Rest in Peace

After another week of health problems, we put Casey down on Friday.  I remember picking him up from the breeder in January 2001 when he was 6 weeks old and barely 3 pounds .  Casey was our first "baby" - we got him a few months after buying our first home, a teeny tiny little townhouse in Durham, NC. The memories we have from that home as newlyweds in grad school are so precious to us and most all of them contain Casey.

I remember potty training him in the freezing NC rain that winter and learning what it meant to own a dog (he was the first for both my husband and I).  We read book after book on dog training, took him to off leash dog parks, socialized him with other dogs, walked him for miles and miles every day, became addicted to all the animal planet dog shows, and hailed Cesar Milan as our personal hero.  All of a sudden we realized how many people owned dogs and enjoyed meeting them and their pets along the paths and trails of our Woodcroft neighborhood.  Casey was my companion when pulling all-nighters studying for tests and happily snuggled up with me for naps on the couch after I returned from taking them. 

Friday morning I held him as he took his last breath.  Below are some pictures I found of him over the years.  My husband commented on how vibrant and alive Casey looked in most of the below pictures (except for the one where he's almost asleep) - a far cry from how he has been the last couple of years.  If there are 2 dogs in a picture, he's the bigger one.  Rest in peace Casey.  You were an awesome dog and we'll always remember you.