My wife has always been a dog lover. I liked dogs but never had really become attached to one. Last October my wife brought home two border collie lab mix puppies. They were frightened and tiny and seemed too small to be away from their mother. My 4-year old daughter named one Shylo and I named the other Tesla.

Although they are sisters they have very different personalities. Shylo is very calm, somewhat aloof and timid and only interacts with the family if Tesla is with her. She mostly ignores us when we call her.

Tesla became everything we were looking for in a dog. She always wants to please us, is gentle with the kids, is very loving, comes when called, is a good watch dog, and has a ferocious bark that would surely scare anyone who didn’t know what a sweetheart she is.

Although Shylo is a little cool toward the family she is a constant companion to Tesla and they run and play all day until they can’t run any more.

Yesterday Tesla was struck by a garbage truck. My wife scrambled to get her to the vet. She couldn’t get Shylo to leave her side. So she had to pick up Shylo and carry her to the house. By the time I got to the vet my wife was in tears and Tesla was gone.

As I said, I have never been a dog person but this has hit me very hard. One of the hardest things was trying to explain to my 4-year old daughter that her dog had died while she was at school and she will never see her again. Seeing my tears she tried to comfort me.

Soon afterward I buried Tesla in the meadow behind our house. When I came back in my daughter had put Tesla’s collar and tag on her stuffed toy border collie. Then she told me she was going to write a letter to Jesus to ask him to let Tesla come home.

Poor little Shylo seems lost without her. I told my daughter that Shylo has lost her best friend and that she needs to be her best friend now so that she won’t be sad. She said she would and gave me a big hug and said it’s OK Daddy I’ll take care of her.

Bruce from VA