I used to think all dog people were crazy

If you told me 11 years ago that your dog was your child or slept in your bed, I would look at you like you were nuts. Growing up in my culture, dogs were taboo in the home. My parents discouraged animals of any kind and would not even visit people if they had a house pet. I did not have the desire to ever have a pet because of my upbringing. When our first child was old enough say the word "dog", she asked for one. I refused to entertain that idea. I told my husband that until we bought a house and had a fenced in yard, I would *think* about it. Of course, the time came that we got the house with the yard and the question came up again. I let my husband and first born have their way and we got a 3 month old long coat chihuahua puppy. He was kind of cute, I admit. It took me no time at all to end up falling in love with this little pooch known as, Milo. We raised Milo as if he was our child. Anyone who visited, even non-dog lovers couldn't resist Milo. He was a cute and sweet dog. He loved everyone except the postal service workers, FedEx and UPS delivery people and the occasional stranger. If he sensed you were not supposed to be around our home, he would let you know it!

Over the years, Milo has been a faithful companion. He was always with one of his family members. He did not like to be left out of anything that was going on. If my husband was outside doing yard work, Milo was there. If I was working in my office, he would nap at my feet. If the kids were watching television, Milo lounged on the couch or floor near them. He was a family dog.

About two months ago, Milo started coughing. It was the first time we had ever heard him do that. We watched him for a few days and decided it was time to get him checked out at the vet. After a thorough examination, x-rays and blood work, it was determined that he had congestive heart failure. At that time, his lungs were full of fluid and he had a heart valve infection. It also was discovered that he had an enlarged heart that was pressing against his windpipe. That was what caused him to cough. We went ahead and got him some immediate treatment and had him put on 4 medications as well as a low-sodium prescription diet. The prognosis was that he may do well on the medications and live a relatively normal life or the opposite. For the first two weeks being on the medication, we noticed a difference and he seemed to be improving. Unfortunately, that didn't last long. He was getting sick again. The coughing came back. It got to the point that he was having a hard time breathing normally. We tried him on another batch of antibiotics as well as his other heart medications and he did not improve. He worsened.

It came down to having to make that big decision. Do we keep watching him suffer or let him go be at peace? It was a unanimous decision by our family (minus William since he doesn't fully understand) that we would have him put down. I always used to tell the girls when Milo was younger that pets don't live for a long time. They aren't the same as humans. I guess we didn't realize that time would come so soon. Ten years flew by and we had to do the right thing for Milo. We spent all of last week saying our final goodbyes to Milo. We let him do as he wanted and fed him like a king. It was hard. We all cried. I cried so much that I couldn't recognize my own face. I did not know I could love a dog that much.

We officially had him put down on Saturday morning. It was so hard. Everyone was very upset, but we knew it was the right thing to do. I think that knowing what was going to happen made it easier to handle. Milo has given us over 10 years of unconditional love and loyalty. We were so blessed to have him in our family. He is gone, but will forever remain in our hearts and memories.

The hardest part now is all the little reminders of him around the house. I no longer have the need for baby gates when we leave the house. I don't have to worry about leaving certain things on the floor in fear he might tear it up. I still hear him though. I hear faint barks and whimpering. I hear the jingle of his collar tags and his nails on the floor as if he is walking around the corner. It feels like he's still here. I have called the kids Milo almost a dozen times already. It will take time. We will all heal. For now, I focus on how much better a person I am because of him. I also know that dog people are definitely not crazy. They have extra big hearts.

Rest in sweet peace, Milo Anthony. You gave us 10 awesome years! We know you are living it up with all your friends in Heaven ♥

Strangest Celebrity Deaths

Although death is an inevitable part of life, some of us don’t like to think about our own mortality. In choosing to write a will, we can prepare our families for that unexpected time, and we will be safe in the knowledge that they will be cared for. We all have to prepare for the unexpected, like some of these stories from the celebrity world tell is.

Natalie Wood

The famous West Side Story star’s death in 1981 was judged as accidental drowning; however, even to this day, her death is shrouded in mystery. Away on a weekend boat trip with her husband, Robert Wagner and the actor Christopher Walken, it is generally believed that some foul play is involved in her death. Talk of alcohol fueled arguments on the boat the night before, as well as bruises found on her body has led many conspiracy theorists to believe that this death was no accident. Almost 30 years later, her death was changed to ‘undetermined’ after a review of the case; however, questions remain.

Brandon Lee

Like his father, Bruce Lee, Brandon echoed his father’s footsteps by exiting the world at a similarly young age in 1993 (Bruce was 32, Brandon 28). Unlike his father, Brandon Lee was killed on a film set, when a gun prop contained an actual bullet. His death was ruled accidental, but inevitably succumbed to continued conspiracy theories about he and his father’s death.

Steve Irwin

Despite living and working with the world’s most dangerous animals, it was a stingray attack in 2006 that killed the notorious ‘Crocodile Hunter’ in a bizarre accident. Whilst filming a documentary about the ocean’s deadliest animals, a stingray approached Irwin while he was snorkeling and pierced him in the chest with its tail spine (believed to be a defensive reaction). He was pronounced dead at the scene, and the charismatic wildlife expert was mourned worldwide as well as in his native Australia.
Many deaths remain unpredictable, yet some will remain unexplained. Though we probably won’t succumb to any of these incidents, it is always wise to remain prepared for death by writing a will. Whilst you might not hold the fortune of these celebrities, yours is still valuable and needs to be taken care of. If you fear that any problems might arise surrounding your will, you should contact specialists like http://www.disputingwills.co.uk immediately.