Reflecting on Poignant Reminders at an Unexpected Time from an Unexpected Source...

This was my special dog. His name was Ranger. He was a Texas Blue Lacy. For those who do not know, it is a very rare breed and is the State Dog of Texas.? The relationship I had with him was one of the most treasured experiences I have ever had in my entire life.? I remember the day we picked him up in sweltering heat on July 4, 2011, from an 80-year-old elderly couple who had just had a recent litter of pups in Bonham, Texas.? I wanted to keep them all, but I chose him because he tended to explore more than the others and was unique as he was the only one from his litter who had a dash of white fur on all four paws.? He wasn’t much bigger than the palm of my hand.? He grew and grew, and bonded very deeply with my family.?

I remember being upset with him once when he chewed through one of the balusters on our stairwell railing when he was teething as a young dog.? When he looked up at me with his goofy off-set eyes after I caught him, it was impossible to remain angry. ?He was always getting into stuff and would sometimes run off with my socks when I was trying to get dressed for work.? I guess he just wanted me to stay home a little bit longer.?

He helped us get through some very emotionally difficult times, helped my children grow up, protected the family, and was my special quiet source of sanity and support when I needed my “best friend.”? He was always there to provide us with unconditional love.? I considered him my unofficial “FBI law dog” at home (though the FBI was never aware of his steady presence behind the scenes).? He was always there for me during the ups and downs of being an agent and was always the first to greet me with his wagging tail when I came through the door after a tough day.?

He was loyal to a fault, highly intelligent, observant and acutely attuned to his surroundings, energetic, athletic, mischievous, stubborn, fiercely protective, and, above all, always extremely loving.? He was truly the sweetest dog who lived to give us “kisses.” ?He seemed to have an uncanny awareness and understanding of us and how we were feeling.? In retrospect, I think he spent more time observing and learning from us, than I think we did of him (although it was close). He was a true member of the family and the ultimate companion dog.

Now, it is really hard to walk around the house and not hear his collar jingle.? I keep looking for him thinking he is around the corner or in his bed resting in another room.? I keep waiting to hear him ring the bells hanging from the back door to let me know he needed to go out. He used to bark at every dog on TV, and for some strange reason, he seemed to get very upset every time Mike Lindell, the “My Pillow Guy,” or the “Deluth Trading Company” deep-voiced, pencil-drawing commercials came on (?!). He loved being on the ranch, running through the tall grass fields of East Texas, chasing rabbits and cattle, going on long walks where he could get his “free sniffs,” to later come home to eat his favorite “treats.”? I keep wondering why I am not hearing him play with his toys or all the other sounds I have grown accustomed to over the last twelve years.? But they are all silent now.? I won’t find him watching what I am doing, asking to play, lying in my lap, or resting in his favorite spots. I don’t have the benefit of my little friend anymore.? He is gone.?

He passed in the late afternoon on September 12, 2023, after collapsing at home on the morning of September 9, 2023.? During his visit to the emergency veterinarian, he was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma, a form of cancer which, if undetected, ultimately causes the spleen in dogs to rupture resulting in massive internal bleeding.? Upon hearing the news, we brought him home.? Opinions from three separate vets and two ultrasounds later all revealed the same thing: cancer had spread to other organs in his body.? Between visits to the vets, I prayed for hope.? For a brief period, he rallied, and I thought there was a slim chance he might survive. He was seemingly totally fine and normal one day, and not the next.? Afterward, I felt helpless and had trouble believing what was happening. I was sick to my stomach.? I could tell he desperately wanted to stay with us, but he was losing his valiant fight to stay alive.? His diagnosis was devastating, and his passing was so sudden and completely unexpected. It was totally and completely crushing.?

Through my relationship with him I was given many incredible gifts.? God put him with us for many reasons, but above all, through my sadness and grief, I learned his purpose in his short life was to bring us happiness while he was here and serve as a poignant reminder to us all of those things which are most important:? 1] Step back and never take loved ones in your life for granted because they are so deeply missed when they are gone and the brief time you have with them is so incredibly precious;? 2] Remember to protect the critical importance of the “pack” which strengthens and solidifies family bonds; and 3] Be selfless and give love unconditionally to all those you care about.? I’m not sure a dog could have had a more significant purpose in life than that…?

I and my family celebrate his life, the joy he brought us, and the great dog that he was.? I pray he may rest in peace knowing we were there with him right up to the end and loved him very deeply throughout his life. You will be missed and never forgotten.