Fielder’s Choice

I’ve loved a lot of pets, but none more than Daisy.

And she loved me a lot in return, perhaps more than anyone else in my family. At least, that’s what Pam, Emma, Andy and Erin always said.

We got Daisy about six and a half years ago when she was already an adult. Casey Mayer delivered the Shih Tzu to our front door. She came from an acquaintance of his who was moving to Florida and couldn’t take pets.

Pretty much immediately, I became her favorite.

I think it was maybe because I rubbed her stomach a lot. She loved it when I rubbed her stomach. She would basically purr (like at cat) in enjoyment.

She would often fall asleep beside me on the couch.

And I’m not sure who snored the loudest – me or Daisy. It was a close competition, according to my wife and children.

Daisy was very active in those early years as part of the Burleson household.

She would run around the house, up and down the three steps to the garage, and  jump up on the couch and chair.

When we took her outside, she would go everywhere, even to the farthest part of our backyard.

She hardly ever barked. She was really the perfect dog for the Burlesons.

Daisy had a strict diet.  But we swayed during Saturday and Sunday mornings at the breakfast table.

She always knew when it was time for pancakes and eggs. As we sat around the table, she would park herself beside Pam’s chair.

On Saturdays, she got a pancake. On Sundays, she got eggs.

And if she didn’t get the pancakes or the eggs real soon, she would actually turn to barking – repetitively.

In recent years, Daisy’s health issues worsened. She developed tumors and her eyesight gradually faded.

In the past few months, her lifestyle changed dramatically.

She no longer appreciated the stomach rubs.

She didn’t come to the table for pancakes or eggs.

She slept about 20 out of 24 hours in a day.

She would awake us at 4 every morning, barking in pain.

We had to help her up and down those same steps.

She would walk into the wall and often try to find places to hide.

We had to help her locate her food bowl and her bed.

We put it off as long as we could, but we knew the inevitable. Daisy wasn’t going to get any better. One tumor was huge. She was miserable, and we were sad.

Tuesday morning of last week, Pam took Daisy to Willow Bend Animal Clinic to meet with Dr. Childers. He agreed that it was time.

I was a wimp. I couldn’t go, and Pam knew I couldn’t go. I simply gave Daisy a big hug and kiss before I left for work that morning.

Pam was the trooper of the family, and bless her, she cried the rest of the day.

Thanks to the fine staff at Willow Bend. As always, they were great. They have been Daisy’s second family. And thanks to the folks at Li’l Darlins Pet Salon, also part of Daisy’s family over the years.

We miss Daisy greatly. But we know she is no longer suffering.