Sienna

There are moments in life that become a part of the “life flashes before your eyes” slide show. The more someone is in that slideshow the more they were probably a big part of your life and who you are. Sienna was my dog. She was the first dog I had owned on my own, and I couldn’t have asked for a better one. The $450 I spent for her between my sophomore and junior year in college seemed like a fortune at the time, but man, that seems like nothing looking back at the last 12 years.

I remember sitting at home in college with Paul Hutchings. We were bored college students. So what do poor college students do when they are bored and have a puppy? We teach her stupid party tricks of course! Sienna performed “Bang!” as late as last week. Her motivation was purely about getting that treat out of dad’s hands, but I never got tired of seeing the amazement that such a simple trick could bring to people. “Do it again!” they would say. “How did you do that?!” they would ask. “Show so-and-so that Bang! Trick”. It sounds stupid now, but it made me proud.

She dealt with me moving all over the country and to what must have seemed like countless houses and barely batted an eye. As long as she had a ball to chase, and food in her bowl twice a day, she was satisfied and loyal. I know everyone thinks their dog is the best dog in the world, just like every mom thinks there kid is best looking one in the room. I think Sienna was one of the best. I am not sure I am ever going to have a dog that brings as much joy, smiles, and love into a house as much as Sienna did.

“It’s just a dog”. I know. We knew this day would come. She is 12 years old after all. It doesn’t make it any easier. I’ll remember Sienna not as she was this last week, but as she was jumping into pools, chasing balls as if her life depended on it, sleeping on the couch next to me with her head in my lap. I’ll remember her wet nose at the side of the bed in the morning at the first sign that I might be thinking about waking up. I’ll remember how excited she got when we said “Wanna go see grammy?” or “You wanna go outside?” or “You wanna go for a ride?”. She was a part of our family, and that family will never be the same. We will move on, and there will be new puppies. We will have our own kids to give us grief and laughter, but Sienna won’t be there. Just yesterday she went to the backyard and brought me a ball to throw. It was more of a gentle toss, but she just wanted to be herself again. So when I wake up tomorrow morning, and there isn’t a thumping tail to greet me, and a wet nose in my face to say good morning, a little part of me will hurt all over again.

I know she is running around endless fields with tennis balls and pools, and whenever God decides to call me home, I know the first one greeting me will be Sienna. She won’t even miss a beat, and she will be looking at me like this, waiting on me to throw the ball so she can chase it just one more time:

…but tonight, I cry. I cry at the loss of one of my longest friends. I miss her already. I don’t know if your life actually flashes before your eyes, but if that day ever comes, this is how I’ll remember my friend. My dog.

Sienna

2000 – 2012