I love you Buddy, always and forever

[alib16]

I was just about to enter fifth grade when my parents told us that we'd be moving from Georgia to Illinois. Us kids weren't too happy about it and had only a few requests in exchange for the move. We wanted a trampoline and we wanted a dog. I had always been a fan of the Shiloh books growing up and that's the first time I fell in love with beagles. When it came to deciding on a dog, I did all my research and talked my family into getting one. When we first got to the breeder it was feeding time and most of the dogs paid no attention to us. My mom told us to let the dog pick us. Out of nowhere the runt of the group came over to us and never left our side. That runt became the best thing that ever happened to us.

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Buddy was almost 13 years old when he passed away. It was the day of the superbowl and I was just returning from a trip to visit some friends from college. As I dropped my friend off we got to talking about how bad the coyotes had been lately. We live on a golf course in Illinois and there had been a significant increase in the coyotes seen around the area. The football game hit half time and my mom headed upstairs to finish some dishes and let Buddy out like she always did at night. She would turn all the outside lights on and watch him from the deck. Tonight however, she decided to just let him out real quick. No more than 7 minutes passed by when we heard frantic scratching on the door. As soon as we let him in we knew something was wrong. Buddy had been attacked by 3 coyotes. We immediately took him to the emergency vet where they checked him out and told us that the injuries were too severe and the best thing to do would be to put him down. They were surprised that he had even been able to escape the coyotes. I knew that he did it because he knew he had to make it back to his family. That was the hardest day of my life.

Buddy was more than a dog, he was our family. He loved spending time with his family more than anything and was the most loyal companion we could ever have. My 16 year old brother had some serious health problems last summer and went through a 16 hour surgery to remove a grapefruit size tumor from his brain. When he was finally able to return home there wasn't a lot that he was able to do while he recovered. During that time Buddy was constantly at his side keeping him company and helping to lift his spirits. Buddy always knew when something was wrong.

after breaking into grandpa's dark chocolate

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Buddy had the biggest smile I've ever seen on a dog. So many people would compliment his smile and how genuinely real it looked for dog. I will never forget his smile and how much he changed my life.

there's that smile

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I love you Buddy. October 17, 1997 - February 7, 2010.


Here are 3 more pictures since it would only allow me to attach 3. http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af2 ... C02398.jpg
http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af2 ... 1_1216.jpg
http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af2 ... 7_6777.jpg

[kian]

It is obvious Buddy brought a lot of joy to you and the family. The pics show a very happy dog, I'm sure that night must have been a nightmare. A loss is always hard and they do stay in our hearts forever.

[Sadie G]

What a great tribute to a very happy boy. Thats a great picture of a great smile! You can see how happy he was, and loved his family as much as they loved him. What a heartbreaking thing to have happen after such a long happy life. Hugs to you.

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Buddy was so obviously special! Even while wearing the "cone of shame" he is still smiling! He was a beautiful boy, who brought so much to his family. In return, he was adored by all of you. I know how devastating it is to lose a beloved pet, especially when it is so unexpected.

You have written a wonderful tribute to Buddy. Thank you for sharing him with all of us. He is at the Rainbow Bridge now, running and playing and probably finding some mischief to get into. "Until we meet again...."

[Stewie'sSlave]

He looked like such a happy dog! That was a great tribute, and I'm so sorry for your loss.