This is Colin, an amazing dog who we sadly lost 4 years ago. He was an interesting complex character. He was brave as a lion in some situations and nervous as a baby in others. When he was around a year old he once leapt from a high bridge into a rocky fast flowing stream to try to catch a duck he had spotted. He was fine, did not catch the duck 🦆though!
He hated being left in the house alone and would whine for hours to our neighbours annoyance. Eventually we very rarely left him as my partner was retired and worked at home all day. If he needed to go on any errands he only had to open the door of his van and the dog was in there before him.
He had cuddly toys which he appeared to really like but only after he had bitten their eyes out. We once noticed that he would not eat his meal when he thought one of the toys, which had so far escaped being de eyed, was watching him. We turned it away and he got on with his dinner.
Colin loved our travels all over Europe in our converted white van that became a "stealth" campervan. We could park anywhere and stay the night to avoid campsite fees, it looked like a "white van man" van. I once or twice had to sleep in the cab on my own as we had too much stuff in the back to get the bed out. I remember being in a very dodgy motorway services area and feeling quite scared as a rather dubious looking character came up to look in our van and could see me alone in the cab. Colin was on the floor but suddenly sprung up snarling and growling and the man made a hasty retreat.
He must have travelled to around 12 different countries and loved every minute of it including the long hours of travel as long as he could be curled up at my feet. He used to refuse water until we got to our final stop for the night as I think he had sussed it was not helpful if he needed the loo too often even though we gave him the chance to go. He would tear around happy as a king once we stopped for the night and slept well in a tiny space at the foot of our pull out bed in the van.
He was however terrified of vets so would fight and growl like a tiger when needing his shots for his pet passport or even his routine exam when arriving in the French seaport ready to return home to the UK. Luckily he never bit the vets even though he was terrified.
While on our travels we often went walking in mountain areas and he was really brilliant at gently but steadily pulling me up mountains but on the way down he walked perfectly at my side with a slack lead so as not to pull me over.
Colin was very shy about doing his doggy business, or do dos if you like plain speaking, or doing a crap if you like even plainer speaking. He would wait until we were in the cornfield or longer grass in the fields at the bottom of our garden and go along way out into the middle of the field squatting with just his head and shoulders showing looking around in an embarrassed way. He was almost whistling as he gave the message that he had just fancied a sit down in the field and wasn't doing anything!
We loved him to bits and we miss him every day. He has left a big hole in our lives which we have filled a little bit by borrowing dogs from other people using the Borrow my doggie website. I will write about some of those characters another time.
Kim
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Kkimm
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What a beautiful picture and beautiful tribute to Colin.
I also miss my dog. He was 14 when he died. He was my best friend. Knew all my secrets and pain. He left me two years ago. The pain has lasted and I would never have another one. Losing him sent me into a depression so deep it added another medication to my long list.
Hi Dolphin. So sorry about your loss and the really bad effect it had on you. No wonder as he sounds as if he was a wonderful dog too.
Thanks for your lovely comments, they mean such a lot to me.
Very best wishes.
Kim
Great post unlike most of the humans' pets are more loyal and honest to their partner (owner) they unconditionally love their owners.
your story reminds me of my dog which I had when I was a kid he went AWOL which I guess because we used to move out at some
different location in some interval of time so maybe he cannot adapt to new surroundings, then we need to send him to my grandfather after some years he died but I am relieved that he died peacefully the only regret is that I was not there to say goodbye to him for one final time.
Beautiful description and story Kim. Very uplifting. Thanks for sharing and I look forward to your stories about other "doggy" characters in the future. I love that little "duck" you managed to squeeze in with the text. I don't know how to do that but I expect it's somewhere on a Smartphone menu. I'm a bit old fashioned; I don't have a smartphone
that's good story and a little sad as well.must have been amazing having him travel with you.my dog goes on every holiday with us bar this year and I missed her and felt guilty.must have tons of great memories and hopefully that eases the pain a little.
Thanks for your reply, it means alot to me. Glad you have a lovely dog and can take her on holiday. It is sad but I also have so many happy memories from him. As the years go by it gets easier and the happy side of it out weighs the sad side.
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Time to confess 🙀
He left me because of my depression... I’m 20 and he is 27
Better without him
Jerk speaks...again
