Blue

I’ve been pondering how to start this tribute and I guess the best place is at the beginning of our journey together…………

It was a night in mid-September 2004 that I first met Blue. I’d told Carol I was helping my father move some wardrobes and left to travel the twenty or so miles to Driffield to meet with Blue’s breeder. Upon arrival I was greeted by a nervous looking puppy dog who was the last in his litter to be chosen. I travelled back home that night excited at the prospect of surprising my family with this little puppy completely unaware of the impact he would have on our future lives, totally oblivious to the fact I had just purchased the doggy equivalent of a jackpot winning lottery ticket. I entered our home with him in my arms to a greeting of squeals from those inside, and so began a love affair with Blue that would reshape our family forever.

The first two weeks of life with Blue did not quite go as planned. Coming from a game keeper, Blue had been raised in an outdoor kennel and had never been inside a house. Every sound made him jump, the TV, the hoover, the washing machine, all made this little puppy run for cover. Eventually his confidence grew and before we knew it he was bouncing around full of fun and joy.

Our three eldest children where the perfect age to really appreciate their new “brother”. Our son was eleven and our two daughters ten and eight when Blue arrived. Blue would follow them everywhere he could and quite often a few places that he couldn’t as well.

Whilst the others where at school, our youngest daughter, who was pre-school age got her chance to play and Blue being Blue took it all in his stride.

Blue loved to run and chase a ball, and boy he could run FOREVER long after my arm had given up any hope of tiring him out. He loved to go to the beach, chasing around on the sand and splashing in the sea, but his favourite place of all was a country park we’d take him to. Fields to run in, woods to explore and a pond to swim in, Blue was in doggy heaven.

Blue got into many scrapes over the years, diving into the very muddy drain on his walks would drive Carol mad. Eating her freshly baked carrot cake from off the kitchen worktop was not one of his best moments, and attempting to come in through the cat flap resulting in him making it in with the cat flap and bottom panel of the door still around his neck did not go down well, but by far his worst habit was escaping the garden. Blue could jump……high, the six foot fence around our garden was no obstacle to him and we would regularly be chasing after him bolting down the street, usually in the direction of that bloody drain. These all paled into insignificance however compared to the many, many, many moments of joy and happiness he brought into our lives.

Blue was indeed our perfect family dog, he did however have another family. He was an honorary member of the Havanese family pack. Been such a gentle and caring dog, the mother Havanese would readily allow Blue to play with their precious puppies. He would often be seen wandering around with a tiny puppy hanging from each of his ears or laid on his back while puppies jumped around on him. Unfortunately a dogs life is far, far to short and before we knew it time was catching up with Blue. He would still chase his ball around the garden but now only for short bursts. He would struggle to jump onto his sofa, and occasionally would fall over whilst running. We watched in despair, we knew time with our precious Blue was running out. We took him to the beach one last time at Easter this year and he really made to most of it, for a full two hours he ran and played like he had all those years earlier, this truly was a special day.

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On the 17th May 2019 our lives came crashing down. I came home from work and Blue, who had not been well for a few days had deteriorated. Unwilling to eat, drink or get out of bed he was telling us it was time to let him go. Walking from the house to the car we knew this was the last time Blue would be home with us. I drove to the vets as slowly as possible, dreading what was to come. Unable to get an appointment Carol and I spent the next hour cuddling and hugging Blue in the back of the car whilst waiting to be seen. Eventually our time had come, that horrendous moment when you know you have to do something, something that every fibre of your body is crying out in vane to stop happening. As Blue lay on the vets table slowly drifting to sleep we could feel our hearts tearing apart inside, our lives where never going to be the same again.

Blue you came into our lives and touched our hearts fetching love and joy like only a dog can.

The hole you have left behind will never be filled, you was very special.

We will be forever thankful for having had you with us, showing the devotion and love to us that you did.

Run free now my dear, dear little boy Blue.