Good-Bye Ace

Ace was my forever dog, he was my heart and soul. This past year was a hard one on him, well harder than normal. Ace knew me, everything about. Reminded me when I forgot to eat, helped me find the truck when I got lost on the trail, comforted me when I was in pain or sick. No dog will ever be like him, no dog will ever replace the bond I had with him.

We got ace when he was 4 months old. He had come from a puppy mill outside of London that had been shut down and the first owners couldn't handle him. It must have been fate or something along those lines because a week before we were going to adopt a beagle named bagel from the Sarnia Humane Society but she was adopted the same day we went in to adopt her. So we found Ace (moo moo). In his new home he spent most of this time in a crate and when out of the crate he had little exercise and mental stimulation and if you know anything about northern breeds you know that they crave that and when they don't get it they become destructive. I put my everything into Ace. Everything that I would have put into Owen I put into him.

He loved to learn right from the start and in no time learned 30+ commands. At about a year old we found out he had neurological issues that caused seizures and other neurological issues but other wise he was happy and healthy. About a year ago the seizures were getting closer together he was having many a day and he was having issues with his back end. It turns out he had spinal degeneration and arthritis in his hips. Come June (6 months after this) he could barely walk, no more hiking or even walking more then a block. The vet gave him anti-inflamatories and told me this would likely be his last winter.

Even with the medications he was still having a hard time with his back end and getting around. It came to the point where he would lay there and cry. I was told giving him CBD cookies would help him so we did this but it got to the point where he had to be drugged in order to even just lay without crying. The decision had to be made for him, I needed to stop being selfish and trying to hold on to him longer just for my sake. I made the call in tears and brought him in. My vet is amazing I couldn't ask for a more gentle kind man. I held him and cried into his fur as he passed. He was no longer in pain anymore but my heart broke in two.

When we got home Bossco knew the moment we came in without Ace he was upset for weeks, even refused to eat and just moped around. Blaine lost his brother and he went over the rainbow bridge and would no longer be hurting. For weeks after Blaine would ask for moo moo or tell me he missed him.

I can't even explain the connection I had with Ace but I do know my life and my heart will never be the same.

That day in that office a part of me was lost forever.