Scout

A little over a week ago, we had to put my parents dog, Scout down.
Scout was a Yorkshire Terrier that I picked out for Sam when she was about 16.
Scout was a surprise for Sam.
The puppy was supposed to help Sam.
Sam was 16ish, and really kinda lost, as most teenagers are.
She just seemed to be unsure of everything.
So my parents and I went and picked out a little puppy.
She was so tiny.
We were hoping Sam would want to name her Scout, after Sam's favorite character from To Kill A Mockingbird, Jean Louise Finch, aka, Scout.
Sam liked that name... and it stuck.

Scout liked to sleep with Sam at night.
She liked Flaming Hot Cheetos, until a trip to the vet informed us they probably weren't best for 5 pound dogs.
She liked to chase chipmunks.
Squirrels would tease her.
She'd take adventures outside the gate when it was left open.
Thank goodness we had nice neighbors in our area that would bring her home.
She liked to chase after the 4 square ball when we would play.
She liked to nuzzle up to you, right under your neck.
She would run away from you, tail wagging, if you tried to pick her up.
Or she'd back up to you, which meant she wanted you to pick her up.

She loved everyone and would lay with anyone.
But when Sam would come home... her little tail would wag the most.

Sam went to college, Scout was pretty much my parents dog.
My dad would act tough, "ahhh, hi spot!" then when he thought no one was looking, would bend down, pick her up and let her cuddle up to him.

Scout had been diagnosed with Kidney failure about a year ago, and she held on. She had good days where she acted like a puppy and then some bad days here and there. She was holding on for us, I'm sure.

In the last week my mom said Scout wasn't eating, my mom did everything she could to try to make Scout's last days comfortable.

I got off work early and went to my parents. Picked up Scout, who was so skinny, expecting her to nuzzle under my neck, but she didn't.
And it might sound crazy, but in that very moment, I knew she was ready to go.

I held her and cried on her and told her I was sorry.
I then went with my parents and Sam to send her to heaven.
The vet was very understanding, they made us and Scout comfortable.

Sam held her as she took her last few breaths.
That was hard for all of us.
It was hard to see my Sam cry.
It was hard to see both my parents try to act strong.
It was hard to have them comfort me, when I knew they were feeling the same things I was.

Putting a pet down is a very difficult thing.
Anyone who has been threw that knows.

Scout was a family member.
She was a constant for 14 years.
She was at all holiday events, birthday parties and Packer parties.

I will miss her bark when she is in the back yard. I will miss her nuzzles under my neck and I will never forget the joy and happiness she brought to my little sisters life, when she needed it the most.

“People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life – like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?”

"Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”