Dilly

A wonderful gentle Greyhound giant has left his tired body and is running wildly with his tongue hanging out of his smiling mouth. He is playing with his tail high in the air, and is doing his signature "donuts," tearing up the grass, with huge clumps of sod flying in his wake. Dilly is no longer afraid of thunder, and flies and bees no longer bother him. No one will ever make him get off "his" couch again. His marshmallows no longer have to hide medicine.

Dilly was a challenge at first and in his first month with us, ate one-day old wooden blinds, tore up the mini blinds at the vet's office when they left him alone, and ate an entire basket of easter candy. He was definitely a rascal at first, but then he settled down very, very comfortably into retirement, and found his calling in life as a couch warmer. He jogged, then walked with us when he felt up to it. When his little house mates would charge through the doggie door, Dilly would tap dance at the door until we let him out to backup his little buddies at whatever they were barking at. Usually, he ws too late to even see what had caused all the commotion. The little dogs would run back inside and Dilly would stick his head through the little door and whine "Hoooo, Hooo, Hooo" until we let him back in.

Dilly had dreams where he would let out this mournful siren-like howl that gave you goosebumps the first time you heard it late at night. We always wondered what he dreamt about.

A couple of days before he left us, he went to the gate, and we took him on what was to be his last walk around the yard. He went slowly, and we were in no hurry. It was a beautiful, cool, spring afternoon with a breeze blowing. He sniffed the air and the grass and savored the outdoors one last time.

He was always there with his bright, soulful eyes to greet us in the morning and at the end of the day, even at the end, when he looked at us as if to say, "It's time. It's OK." Dilly was such a huge part of our world; he always brought smiles to our faces and joy to our lives. We miss him so much, and he will live forever in our hearts.

Don Haydel