Originally posted on Thinkers’ Podium on the 30th of January, 2007.
If you’ve been reading what I write for the past year or so, you will remember my dog Joe, who has been (as a reductio ad absurdum) argued to be God by way of a non-falsifiable hypothesis. Joe’s a fun loving dog, and if he could understand the absurdity of Intelligent Design and the Flying Spaghetti Monster, I’m sure he’d have found it funny.
Unfortunately, Joe hasn’t had much to smile about lately. After years of slowly losing control over his back legs, he’s finally lost all control together and let me tell you, it’s not as endearing as scenario as that experienced by that dog on Family Guy. Further, Joe has recently had an outbreak of demodectic mange which is quite ugly and quite irritating for him. The sad thing is, in old dogs (Joe would have been born in late 1992), in 70% of instances, outbreaks of demodectic mange point towards cancer.
Joe hasn’t been doing too well. The real giveaway though is that Joe doesn’t smile much anymore. Joe used to smile most of the time just a couple of months ago and when he was younger, could barely be seen without a smile. Immobile, unhappy, sick and uncomfortable, we’ve decided to do the humane thing and have the little fella put to sleep this Friday.
I’ll remember how he used to be the most dexterous dog I’d ever seen; as a young dog jumping up the barbecue like a mountain goat to stand on top of the chimney and look over the neighbour’s fence. I’ll remember his cheeky sense of humour and naughty nature, a nature that did however have limits; Joe never tore up good clothes, just old rags; he once jumped up on my young cousin who then cried and so he never jumped up on a child again (even though it was pretty harmless to begin with). I’ll remember how if he was hurt and someone was distressed for him, he’d be more concerned with cheering them up than about his own injury.
Joe has been a smart dog, an independent dog and even a crazy dog, but also a kind and good friend. A better friend to others than a lot of people in my estimation to be frank.
Bye bye little buddy.
RIP Joe 1992-2007.
Circling The Abyss 
Aw man I cried like a baby when I lost my dog (stroke, put down). Make sure you nuzzle him close as he slips away. I got the arse end (literally). Though despite the tears it made me smile because his arse was bald due to his rubbing himself orgasmically on the brick supports of the outside shed and when you stomped down on the floor he shot out and did 14 frantic laps of the yard.
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Unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to be there when he is put down. Family decided to book a time without consulting me. I’ll be spending Thursday afternoon with him and probably feeding him tidbits.
He likes toasted egg sandwiches, and toast and vegemite. I’ll try and find out what other bad foods I can get him from the supermarket before hand.
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Oh… and Joe used to do laps of the yard until about 2003. Especially when I’d get the leash for a walk. It was a bit reckless in the early days though. He used to make sharp turns on the tiles and peddle without moving in the direction he wanted for a few seconds (thanks to the inertia.)
He used to crash a fair bit (like up against pot plants.) Crazy fella.
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Aw man, I hope it goes as awell as it can
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Poor wee Joe, you have my sympathies Bruce 🙂 What a sweet little fella! Give him lots of love while you can, it’s so sad >
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I gave him some cuddles and cooked him some human food which he seemed to like. The food didn’t last very long and he seemed contented with the cuddles (and with me rubbing the mange in his ears).
I didn’t manage to get a final smile out of him, but he didn’t seem too sad.
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awww >
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Bruce,
I’m so very sorry — he sounds like he was really a wonderful dog.
Cynthia
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Thanks Cynthia.
He really was wonderful. I still miss him heaps. I think I always will.
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