My Little Lady, Ruby

The love of my life, Ruby, is finally peacefully sleeping forever. She passed away early Thursday morning as I lay next to her on my living room floor after collapsing the day before and never really regaining any strength. She was about 13 years old and the best damn dog I've ever known... more human than dog. I only had her for 3 years. I adopted her from a springer rescue group here in Oregon. I wanted to write about this to encourage anyone thinking about adopting a dog to really consider an older one. I wasn't sure how I would feel after Ruby died about my choice of adopting an older dog, knowing that you will have a limited time with them, but now that she is gone I know that I will do it all over again, because even though death is hard, the few years I did have with her were SO worth it, I wouldn't trade it for the world! And if you have an affinity for a certain type of dog and haven't really had any luck at a local shelter, there is a rescue group for just about every type of pure breed out there - just do a little digging, have a little patience, and you will find a good match. So, consider and older dog - they are already trained at least somewhat, they are beyond needing huge long exercise sessions, and basically just want a cozy person and home to feel secure in and live out their retirement years. Yes, they may come with a few more health problems (sometimes), but you just need to be aware of that and plan accordingly - they are worth a few extra visits to the vet! So, that's all for now....goodbye my little Ruby. I love you forever!