Scooby was my dog. We got her in Georgia around the same time we got Ruby. I never had a dog before. My parent's had a couple when I was younger but I don't really remember them as much as I remember Ruby and Scooby. Like any other kid I was so excited to have a dog, I told my parent's I would do everything to take care of them.
It started out as an innocent day at the animal shelter, we were bored and so I asked my parents if we could go to the shelter and look at dogs. I never thought that day we would be taking one home. I was pumped, I love dogs I have my whole life. We walked around and the barks from dogs made it surreal. Could there be so many dogs? There were just as many cats as there was dogs. I would pet some of the cats and loved to hear them purring. As we walked through the sections of dogs, I would stare at some and I would fall in love with them. That's when I looked at Ruby and felt a connection to her, and that was it.
I begged my mom and dad to get her. The way she looked with dark reddish fur, and the cutest white nose ever. I had to have her. I remember my mom telling me that we were just looking, but after 2 or 3 aisles of dogs, she finally said yes. I was so excited that day. We took her home and it changed my life. I would always be around her. Took her outside and made her play house with me. It was an amazing time.
Around that same time we went back again and went looking for a playmate for Ruby. It wasn't me that found her this time, it was my mom. Walking through the aisles, we came across a dog sitting. It was strange because all the other one's were close to the gate and barking to get your attention. She was calm, and looked into my moms eyes and had that cheesy look. I will always remember that.
We got Snoopy, who later we named Scooby. Ruby and her got along, and it finally felt like it was great. I paid more attention to Ruby than I did with Scooby. We would lay and read books together while she licked my face. She was a really good dog to me, and I will never forget her. I remember that day exactly on the spot. I remember waking up right next to her and getting ready for school that day. I gave her a kiss on the head, and told her to be a good girl. When I got home... everything changed.
That same day, I was excited to go home and see my girl. I remember opening the door and my mom was sitting at the dinner table with the phone and a Kleenex. Herr puffy red eyes made me question her. She calmly told me to sit down and take a deep breath. As I began to tear up, she told me that we had to put Ruby to rest. The previous owners before us, didn't really take good care of her.
She was an old dog, she had her years. You could tell her age by her white spots on her fur. I dreaded that day. I had a couple more days with her, so I wasn't going to let any time fly by. I spent from the time I woke up, to the time after school to the time I went to bed.
The dreadful day came, I remember it clearly. We woke up and got ready to go to the same shelter we got her. I sat in the back seat and made sure I held onto her. When we got there, the doctor came and made sure that we said our final goodbyes. My mom didn't want me to hear anything going on, so I held onto Ruby, and told her how much I loved her. Tears and all, I let her go. The doctor told me that he would make sure she didn't feel a thing. I began to cry even more, as we began walking towards the door, I looked back at her. She looked back at me and I swear to this day I saw a tear come from her eyes. We walked out of the shelter and walked to the car. I was quiet the whole ride home. That's the last thing I remember of my baby.
And even though we didn't get to spend a whole lot of time together, she was my favorite dog and she always will be. R.I.P Ruby, you are loved and missed.
As time moved on, it seemed to me like I didn't want to be around Scooby as much because it reminded me so much of Ruby. Scooby was definitely special though, she was a Canaan, a special breed from Israel.I spent a lot of time with her especially after I lost Ruby. She became my best friend, the one I could talk to and just rub her head and she would always fall asleep on me.
When we moved to North Carolina my dad made her a dog pen out in the back of the house. She had a dog house and we even got her a dog pool for when it was really hot outside. I was in charge of taking care of her. At first, I didn't want to. I didn't want to become so close to her especially after what happened to Ruby. But she became close to me. In the morning, I would wake up extra early and make sure she got a full bowl of food, I would go out after school everyday and pick up after her and make sure she had cold water in her water bowl and her pool. I'd take her on walks down the street to make sure she didn't stay cooped up in the dog pen.
I spent a lot of time with her, it was amazing how close we got. I remember a couple of funny times we shared. Like, one day we were working on lawn work ( mowing, raking, weeding, etc.) at the end of the day when we all went inside we heard Scooby barking. My dad went out to investigate his weapon of choice a broom. As he got closer we heard him yell " OH S***, it's a snake." Exact words he said and we all freaked out. It was big and black and it was heading straight for Scooby's pool of cold water. Scooby wouldn't have it and she defended the pool and was growling and trying to scare the snake away. When my dad got out there he pushed the broom handle towards the snake and pushed it back out of the hole it came out of. He came back in after making sure she was okay and we didn't see that snake again. Thank goodness.
Another time was when my mom and I woke up one morning to take the clothes and hang them up on the clothes hanger we had right next to Scooby's pen. When I opened the blind to the screen door to see if she was awake I saw 3 young deers not to far from her pen. Eating grass and not paying attention to her, it was quite comical actually. Scooby didn't move at all, she was in one stance and that was attack mode. We watched them quietly and made sure that we got a full show. One of the deer noticed Scooby watching them and to be funny came close up to her pen. Scooby attacked the metal trying to get the deer, and they ran back into the woods.
One day we came home from school and my dad was home early. He worked at Lowes at the time so he was gone most of the days. We got in and my mom and dad asked us to sit down on the couch. I knew it was gonna be bad news. About 30 minutes later, I found out that we were moving, and my dad was fired from Lowes. That hit me the worst. We talked about how we were going to live with my grandpa in Iowa and we couldn't take Scooby because my grandpa had a dog and they didn't know if they were going to get along. So like with Ruby, I spent as much time with Scooby. I even had pictures taken of me holding her like a baby in my arms.
We took her to a No Kill Shelter, because in North Carolina they didn't have very many. I remember the day before taking a few strands of her hair and putting it in a locket to make sure I could remember her forever. We took her into the shelter and the lady immediately took her from me and put her in the back. While she and my dad were talking, I asked to go back to see her one last time. Tears streaming down my face, the words choked when I spoke them. She said yes, and my brother and I went back. We heard her barking and whimpering clawing at the gate, I told her that everything was going to be okay. I told her how much I loved her and I stroked her head, I didn't want to let her go. My dad called for me and all I can remember is hearing her whimper and that's the last I saw of my best friend.
As the move was unexpected and unwanted, we packed our things and left out little house. I still remember everything that happened there, all the memories. I miss it sometimes when things are rough. I remember asking my dad all the time to call and see if she was okay. The lady who owned the shelter fell in love with Scooby and wanted to adopt her. But this elderly lady fell in love with Scooby and took her home. I guess the lady passed away and left Scooby in her will. Her ex husband came and took her to where she was being put to rest, and while on the way. Scooby impressed the man so much that he decided to keep her instead of putting her in a shelter. When I heard that story, I was so relieved to hear that she was okay and in a good place. She has her own room in the mansion the lady lived in, and an even bigger pool to play in ( It's a lake..)
I know it's very hard to give your best friend away, or put them to sleep. At least for me, that's the biggest pain I've ever had to endure in my life. But the pain goes away when I understand why they had to leave. They had a higher calling, not only to make our life better, but to make someone else's life even better. I'll never forget Ruby nor Scooby. They will forever be in my heart, and I know that when it comes time, I'll be able to see them again.
R.I.P Ruby, You were my best friend and my cuddle buddy. I Love You Dearly, and You be good up in heaven baby.
To Scooby, You were there for me when I thought times were hard. I miss you all the time to girly and I hope your okay. All my love!
Have a great day. Thanks for reading!
A Song Birds Tune
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