August 18, 2015. Today Mousse died. It was a sunny morning, cooler than it had been lately. The breeze blew through the house while we held him as he slipped away in our arms. While the scene was surreal and peaceful, and while his body was calm as he gave himself over, he did not go eagerly – his body was reluctant to let go and he seemed to hang on to us with every breath. He was our protector, our patrol dog. He was a warrior and a champion in life and in death. There is no other dog like him.
I picture him now, ridiculously big tongue lolling out of his head, smiling from ear to ear as he loudly pants after fetching the latest tennis ball or stick. He is at peace, he is happy, and he watches over us. He can run easily, gracefully, and swiftly as the wind – he is no longer stiff and he can breathe to the full capacity of his huge lungs.
He had such a wonderful spirit, and we are so very blessed that he was part of our lives for almost 14 years. He was always happy and eager to please. He was handsome! He had beautiful, velvet-brown fur and the softest, silkiest ears. I’ll miss touching those ears.
He had many, many nicknames: Moussie, Mouse-Cream, Moussie-Laroux (his French alter-ego), Mouse, Mouser, Lunkhead, Knucklehead, Log-Dog, Choco-Mousse, and on and on. He was called so many names because he was so interested in everything around him, and because he was so loved by us, his family.
He loved to hunt almost as much as he loved Tim. He wasn’t always disciplined and he whined a lot when excited, but he was so full of life that it just burst out of him. He was brave and fearless – sometimes a bit reckless.
He grew up with our 3 boys – he was part of the pack. He was a well-kept secret that we brought home one day while the boys were at school, finishing up for winter break. They didn’t know we’d been visiting the kennel and getting to know him and his siblings. Back then, he was known as “C38,” which was the chip number the breeder had inserted in him. We didn’t want to get too attached to any of the puppies, so he stayed C38 until he was home and officially one of the family.
The surprise and delight we hoped for from the boys were better than expected! They were thrilled, and the love affair that began that day didn’t end, even after they all left home for college to start their own journeys.
We gave Mousse a wonderful home and family, and he, in turn, rewarded us more times over than could ever be counted. Farewell and be well, Mousse – we will always love you and carry you in our hearts.