Rudi

Our "vicious" watch dog!

Rudi was constantly on my lap.

Always claimed his own chair when we were outside or camping.

Sitting in his chair again.

Yesterday was an extremely rough day!  The night before we had taken him in to the vet because he was dragging one of his back legs.  The vet encouraged us to leave him over night there so they could observe him through the night.  Both Luke and I thought that he'd be okay after getting some anti-inflammatory medication and he'd be home today.  Well, yesterday morning the vet called and said that it hadn't help and had actually gotten worse.  Rudi didn't have control of his legs and couldn't control his bladder (a very bad sign).  Two options, surgery (in Detroit) that would be really costly or put him down...

Rudi has been with us for 7 years.  We got him from my Grandma VanderZwaag before she passed away.  He immediately became our "first" child as Luke and I were thrilled to have a dog.  Every day Rudi and I would take naps together on the couch (during the summer) and then go for walks (of course that all ended when kids arrived!).  It was great having companionship during the day while Luke was working.  Rudi was extremely spoiled and definitely kept us busier.  From the start he was a dog that would just sit by you.  He was a lap dog who would play if you wanted but was perfectly content to just sit and watch.  Of course when kids came Rudi lost a bit of his "rule of the roost" but he sure did love laying by the kids when they were babies.  I have a picture (that I can't seem to upload) of Rudi, Jackson and I all napping when I first came home from the hospital after having Jackson.  Rudi was amazing with the kids - he never bit them and would definitely "let us know" when they were crying.  Through the years he continued to sit or follow me through the house.  It was always kind of nice when I was up nursing to have Rudi sit by my feet (although sometimes he would jump up on the chair to sit on my lap with the child I was feeding!).  He was my shadow.

So yesterday we had to make the decision to put him down.  Probably the hardest decision I've ever had to make!  Of course I hated the idea of taking his life but when I saw him after school I knew it had to be done.  Rudi couldn't move from where he was (even when we rang the door bell... something he always got excited about).  What kind of life would it be for him to just sit there!  So we said goodbye and then Luke and I took him to the vet to be put down.  It was comforting to have him sit on my lap the entire ride there and then we were able to pet him when it happened.  So peaceful and quick ... yet broke my heart!  Rudi was a member of the family and will be missed so much!  Even tonight as we were walking through the house there are memories of him all around.  Lots of tears, lots of emotions during one of the most emotional weeks of school.... saying good bye to a class, meeting a new class and getting all that end of the year stuff done.   The worst so far was waking up last night.  Every time I woke up I would get out of bed and think Rudi would follow and then more tears would come.  Goodness, I know he was just a pet but this is so much harder then I thought it would be!