In Memoriam, from mutt parents, Mark & Kelly:
Goodbye, sweet PIERRE
It is with the heaviest of hearts, that we say goodbye to you, our tired little buddy.
On Valentine’s Day, three years ago, we went to Muttville and found you – small, and shy, and shaking. We thought you were perfect. A distinguished little gentlemen, who just needed someone to love you, and to care for you.
They told us that you were found as a stray in Oakland, only a week before Christmas. The records say that you had an abrasion on your right side, and that your paws had been bleeding. Many times we’ve tried to imagine how frightened you must have been – such a tiny dog, alone in a big world. We’re you abandoned? Did you get lost? Had anyone ever looked for you?
At the SPCA, they called you Chico. But you were never a Chico, That was obvious. And so when you were moved to Muttville, they gave you a fresh start, and a new name…PIERRE. I remember wanting to consider other names. But from the beginning, Kelly liked your name. It’s very French-Canadian. We kept the name, and I’m glad we did. It fit you well. PIERRE GAGNON. The little French-Canadian Min-Pin from Oakland.
As time passed, we realized that you bore the scars of deep and old wounds – both physical and emotional. Although we will never know the joys or sorrows of your first ten years, we committed ourselves to ensuring that your final years would make up for any pain that you may have suffered, any despair that you may have endured. We fixed your teeth. We dulled the pains in your back. We bought dog beds and cashmere blankets to keep you comfortable. Through trial and error, we found the diet that settled your stomach. We took brisk walks everyday to keep you fit (you loved to walk). We brought you with us on our adventures, and I brought you to work with me everyday, because you hated being alone, and because we couldn’t stand to leave you.
We were inseparable, because as much as you needed us, we also needed you. You brought us incredible joy, surprise, smiles, laughter, pride, humanity, comfort, concern, responsibility, stress and now…loss. But despite the pain that we feel today, we have gained so much more than we have now lost. Before finding you, we could never have imagined that anything in this world could love and depend on us as deeply as you did, or challenge us to grow as people, or turn our lives upside down, or completely change our perspective on everything that we thought we knew. In three short years, you have utterly changed our lives – forever.
In the end, no amount of vet visits, treatments, pain meds, exercise, massages, belly-rubs, soft beds, cozy blankets, or special diets can keep an old dog from getting older. And so today, in the home that we’ve shared, on a soft pile of your favorite blankets, in front of a warm fire, we lie down beside you and quietly whisper to you one last time…goodbye, sweet PIERRE.
Someday, we’ll walk with you again along the Embarcadero, run beside you in cool green grass, and stand together in sunny spots beneath the Redwood trees. Someday, we’ll hold you between us again, and never let you go.
Until then…goodbye, sweet sweet PIERRE*.
- Kelly Gagnon & Mark Campbell (your Mom & Dad)
- Also affectionately known as…P, Peanut, Peanut Face, Peanut Butt, Butt, Butt Butt, Baby Butt, Little Butt, Little Buddy, Little Man, Tough Guy, Tiny Dog, Handsome Prince, Prince PIERRE.
Original profile
Bon jour! Pierre is a very handsome and unique min pin. He is cuddly, trusting, playful, and affectionate. What he has in common with the popular breed is his intelligence, athleticism, and adorable blanket burrowing habit.
He walks well on his leash and is house trained. He walks at a brisk pace and should be given at least one hour of physical activity a day. He would make a wonderful hiking buddy or fitness motivator. He loves sunbathing and playing with stuffed toys. To top it off, Pierre is also a genuine lap dog and will gaze into your eyes and sleep by your side every night. You can even spoon him! But, don’t try to dress him in cute sweaters. Bandanas and bow ties only.
Voila! Pierre is a one-of-a-kind dog. Funny, loving, and lovable.
We think Pierre is 7 years young, weighing about 10 lbs.
3/2/18
