Shakespeare... July 14, 2008

I grew up not ever having a family pet. I thought it was because my parents didn't like them. However, come to find out years later... it was because my older brothers and sisters used to have all kinds of pets from dogs to snakes and even chickens. Mom says that she use to come home and catch her boys jumping the chicks on the trampoline. That was I guess when they decided 'no more pets'...making us younger kids believe that pets would never ever be allowed in the Mohler house. Along with also making us younger ones not even care to be around the stinking little things.

But of course, when I married Caleb he had a pet. Yep, a dog named Shakespeare. Luckily where we live won't allow us to have pets. (Yes!) And luckily while Caleb was on his mission his dog learned to love his Mom more. (Thank goodness!) Meaning Mom keeps the dog and we don't! (Wonderful!)

HOWEVER! Since Caleb was Shakespeares second favorite person, we were his parents first choice to leave Shakespeare with when they needed to leave town. Caleb of Course loved having his childhood dog stay with us for weeks at a time. But me? No! I fought with him every time I heard the phone ring and Caleb say, "Of course Mom! We will be here! We would love to take him!" .... Leading me into my same arguements I have every time
"He sheds!"
"He smells!"
"He poops and Pees and its still on his butt!"
"He's always watching my every move!"
"He follows me everywhere...even pushes the door open to watch me pee!"
"He has to sleep in our room?"
"No, I won't have sex with you.... his watching!"
"His hair is everywhere! Your daughter crawls here!"
"Can't someone else watch him?"
...hoping to win THIS fight....."And we're not even suppose to have pets here!"
Thats when Caleb rolls his eyes and say "fine." Soon followed by my "fine he can stay here."

Anyway...a couple of months ago Shakespeare started getting real sick...I think they said he had canser? He had surgery but it still came back. Thats when I got a call from Caleb's mom on Saturday saying they were going to put him down Monday. (Yesterday). I was to be the one to tell Caleb. (Great! Now I am really the bad guy) Caleb actually dealt with it better than I thought he would. I think he knew it was time for Shakespeare to go.

Shakespeare was put down July 14, 2008 at 2:00pm. Caleb and his Dad started digging a whole in their backyard at 2:40pm. They had Shakespeare in a brown box wrapped in a towel. They opened it one last time so that Caleb and his Mom could say their goodbyes. I stood back and watched and of course remember all the times that I said he smelt and pushed him away because I didn't want to smell him or get hair on me. Most of all I tried to remember that other than the gross things about animals in general, Shakespeare was a good dog and most of all a good dog to Caleb and Caleb Loved him!