Bubba the Mixed Breed Dog

Published on April 30th, 2010

By NanJohnne (California)

I had Bubba since he was able to walk at four weeks and crawl/walk over to the trailer I lived in beside the shed his mom had the litter. I brought him back home from Texas and started training. He could never leave my side and even had to go to work with me which was interesting because it was in the puppy building at the Fresno Human Society and by this time he was 6 months and well-trained.He sat in a dog cage and watched me work all day.I had to put a NOT FOR ADOPTION on the cage. He was black, half cocker spaniel and half little terrier mix and was so smart. He would sneeze,play dead dog, smile, sit, stay (forever) on command. He was my soulmate and was with me always for eight years. He slept with me in a loft and had no problem jumping down. One morning, someone came to the door and he missed his timing and didn't give himself enough space as their was a dresser not far from the loft, as he jumped down to see who was there. Not long afterwards he started whimpering and couldn't walk. Then he laid down and could not get up. I knew he had hurt his back on a SUNDAY. We went to every vet I knew. Mine was on vacation and the Humane Society was closed so I took him to a vet that usually dealt with horses and his partner dealt with dogs and cats but was not working that day. He verified that he had hurt his back and probably would not recover and I could take him home and see. Then he stared telling me (not knowing I am a vet tech, humane officer, ran a shelter, etc.) that I should not want him to suffer, indicting that I should put him down so I was still in shock and alone and finally agreed to do so and I held him while he gave him the shot. Afterwards, I almost flipped. The vet had given him a cortisone shot and had not told me nor did I see as I was comforting and talking to Bubba. It would have relieved the pain and he might have made it all right. He was only 8 years old and I think of him every single day and he has been gone 12 years. We went for walks every day and he always stopped to smell the flowers. R.I.P. BUBBA