We knew the time was getting closer, but a visit to the emergency veterinary clinic late Saturday night into early Sunday morning confirmed what we have been dreading. Bailey's time on earth was coming to an end. David and I discussed this in detail and decided that it was time for us to let him go.
Bailey Howard was born September 26, 2000 and came into our family in September 2001. David and I remember traveling to the breeder's house and getting lost. We were an hour away from where we should have been. We brought him home and immediately bought a multitude of toys for him to play with. From the very beginning, Bailey was treated as our child. He went on many adventures with us including Miami, Key West, Charleston, and many visits to the mountains and the beach. We are so grateful to have those memories of him.
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| Bailey as a young pup with his hair grown out. |
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| Illegal visit to Cades Cove |
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| Visit to Charleston |
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| Bailey LOVED the beach! The beach memories are some of my absolute favorites. |
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| Bailey survived Snowmageddon |
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| Yes, Bailey had a dog stroller. He loved to be able to go out to eat with us, and I loved that he was contained and could see up high. |
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| One of my favorite pictures of Bailey and Amelia. We had just moved into our new house, and they had become best friends. |
Last night, David grilled steaks for Bailey's final meal. He enjoyed every single bit of his dinner. We took pictures, gave him lots of love, and read "Dog Heaven" several times for his benefit and ours. This morning, David and I drove him to Poppy and PawPaw's for a final visit to the lake before taking him to the vet. Bailey's personal doctor agreed with our decision and assured us that it was the right thing to do. David and I gave Bailey lots of love, hugs, and kisses as he took his final breath at 9:50 this morning. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my entire life. David and I are brokenhearted.
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| Waiting patiently while Daddy grilled his steak |
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| Last brother-sister love before we left this morning |
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| Our final family picture of the four of us |
As I sit here with tears streaming down my face and feeling as if the house is too quiet, I am so thankful to have spent the last 13 years as Bailey's mom. He will truly be missed, but I know that he is running around Dog Heaven with his creator and loving family who went on before us.
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| Bailey Howard 2000-2014 |
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I am so sad to hear the news about Bailey. I know how much he meant to you during those 13 short years and how much you will miss him. He certainly was a loved pup!
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