Not Just A Pet

New blog post AW YEAH.   
Today I am actually going to be talking about some sad stuff, so if you hate that, you might as well just click that neat little X on the top right of your screen.
I bet most you have/had pets, right? Pets are more than just money spent on something to take care of. They're a part of you, a part of your family, a part of your life. When you get that new puppy or kitten on Christmas morning, you don't think, "Well this is a nice gift, but I'd prefer a Barbie doll.", do you? No. Well, I at least hope you don't. You think, "Oh my god, this is amazing! We are going to be best friends.". And you do. You do become best friends.

 When I was only about a year old, my parents went to a farm in the middle of Illinois to get a dog. They picked out a small, wimpy-looking Shetland Sheepdog. Although I don't have any memories of this, I remember my sisters telling me that they couldn't be happier that there was a new furry member of the family. They named the nervous puppy Calvin, named after the famous character from Bill Waterson's "Calvin and Hobbes".

I guess you could say Calvin was the runt of the pack. He was always cowardly and timid. However, you knew that he was still a Sheltie by heart because of his urge to herd. While he wasn't exactly an animal herder, he preferred to herd us instead. He had to make sure that everyone in the family was indoors at all times, and completely safe. If you went somewhere else, he would follow you. If you went outside, he would bark like mad. But he wasn't just a herder. He was also a friend.

Calvin and I grew up together. As I got older, so did he. He was there as I first learned how to ride a bike. We partook in many games together(which usually consisted of me running around in the backyard and him chasing me), napped together, and we even potty trained together. He watched me go to school for the first time. He comforted me when I was sad. He groomed me when I didn't want to be groomed. He gave me warmth. He gave me love.

Calvin, Catie(my sister) and I on Christmas in 1999

On April 28, 2011, Calvin passed away just before his 13th birthday. I remember my dad taking him to the vet because he wasn't doing so good. We all worried constantly. We tried to get him to eat. At first it seemed like he was getting better, but constant trips to the vet and throwing up said otherwise. I went to school with little sleep, due to the fact I stayed up all night just wondering what was going to happen with my best friend. I remember our softball game had just ended and I called my dad to ask him how Calvin was doing. He told me that he would tell me when I got home. When I arrived at our house, my parents' sad faces was all I needed to see. We just had to accept the fact that Calvin's time in our world was almost up. My dad brought Calvin home from the vet so we could spend one last night with him. I spent most of the night hugging him and crying into his fur while I told him how much I loved him. The next morning came and I went downstairs. My dad hadn't left for work yet and my mom hadn't either. It was a quiet morning. We all took turns hugging Calvin and crying. My mom started crying, and so did my dad. I had to walk into another room, because I can't stand to see my parents cry. I cried some more and then sucked it up. It was time to go. I gave Calvin one last hug and kiss and went to school. The rest of the day consisted of me trying to be happy and not cry at school, but as soon as I got home and didn't see Calvin, I ran upstairs and cried.

 Although it was sad that he died, Calvin's life was wonderful. He wasn't considered the most adventurous dog ever, but to me he was the best dog and friend I ever had. He will be missed.

Old Calvin in the Vet's office on his last day.