After 14 years, it was finally time to say goodbye to my Golden Retriever yesterday. We knew the time was coming but it doesn't make it any easier. My daughter got married on Thursday and it was genuinely one of the best days of my life. The day after was one of the worst. A friend had him for the night, only the second time we've ever left him, the first being my sons wedding. When we went to pick him up, he wasn't right and our friend just shook her head and gave us that look that said it all. She has lost 3 Goldies over her life and knows the signs.
As part of my wedding speech, a lot of it was focused on how my daughter had begged me for a dog and I wasn't keen but she wore me down. When he came along it was the most natural thing in the world and we immediately bonded. My handle Golden Paws comes as a reference to him and a Beckham joke. Ironically me and missus used to argue about bringing up the kids but our dog brought us closer together.
I'll miss his boundless energy, our long walks in the Countryside and his absolute love and devotion.
Goodnight old friend.