Goodbye, Indee.

Indee passed away on Tuesday.  She was 15.  My mom had taken her to the vet, because Indee hadn't been eating.  Dwindled to a mere 22 lbs, Indee was weak and had trouble standing without shaking.  The vet said it was time, so my mom held Indee in her lap as she took her last breaths.  Before she left us, Indee let out a tiny whimper, as if to say "goodbye".

I'm going to miss my pup.  After all, she was my first love. 

I still remember when we picked her from the litter.  We had chosen her because the breeder had said that she was extra adventurous and brave.  Hm... did he have the right puppy?  Because our little Indee turned out to be prone to car sickness (she threw up in my lap on the drive home), terrified of new experiences (she scampered up every driveway during our early walks, desperately hoping it was home), and skittish at sudden movements (or maybe we had lunged at her one too many times to pick her up and hold her... think Elmira, from Animaniacs).  Still, Indee endured our antics and in true canine fashion, demonstrated her devotion and loyalty to us unconditionally.

Indee was exceedingly sweet.  So much so that she became a favorite amongst the neighborhood children.  One time while I was visiting home from college, the doorbell rang.  I looked at my mom quizzically, as we weren't expecting any visitors, only to have my mother say very nonchalantly as she made her way to the door, "Oh, that must be Indee's friends."  Sure enough, there on our doorstep was a handful of elementary-aged children, leash in hand, asking if Indee could come out and play. 

Indee was also popular with the early morning hikers on Mission Peak, the hiking trail by our house.  My mom and Indee used to hike that trail almost every day, and Indee would run back and forth excitedly, greeting fellow hikers along the way.  All the regulars knew "Indee and her owner".  I think Indee was happiest on that trail. 

We knew Indee was getting old when she started losing interest in her hikes.  Usually jumping up and down when my mom put on her hiking clothes, Indee wouldn't even lift her head.  Some mornings, Indee actually hid when it was time to go, afraid my mom would drag her out.  Indee stayed with us the last two years, during which she grew increasingly weak.  Though overtaken by feebleness in these last days, Indee still made the utmost effort to spend time with us, plodding off her bed to nuzzle and sit with us as we watched TV, or sticking her nose in my face to say "good morning".

I'm going to fondly remember Indee's heart, the grin on her face while running through the hills, and even her stinkiness.  Indee's not suffering anymore; I'm thankful for that.  And I'm thankful that for the last 15 years, I've known the love of my "Golden Retriever/German Shepherd/Collie/Sheltie/Chow Chow mix". 

At the top of Mission Peak, Indee's favorite place.