanted a treat or some chicken breast, his absolute favorite food! I remember Nick always barking and being so excited to see us when we returned home from being out somewhere! Nick always came with my parents when they came out to visit, and we are so glad that he made it to Alex’s fourth birthday party. Nick was spoiled and very well cared for, as every dog should be, and he even ate dinner at the dining room table with my parents in the evenings, as he had his own chair at the dinning room table! Nick was always friendly to everyone he met. Most of all, Nick gave my parents so much joy and comfort.

Nick knew both Biscuit and Victory, our rescue shelties, and life will never be the same without Nick. This was also Alex’s first encounter with death and the finality of it all, which is often challenging for adults to grasp. Alex asks many questions about heaven and what it means to die. We believe that Nick is free of pain, and both Nick and Biscuit are together in heaven. I believe losing a beloved animal can sometimes be more difficult than losing a human. Your furry family member(s) is literally always there for you, loves you unconditionally, and it is unbearable to imagine a life without them. Shown below is one of my favorite quotes about the great loss of a beloved animal. Nick will forever be in our hearts and he is greatly missed here on earth.

“There is a cycle of love and death that shapes the lives of those who choose to travel in the company of animals.  It is a cycle unlike any other.  To those who have never lived through its turnings or walked its rocky path, our willingness to give our hearts with full knowledge they will be broken seems incomprehensible.  Only we know how small a price we pay for what we receive; our grief, no matter how powerful it may be, is an insufficient measure of the joy we have been given.” —Suzanne Clothier