Max Memories

My precious dog died this weekend.  I am heart broken. All these memories are surfacing.....and I don't want to forget a single one.  I writing them down here randomly as they come to mind. 

I am seeing the keyboard through tears. 

Max Memories

Max was a small rust colored cocker spaniel.

Max was born September 7^th, 2001  

He died July 11^th, 2014

at the age of 12 ½ yr old.

June 2014

I had seen a friend’s little cocker spaniel and commented that I had a cocker when I was a little girl and would love to get another one.  The friend told me where he had gotten his dog… a place in Minnesota called Neddlewoods. It had been a former family zoo type place. After okaying it with Dave, Mom and I went to Needlewoods.  We bought home Max and a bouquet of peacock feathers. Mom (as a present to me) bought Max for $75. The reason for the cheap price is that we got Max without papers, even though he was purebred. (It’s silly but I’m angry because I feel that it’s unfair that we still have the peacock features but not Max)

October 2001

I didn't know what to name Max.  I wanted to name him Cricket but my husband, Dave and our daughter, Jenny shot down that Idea. The name Max never did fit him.  He was more of a mini that a max.  I’d often call him Maxie which would bother Jenny. It made her think of “Maxi Pads”.

Dave got Jake and I got Max at about the same time.  The dogs were just a week apart in age.  Max was always the dominate pup even when Jake doubled Max’s size.  This was unusual because in everything else, Mas was timid.  The two dogs would pretend fight.  Max was very vocal while they wrestled too.

Jenny and the pups, Max & Jake

Jake was the smarter dog.  I would try to teach the dogs tricks.  Jake did pretty well.  Max learned how to stay and that’s about it. When I wanted him to sit up and beg…he'd wait for me to put my wrist up for him to balance against. (Jake died in June 2010)

Max followed me everywhere. He would even follow me into the bathroom at the lake.  (but not at home, because that is where you get a bath) He wanted to be with me in the bathroom at the lake but if I was taking a shower, he’d get bore and start scratching the door to get out.

5 yr old

At the lake, he would sit on the deck and watch for chipmunks.  When he spotted one he would dash off the deck but of course the chipmunk would be long gone before he got to the spot that the chipmunk had been at.

Always watching for chipmunks

He only wanted to be outside if my husband, Dave or I was with him.  Even at the lake…even though he loved chasing chipmunks.  Dave buried Max in a spot at the lake that overlooks the favorite Chipmunk sightings. Dave figured that if Max wasn't with us, that would be his 2^nd favorite spot.

Max had a couple different sweaters that I put on him after haircuts.

Once when Max was young, I took him with me over to Mom’s house. Something scared him and he got away from me. In a panic he ran with his leash dragging behind him. When I caught up to him he was running against busy traffic down 10^th street – a one way street. He was so glad for me to get to him. (The feeling was mutual)

Max’s breathing became harsh his last year.  I called it huffing.  The vet tried some medicine, but it didn't work.  A couple times I had to put him in the back entryway while we had Bible study because his breathing was so loud it was distracting.  Dave often told him to shut up….. meaning close your mouth…because it was so loud.

Max was an ideal dog. …Quiet…only barked at his shadow. Timid…..Preferred stuff animals to chew toys…. Was always licking.  He would let the kids do anything they wanted to him….he would put up with them. Sierra used to like to style Max's hair with water and an a brush. He put up with it....even though he'd rather be taking a nap.

Max and I played this game.  Whenever I saw the squirrel at the bird feeder, I’d say “SQUIRREL!” and Max would shoot out the door.  Funny…Max’s attitude was once he got out the door was pleasant surprise like  - Wow A Squirrel! And then he’d chase it. It was as if when I said “SQUIRREL!”…to Max it meant there’s going to be a surprise for you…and he’d get excited not knowing what it was going to be.  (You would have thought that he’d catch on…it’s a squirrel again)

Two things that Max never did forget was  - when I was teaching the pups to catch a freebie, I’d use slices of bread so that they wouldn't duck. Til the very end, Max would get excited when he saw me opening a loaf of bread…even though I hadn’t shared any bread with him in years.

Max also got excited when I poured milk on my cereal because when the dogs were puppies I used to give them milk. I did, however, let Max drink the milk left over in my cereal bowl.

Max lost most of his hearing the last year, so it was hard to call him back when he went across the street.

3 yr old

Max was funny.  He really didn't care to ride in cars…he put up with it without complaining. He preferred the front seat. In fact if Dave was driving, when he had a chance he’d climb up in the front seat and squeeze in next to me.  I’d have to put the seatbelt across my lap and over him because he wouldn't move. If it was just Max and me, Max would sit up in the passenger seat and get this… he would duck every time we went under an overpass.  Ha  Ha

Fresh Haircut

7 yr old

Max loved to go on walks.  When he saw me get my tennis shoes on…he knew that I was going on a walk.  He’d jump all over the place.  I’d put on his leash and he’d lead me out of the yard.  EVERY TIME we’d get across the street by that open lot and he would stop and poop..

I’d bring a doggy bag along incase he’d want to poop again which rarely happened unless we were in front of someone’s house with the people out in their yard…then he’d poop

.

On walks, Max would lead out of the yard and down the block.  I’d lead the rest of the way until we turned to face home.  Then Max would take the lead again.  Max was not one of those dogs that had to stop and smell everything…which made him a good walking companion.

During his last year I rarely took him for walks.  His huffing made it too hard on him. Even though he wanted to go along, I could tell that it was torture.

9 yr old

It’s makes me sad to remember this….During his last year, when it was just me and Max at home during the evening, Max would stand in the back entryway and stare at the back door, waiting for Dave to come home.  I think that because Max had lost his hearing, he didn't want to miss Dave’s arrival.  Dave said that he’d wait for me to come home too.  Max wasn't comfortable unless we were all home.

Dave watches TV a lot so Max would either sleep with his head on Dave’s lap or right next to Dave’s leg or on the floor next to Dave. If I was watching TV Max would sleep on my feet on the couch.  (The problem was that I am not a sitter, so I’d be up and down and Max would give me the look as “I just got comfortable and you’re moving again?”)

7 yr old

Over the last year, during normal work days, Max would sleep hard. When I came home from work I actually had to touch him to wake him. That was totally abnormal for him.

Max was a cute dog…..  He looked more like a female than a male.  We always feed him expensive Science Diet food and no table scraps so his coat was always a shiny rust color. We had his hair cut once or twice a year.  His ears and legs would get matted.  Ironically, during Max’s last month I wasn't working or babysitting so I had time to keep his coat brushed. Boy did he shed! The one thing that we won’t miss is all the dog hair around the house.  It bothered Dave more than it bothered me, especially the hair that collected on the steps which rarely got vacuumed.

Two days before Max died, I came home in the evening and found Max hurting. One of his front paws wasn't working. He was walking on the top side of his paw. He hobbled around trying to follow me. I called Dave home. We were so worried.  We just knew that when we took him to the vet in the morning that he doc would suggest putting him down. We prayed and asked God for healing.  God didn't give us exactly what we asked for, but he did give us one more day with Max.  We awoke the next morning and Max was walking fine. He was his normal self with less energy. I took this video. (Max woke up the following morning unable to stand without falling over. He quit breathing twice on the way to the vet.)

Just now I looked down on the floor where Max always laid while I typed on the computer. It’s bringing tears to my eyes. I am sure that I will have to deal with this recurring lost feeling over and over for a while.  It hurts.  I miss him.