Our sweet dog Alex died yesterday. Alex was a very old yellow Lab... close to 14, we figure. Mark got him when he was single (between wives one and two, I believe) from a friend that raised show Labs. Alex was already close to a year old at that point, but he didn't have the hips that show animals needed to this guy didn't want him anymore. Mark took him in and had himself a wonderful sweet dog. There IS no better big dog than a Lab, that is for sure.

My first memories of Alex were at the house Mark lived in when we met. His bathroom had a window with no screen. When you were in that bathroom, Alex would jump up and look in the window and expect to be petted.

On cold days in Austin, we would let the dogs into the house. Lucky is hyper and hard to have in the house because he doesn't like to sit still, but Alex would lay down in front of the fireplace and sometimes you'd just forget he was there, he was so good. And even though he had never really been house trained, he just knew how to let you know he needed to go out.

Alex has had hip troubles and arthritis for a long while now. We had been worried about his pain level and if we needed to help him along on his journey. I talked to my pet psychic a while back and she said Alex said, "No, I'm not ready!" and was quite happy and content in our backyard. He couldn't get around much at all and sometimes his back legs seemed to give out underneath him, but he still could eat and get around enough.

Sunday I worked in the yard and I brushed Alex and worried about the hot spots where the flies have been bothering him. I sprayed him with the fly repellant (which he just hates) and thought about how long he had. He still seemed sweet and happy. Mark came home from work last night and from his office window he could see Alex laying by the fence. He had a feeling and watched for a bit and could see that Alex wasn't moving anymore. He said it looked like Alex had been by the fence barking and may have just keeled over there. Poor puppy.

But Alex had 14 good years and was loved. I'm so glad he didn't get into that awful state of not being able to get on his legs and not being able to eat. He was pretty good for the shape he was in.

I'll put a picture or two when I get them from the other computer. I don't have any in here.

I'm sad, but I'm glad he made it all so easy on us. But that was the kind of dog Alex was. Sweet, good boy.