We found Buddy in a parking lot and from day one, he was housetrained, Even though he was only about 3 months old and we made him sleep on the balcony porch that first night, he never whimpered or cried.

The second night Buddy slept in the living room and he had a bedroom pass by the third night.

A little yellow puppy – Golden Retriever and Sheltie mix I believe – who was so smart, intelligent and engaging that you just had to love him. “Buddy” seemed too common a name for such an uncommonly wonderful puppy dog but the name fit him well.

He lived a very long healthy life (18 yrs) for a dog his size (50 lbs).

I want to think it is because of the love and care Ishowered upon him.

Buddy was a man’s dog and I always knew that I (a human female) came in second place in his loyalties. Buddy bonded with the man of the house. I was just the beta female who had to do all the dirty work – feed, bathe, groom, give pills and take him to the vet.

Buddy was very secure within himself and showed no jealousy when other dogs were brought into the home. He was the alpha dog and yet he “mothered” a kitten and a puppy as though they were his own.

As an adult dog, he carried himself with a sense of dignity and seemed so wise – trully an “old soul”.

Towards the end of his life as he became increasingly frail, Buddy sweetened up to me and sought out my hugs.

Having endured the ordeal of voluntarily euthanizing my darling dog Ginger just a few years before, I told Buddy that, when the time came, he needed to pass peacefully in his sleep and that is just what he did.

I lost my beloved Buddy a week ago today on Friday morning, Oct 26th, 2007.

He was in good health and spirits when he left this world and I am so thankful for that.

Many hard tears fell as he was being cremated. I watched the fumes rise from the smokestack and waited that sad morning until he was given back to me as a bag of bone dust.

Now the storm has passed and I cry no more. Buddy left me with cherished memories and I will never forget him.

If God is a compassionate Being, then surely we will be reunited with our loved ones and our loved pets somewhere on the other side.

How fortunate I was to be blessed with such a beautiful wonderful animal for 18 years.

Brooke in TX