Missing Bailey

Today is Christmas Eve, and I woke up with tears in my eyes.

Today I really feel the loss of Bailey, my little 14-pound ball of attitude. Bailey died very suddenly and unexpectedly on Sept. 23. She seemed happy and healthy all day, until she refused her dinner. Then she had trouble standing up, got a glazed look in her eyes, and finally started panting heavily. My veterinary clinic was closed by then, so I took her to another animal hospital a few miles away. By the time I carried her inside, her body was limp. The veterinary staff tried CPR and an injection of epinephrine to restart her heart, but nothing worked. She was gone. Bailey was 12-1/2 years old. Her sister, Layla, still lives with me, along with another dog, Benny, a golden retriever/corgi.  

Bailey and her sister came to live with me when they were 7-1/2 years old, when their human mom had health problems that kept her from taking care of them. We stay in touch from time to time, and I text her photos and updates about the dogs. 

I always described Bailey as a little dog with a big attitude. And she never would have won the Miss Congeniality award. She didn't care for men, or for other dogs. But after I started rewarding any good behavior she showed with small treats, her attitude improved significantly. Bailey never was an easy dog, and there were times when I questioned why I had agreed to adopt the little munchkins.  

Bailey had a playful side. Sometimes she wanted me to play with her, and sometimes she and Benny would play for a few minutes. I always referred to Layla as the fun cop, as she has never been very playful and seemed not to like seeing the other dogs playing.

But this ball of fur wormed her way into my heart. And I believe that she waited to die until I returned from a trip. She was happy to see me, gave me lots of kisses during the ride home, and died that same day. 

I hope she is now happy and well at the Rainbow Bridge, probably bossing around some of the other dogs and snoozing in the grass on a warm, sunny day.

Merry Christmas, Bailey.