“Once in great while, however, the right person is fortunate enough to get the right dog, to have the time to take care of it, to connect with it in a profound way. It takes a confluence of luck and timing, being at a particular point in life that coincides with the nature, breeding, and disposition of a particular dog.”
Jon Katz from “A Dog Year”
In my own wordless way, this is exactly how I felt about my relationship with Katrina. Something in me connected with her on such a deep and personal level, that it was like a part of her became part of me. I could barely conceive that I would ever be without her, or that I had ever been without her. She was with me for the whole of my 30′s.
Even now, three months after she died in my arms, I still don’t think I quite believe that I may never see her again. I say “may” because I can at least hope that when I die we may be together again. Whether that turns out true or not, the expectation of the possibility makes my own death seem a little less scary.
Update (6/18/2007): After recently discovering that Mr. Katz euthanized his so-called “soulmate”, Orson, due to behavioral problems, I am torn as to whether I should keep his quote in this passage about Katrina, no matter how closely it mirrors my own feelings. Having your dog euthanized is a tough decision, and I certainly don’t know the whole situation with Mr. Katz and Orson. But from what I’ve read, he made the decision to kill his otherwise healthy dog purely for his own convenience. And that kind of sickens me. So while I enjoyed the book from which that quote came, I doubt I will ever read another book by Mr. Katz.
although…I did have to have a dog friend euthanized several years ago as well, for convenience too I suppose. My Rottweiler/lab mix within the course of a few weeks, snapped viciously and unexpectedly at some strangers on different occasions. Given the fact that I also had a small child, our vet and family friend said that it was the choice he would make, especially given that it was not a consistent trait. It was not easy, but with the stories of pit bulls mauling kids, and the potential financial ramifications to boot, it seemed like the best choice at the time.
[...] town. I walked just about everywhere. And then, in April 2004, I lost it. Actually, I lost my dog, Katrina, my constant companion for the past 12 years, died. As part of my pledge at the beginning of that [...]