A Tribute

Several months ago Dean's family's dog, Millie, was diagnosed with cancer. She went through multiple rounds of chemotherapy and it seemed to be working, but the cancer came back. There were lumps close to her esophagus which started to make it harder for her to breathe. The family would not allow her to suffer, so she was put down this afternoon.

Millie was a 10 year old black lab mix. Dean was in 9th grade when Millie joined his family. She loved food and her family. She loved belly scratches, laying outside in the shade on a nice day and being "queen of all she surveys." Did I mention she loved food? She was a wonderful begger and could finish off a rawhide bone in one evening.

I never had a dog growing up. I actually had a few run ins with dogs that made me not like them. That was, until I met Dean and his family. I credit Millie for being 1/2 (Her sister Peachy, the German Shepherd is the other half) the reason why I now love dogs. Dean likes to tell the story of one of the first times I met the "puppies." Dean, his parents, the dogs and I went out on a boat ride. I was sitting stretched out in the front on a long seat and Millie jumped up at my feet and set down. After a while, she started to scoot back, so I put my feet down on the floor. A little later, Millie scoots back a little more and I sit up and turn sideways to give her more room. Well, that wasn't enough. Millie scoots back more until I finally get up and move seats. The whole family laughed at me. They said she is the dog. She doesn't tell you where to go, you tell her! She had a personality that just made you feel good about life.

Dean playing with Millie when she was a puppy. That is Rainbow in the yard with them.














River dog!














Millie with a toy. When she started acting like a dog, that's when she really wanted fed.














Millie doing one of her favorite things!














Typical Millie pose. She could move on the ground like that too. Dean called it "commando style"



















Millie dressed up for Christmas.














Here you can see Millie's unique white spots. She had one on the top of her head too.



















Millie play fighting on her back! She was very good at fighting like that.














Millie sporting her shaved look. She was shaved during the summer so that the river water wouldn't dry and smell bad in her fur. She also has a shave mark on her right front paw. This was from the IV for her chemotherapy treatments.














Millie's family. The was before I was officially a part of the family. Dean's mom and dad, Millie, Dean, Geoff and Peachy.


















Rest in Peace, Millie. I like to think that you're running on streets of gold right now. You were a good dog and a wonderful member of the family. We love you.