When my 22 year old son was 4, his puppy/playmate was born.

She was a small all black, shiny Labrador retriever. Named Jasmine.

She grew up with my son and lived at my ex-wife's house, but knew me and minded me, especially since I dog sat every vacation.

18 months ago, my ex-wife died and the house was to revert to the bank.

What to do with the dog?

The lawyers: kill her

The bankers: kill her

So I kept the bank and the lawyers from taking the house for an extra year and slowly got the dog used to spending time with me, since her misstress was gone somewhere and my son the playmate was out in an apartment finishing college.

Along the way, the dog met my son's new pet: a straggling but VERY scrappy street cat.

I had to keep them apart because the good-natured Jasmine would come up to the cat and the cat-who-trusted-nobody-but my-son-his-rescuer was ready to head butt the dog and claw her up.

I kept the peace by dividing off the house, like East and West Germany.

Finally the cat went back with my son and the dog went...where?

My house.

I cleared out a room with a (no longer) beautiful oak polished floor, covered with several layers of poly tarps.

Despite my best efforts, and as the dog aged, she ended up using them 50% of the time, the other times, outside.

She grew progressively weaker and could not run, but could walk.

When my son came through the front door, she knew him and with some help from me, moved forward and met him. He was shocked at how weak she seemed, needing help to move around unless I guided her toward a 4 x 2 thick plastic sponge-filled cushion the size of a love seat!
I had it made for her a couple years ago, anticipating this.

Yesterday i got up at 0600 as usual, made some coffee and breakfast, waiting for the barking that I was expecting. I had heard a couple of barks during the night, but Jasmine had dreams and barked during them.

I opened the room door with a small plate of warm cut-up hot dogs.

She lay next to the cushion, but on the floor, almost in her habitual place.

But she was not moving. No breathing.

I touched her.. Still warm, but no longer alive.

I called and got more time off work, then called a pet crematorium which I had discussed months earlier with my son. They would come tonight about 7:00 pm.

I texted my son to be ready for the airport ride 15 minutes extra early.

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6