Now, they are gone.

Cheeto’s passing last week, marked the end of an era. The original four…Calvin and Freja, then Fergal and Cheeto. “Clouds” of vizslas wrestling, running, chasing, knocking princesses off mountains of sawdust, stealing sunglasses off toddlers, sneaking your paper napkins away or opening vacuum-sealed jars of anchovies with no opposable thumbs.

It was a community. Three households united by the dogs who had captured our hearts. Vizsla breakfasts, playdates, classes and slumber parties. I will miss that…I DO miss that. Caught up in that memory and energy, I rescued Cooper who, even with his myriad issues, is a lovely dog but it is not a continuation of what we had. It’s a completely new chapter. One that I’ve embarked on with the support of friends, but completely alone.

The day that Cheeto passed, I was driving in from the airport and a huge, bright rainbow broke out across the sky. I knew already that Cheeto was in decline and still, of course, was hoping that we could delay the inevitable. When the rainbow broke across the sky…I knew it was the end. It was the other three vizslas welcoming him, encouraging him to join them.

I saw him one last time that afternoon. He was so calm and peaceful…and tired…so very tired. He was ready to go and in his lovely, soft, gentle way, made sure that we knew it. The vet said that it was likely cancer and that he was likely in some sort of pain but like most dogs, he never revealed that to us, until he had to.

I cried. Hard. Messy. Ugly. Several days. To honor him and to grieve his absence. Now…my feelings are slowly turning back to love, gratitude and happiness to have had him in my life at all.

Rest in true peace Cheeto Bandito.

xoxo