Lives can change in the blink of a second,
One minute you’re getting ready for his favourite part of the day- the walk. Then the next you’re holding him close as he peacefully passes away. There is no second chance to go back and change what has just happened.
Pau lived for his walks for good reason. Much of his life he had been locked up in small yard and always was left on his own. Someone brought him his food and that would be it. Thankfully he had a strong personality and would have none of this so constantly found ways to escape to try and find a better life. Each time however, he was collected by the animal rescue vans and returned back to the owner. Eventually, the Owner no longer wanted him he was tired of having to always go and collect him. So Pau, now 10 years, was left at the pound and put up for adoption.
Six months beforehand, I had just lost a dear companion, Wilbur, an English bulldog but now I decided the time had come to help a dog who really needed a good home.
This is where Pau and I met, not knowing what dog to get i asked the man in charge, “what is the dog that no one wants?” He replied “no one ever seems to want, the big, old, dark colored ones. It wasn’t long before i spotted Pau ( peace in Mallorcan), he was a a 10 yr old dark brindle and 90% Great Dane (big in other words). Pau was standing Silently, at the back of a small yard with a lot of other smaller yapping dogs in front of him and looking seemingly uninterested about what I was doing there. He probably was thinking, no more homes for me I’ll finish my days here, they are not so bad. But I called him and looked in his eyes. They were so sad but loving. We went out for a walk and I knew we were going to be a great team even though he was not quite so sure about this as I was.
So that was it, I knew he was the one. Pau just fitted into my car and off we went home. It seemed he was settling in well until one day he decided to jump over a fence with a 3 metre drop the other side. He took one of our other dogs as well and from what i heard they had a great morning running all the way into our village and chatting with the neighbours… until he was luckily picked up. So back to the pound I went and paid the necessary fine for letting him out. We had a bit of a chat here but it was agreed from that day, he would never leave again.
Size, was never an important thing to him, as his best friend was our miniature Yorkshire, whom he adored and he followed her everywhere mainly as her protector and whenever she said “Pau, help i need you”, he would be instantly be by her side. He loved coming out in the car (any trip out was fun even the vets) and simply adored Pizza and olives, that was his special treat. His other naughty moment was getting up on the bed for an hour in the morning… he always seemed to know when it was 7 am. He has been the happiest and most loved dog that seemed to just get younger. In our 3 beautiful years together it must be the walks, that were his favourite hours, yes these were the best times… I think he just loved adventure.
He didn’t pay much heed to other animals on our walks but always loved to visit one special dog and would drag us in this direction each time… they looked at each other for a long time and both had a good sniff and then just walked away… friend from another life I think.
Maybe we take it for granted sometimes the piece of truth, that Dogs love unconditionally, but do we actually return to them all that they give to us? Everyone will have their own views here and there are millions of people who do such wonderful tireless work for all the dogs in this world. But it’s suddenly so real, now he has left us, that I ask myself, did I give him enough? He hated being alone, and so followed me everywhere but in the time we were together he really taught me so many lessons about life and I was informed that we were on a journey together. I Will miss your incredible presence so very much but will continue to practice all that you taught me. Sweet dreams my boy, be safe and be very loved.
See you on the other side.
Live, Laugh and Learn 