The Dog Dude

(reposted with permission of Milo’s family)

Dear friends who have heard and asked about Milo or seen him through his last days,

Milo died early this morning.. He died peacefully, as we had hoped, lying in his bed with his pack around him. We were holding him and petting him and telling him he was a good dog as he slowly stopped breathing. At first I kept saying, “please keep breathing until Rose gets here next weekend,” but soon it became apparent that he couldn’t last. This morning he crashed right after he went outside and Paul picked him up and carried him to his bed. Milo lay there slowly gasping for breath for some time, but without that terrible struggle he’d been having before, and then after a final rough breath, he was still.. We sat with him and cried for a long time and then took his body to the vet, where they’ll send him to cremation and give us the ashes, which I’ll bring to Amherst. We’ll spread them in the woods on one of his favorite walks. Spotty is crying and keeps looking toward the door.

I’m relieved that Milo died at home with us and that we didn’t have to “put him down.” He was so alive and so himself until the final moment. Last night, he trotted out for his walk, sniffing all the dogs he met along the way as though he wanted a good whiff of life–dog butts that is–to say good bye.. He also blissfully got to eat all the cooked skin and fat of the chicken from the soup i made this week, and for his leftovers last night– pizza– another favorite. We used to call him “Mr. Id” for his lust for life’s basic pleasures. He was a loving and lovely dog. It’s empty here without him.

Hope this isn’t too much mushy information. Thanks for your concern.

Love,

Amy, Paul & Spot

This time of year is a beast in the city. Hot & sticky isn’t exactly the weather that pulls us out of the house to be active with our dogs. Here in Philadelphia we are lucky to have so much great parkspace to enjoy. Don’t let it the greenspace in your area go to waste! A quick jaunt to a dog park in your neighborhood like Clark Park, Schyukill River Park, Seger Park, Mario Lanza , or another such city park may seem to be all you can manage, but you can do better than that.

It’s not that hard to pick one evening or weekend day and take the pooch on a true adventure to a bigger, greener park than usual. Try a hike in the Wissahickon Valley or just enjoy a long walk along Kelly Drive. You’ll get out, get some exercise & meet people and their dogs… and so will your pooch.

A good time will be had by all.

One of the happiest times for any dog owner is the day they bring their new dog home. It can be a time of great excitement & joy (not to mention a bit of chaos & turmoil thrown in for good measure). Your dogs are likely used to a daily routine and a certain level of attention from you and the other members of the family. The addition of a new dog can change these patterns and upset even the most even-tempered dogs. Often dogs will suddenly exhibit territorial behavior or separation anxiety after the introduction of a new dog. If you take the time to prepare yourself & your current pets you’ll have a smoother, less stressful transition for everyone involved. [Read more →]