January 7, 2019
Debbie took Baxter to the vet that afternoon. He had a fever, had been coughing and wheezing and seemed to be really slowing down. I mean, he was down to three legs, so a bit of a slow down was expected. But you could tell he was not feeling himself.
An x-ray confirmed the worst. Our little guy was eaten up with cancer in his lungs. He was suffering and struggling to draw breath. Debbie knew what we had to do. She called me at work with tears in her voice, “How soon can you leave work?”.
35 minutes later I was at the Chestnut Animal Clinic. The boys had come by earlier to say goodbye. Debbie met me with our little guy in her arms. He saw me and his stumpy little tail wagged a bit. I took him and held him while they gave him the sedative that would put him to sleep before they administered the drug that would let him be free from the pain.
He went to sleep licking my arm. Right to the end, in his last moments of consciousness he was giving love. Just like he always did.
They took him away after he had gone to sleep to put the catheter in his foreleg to administer the drugs that would stop his heart. Debbie held him while he breathed his last breath and relaxed peacefully.
September, 2005
I didn’t really want a Yorkie. I had my eye on a West Highland Terrier. But Debbie fell in love right there with a pound and a half of dark fur, black eyes and equal parts cuteness and energy. They said his name was Baxter. Baxter came home with us.
After a couple of months, we decided dogs work best in pairs, so we brought home Belle. Baxter and Belle it was. The Pit Yorkies!
Mr. Buddy Dog
Our boys bonded with Baxter immediately. Baxter loved Brad and Ryan too, but really bonded with Brad. After Brad moved out, he would look around for Brad in the morning until he figured out Brad wasn’t in the house.
Baxter had the temperament more like an old Lab as he got older. More Lab like than the terrier breed he was. He even walked like a big old Lab as he would come over to get petted. Head down, and kind of swaying side to side as he would walk. He lumbered. As much as a 10lb dog can lumber
He was always ready to greet the day by heading outside to go on squirrel patrol. Birds were ok to him, but those squirrels just bugged him to death!
Through the years, he could delight us, make us laugh and yes at times exasperate us to no end. But he was always happy to see us and be with us. He was always down to help you take an afternoon nap and to test your egg cooking skills.
Now, as I type this a day after he is gone, I still expect to see him. Belle is looking around for him this afternoon. And him not being here has left a very large hole in our hearts. Amazing how a dog that weighs less than 10-lbs. can leave such a big hole.
He was known by many names besides Baxter: Buddy, Mr. Buddy Dog, Señor Captain Buddy Dog, The Bax Attack, and Captain Doodle Von Pootskillet. But mostly he was Baxter. My buddy dog.
He gave us unconditional love for 13-years. And it only cost us our hearts.
We miss you little man. Rest well.
