Champ

I know that some of you have wanted to hear occasional updates on my dog, named Champ. He has been a good boy all the time I have had him, for the past 12 years. He had been getting older of late, I could tell by his coat. The outline of his backbone was showing up, but I could not tell any difference in his actions. Each day when I would go out to visit with him, he was still very happy to see me and he would come sit by me and would let me pet him, stroking his fur.

On Tuesday of last week I had to go get some new glasses made and I noticed his leash running into his dog house. It was rainy and it was 8:30 A.M. so I decided not to bother him, but go straight to my appointment. When I got back I checked on him. I called him and when he did not come out of his dog house I went up to it and looked inside. It was empty. I pulled his leash and it came out freely. It still had the clip on the end of it.

While at the eye appointment I noticed it was raining outside very hard. The wind was also blowing quite briskly. It had rained so hard that I had to drive slow on the half hour ride home. The road had water running across it in places and there was evidence of great rainfall all the way home. The weather had indicated that we would get a heavy rain for about 30 hours.

I had let Champ stay outside because, even though it was wet, it was not cold and he had a dry doghouse. Champ would get scared in thunderstorms, though, and I would bring him inside if it was looking very stormy outside. He had evidently gotten off the leash while in his dog house and had run off when it was raining. I have driven around a bit looking for him each day and I have not seen him. I told my daughter and I sent her a picture of Champ which she in turn forwarded to some of her friends who lived nearby, but none of them have seen him either. It has been a week now and he has not returned.

There is no dog pound here since we are in the country, so I know of nothing else to do. From the look of him, I doubt whether he would have lived another year. He had a growth on one of his paws, and I took him to the vet. She had told me that if it started hurting him, or if it grew much more all of a sudden, to bring him back in and they would see about removing it. It never seemed to bother him though.

I had checked his life expectancy some time back and the website said that a dog his size would live about 12 years. I can say that he lived a good life, and did not suffer. I brought him in at night whenever it was cold out, and would pay him all the more attention since I knew he was getting older. He had probably been inside at night a dozen times this winter and I let him sleep on my bed, while I slept in the recliner (just as comfortable).

Champ and I Twelve Years Ago (We Both Looked Younger)

Good-bye Champ. You have been a good boy.

Proverbs 12:10
A righteous man regards the life of his beast.