Sorry to say, I’ve had a dismal weekend although it was to start brightly with the Christmas break up for my Tally Ho Fitness Group. However, when I got up in the morning, my beloved Millie didn’t rush out to greet me for the first time ever. She just lay on her bed and looked at me. It was then that I knew something was seriously wrong because she hadn’t been eating her meals with as much gusto as normal either. We decided I should attend the function but that my wife would ring the vet for an early appointment.

When we saw the vet the news wasn’t good. Quite simply Millie’s kidney function was breaking down and she only had a matter of days.

We could, the Vet told us, give her some palliative care but that would only relieve the pain she was in for a time and the ultimate outcome would be the same.

Sadly, and with tears running down my cheeks, I made the decision that it was time for my beloved Millie to go.

The wonderful vet rolled out a rug and Millie I lay down together and I hugged her close. As she went into her final sleep I know it didn’t hurt anymore and that she was at peace going to a better place.

But that place currently isn’t with me and I miss her terribly. She’s been a wonderful dog, never been disobedient, occasionally head strong. She believed her mission on this earth was to please me.

And I must add how deeply her loss has been to our puppy Polly. She is wandering around aimlessly looking for a Millie who went out with me and didn’t come back. And I can understand that because four-year-old Polly has never known a day in her life without having Millie… to take care of her. She misses Millie just as much as I do.

I know that you may or may not be a dog owner but maybe you can feel my pain and know that a little bit of my heart has died.

There was a lesson I was going to draw from this but I just can’t go on because of the tears that are streaming down my cheeks as I write this. Please forgive and indulge me.