Losing a Dog, Losing a Friend

Yago at age 6, 2002.

It's been almost a month since my dog Yago passed away. He was a big part of my life for 16 years.
This "dumped-as-a-puppy" chow-mix dog was by my side through so many transitions in my life. In many ways, he was my stability and security through these transitions. He was more than family. He was, in the truest sense of the word, my closest and dearest friend.

Yago, 1998 at his horse farm home in Mena, Arkansas.

I knew his time was coming. He told me with his eyes and his ears. His ears, always big, pointy and upright, were more often laying down as his face showed signs of discomfort.

Yago, Mena, Arkansas, always keeping watch.

He passed away laying in the sun and "guarding" the entrance to our show horse barn as he had always done.
I held him in my arms assuring him he would be loved forever. I thanked him for enriching my life in so many ways - so many, in fact, that I am literally flooded with memories of our time together.

Yago laying in one of many big holes he dug during his lifetime.

Yago was the reason I started Appreciate Your Pet several years ago. He and I both hoped the web site and "pet honor" certificate would really take off and be very popular, and well, let's just say that it didn't quite happen like we thought. We decided to downsize the web site to a blog and start from the beginning with the hopes of building the Appreciate Your Pet brand while continuing to expand our mission of "honoring animals who enrich human lives". Perhaps with time, Yago's profile and the Appreciate Your Pet logo will become recognizable.

Yago (right), his daughter Yuka (left) and  my daughter Jennifer Holland.

It's interesting that human lives can be "enriched" by something other than money and material possessions.
Pets -and especially dogs - do just that with an innate precision and mission that can only be from a higher source. The love we have for our pets - and other animal friends - is a rather unique love when you stop and think about it. As humans, we easily and readily give our love and affection to beings who are totally different from us in so many ways. What is it about dogs that make them so easy to love? Why do we cherish these relationships? What does this really tell us about the nature of love?

The Appreciate Your Pet tag, featuring Yago's profile in yellow.

Today I ask you to honor the animals in your life. Take a few moments to think about the happiness and love they have brought into your life. In memory of my Yago, please thank them for enriching your life.


Something tells me Yago is still with us. He was always such a clever dog, and I believe his spirit will find a way to continue the journey he started.