Savannah Norris Ring

I remember the day I first met Savannah. It was the first day I met Kyle. It was five years and 363 days ago.

Kyle and I moved in together about a year later. Savannah got moved from the end of Kyle's bed to the bedroom floor. And then eventually relocated to the living room. And there's been days I've considered making her an outside dog! Either way, whenever I would come home from work, she would greet me at the door wagging her tail.

I remember when we would take her to the park. It was a wide-open area behind the Indianapolis Art Museum. We would have acres just to ourselves. We would throw a tennis ball as far as we could and she would just take off!

She loved car rides. She would stick her whole head out the window and let her big ears flop in the air. I remember it being below freezing and she would still want to stick her head out the window. Eventually it would get too cold and she would have to bring her head in. And she would have a big grin stuck to her face.

If it was raining she would stick her head out in the rain. And when she brought it in she would shake all the rain off inside my car.

I would give her a bone and she would chew it up in minutes. If I offered her a treat she would come running to me and stand on her back legs and hop up and down.

Though I never liked dogs, especially big ones. Somehow Savannah found a place in my heart.

I remember Kyle getting home from school one day, I was so excited to show him that Savannah had learned how to sit, stay and come all in one day.

I've never realized how much I've overlooked my relationship with my dog. You forget that you see your dog more than you see your friends and most of your family. I admit that I referred to her as my red headed step dog, when in actuality she's the first animal I've ever actually loved.

She has been an amazing dog. She showed guilt when she did something wrong, but those times were so few and far between. It would be hard to get mad at her, because she was such a sensitive dog.

They say the hardest day of owning a pet is the day you have to say goodbye.

Bones now make Savannah's  stomach sick. She can't see the tennis ball to run after it. Her back legs can no longer hold her weight. And I don't think she can hear many of my commands. Her tail no longer wags. And she falls over when she tries to shake off water. She doesn't even lift her head from her bed when we get home.

Last night Savannah got to sleep in our bed. Today we dropped Lucy off at day care, and left Reggie at home. We took Savannah to the park and let her sniff out the perimeter. She got to strut around Pet smart (and not have to get groomed - she hates that part). We got her her own cheeseburger and french fries from McDonald's and a side of whip cream from Starbucks. The three of us laid in bed. Savannah laid on Kyle's arm, while Kyle and I shared stories reminiscing about what a great dog she's been.

We took her to the vet and they confirmed what we already knew; dog's grow old.

Kyle and I said goodbye. Kyle and I kept petting her big floppy ears and told her how much we loved her and what a good dog she is; while the veterinarian injected the medicine to take away her pain. And Savannah went to sleep.

I will miss Savannah deeply. And I know Kyle will too. Lucy is too young to understand. And It breaks my heart to think about Reggie. Though Savannah wanted nothing to do with Reggie, she was always his best friend.

Today's a sad day in the Ring house as we lost a very special family member! We will miss you my little pup pup!

“Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day. It is amazing how much love and laughter they bring into our lives and even how much closer we become with each other because of them.”
~Marley and Me

See next post for lots of great doggie pics