My husband, Jerry, was ill with skin cancer and we were fairly limited in the things we could do. I hadn't given one second's thought to a puppy
And then one day my life changed. We were living in an apartment that didn't allow dogs, but on this day, I walked into the apartment lobby and I saw some people playing with a puppy.
"What's his name?" I asked. They told me the name. I called the puppy and he came over to me, but he didn't walk like other dogs. He raised his entire body and, with legs straight, hopped over to me like a rabbit. I had never seen anything like it.
I said, "What is it?"
"Wheaten terrier," he answered.
I was mesmerized
"I met the most remarkable puppy," I told Jerry later. I don't remember his reaction, but I know I had become obsessed.
I got the name of a breeder with wheaten puppies and made an appointment.
The breeder let me into her home and led me upstairs to the puppies. She told me on the way up that no decisions would be made until they were about 9 weeks old, that they wanted to see who would be a show dog and who wouldn't.
I was completely taken by the little boy with the turquoise ribbon around his neck. But she would make no commitment. I saw the puppy two weeks later and was even more enchanted. But still the breeder would not commit.
Two weeks later there was a message on my machine. "We just wanted to let you know we feel you'll give the puppy a good home and … "
And that's all I needed to hear. I was ecstatic, literally jumping up and down. Jerry was so very ill, but he was smiling and so happy for me. It was sweet and so touching.
Every minute spent with Zacky was great. He was such a novelty to us both.
Three months went by like nothing. We took Zacky to Marina del Rey to see the boats and the ducks (he couldn't have cared less!), we took him to the park after he got all his shots, and we took him for breakfast outdoors. We had someone to play with who made us chuckle and that was a good thing.
And then one day, suddenly, Jerry had a severe downturn. It was clear he was dying.
No matter how much you expect death, nothing can prepare you for the unbearable silence after a loved one is gone. If it hadn't been for Zacky, I don't know how I would have gotten through it.
Zacky gave me many gifts, but the greatest gift was that by having a dog, that meant part of my "job" was to play with him. He was born to play. The concept delighted me.
Honestly, most of the time I felt I had a human living with me. We'd play hide and seek the way I did with my childhood dog, Rusty. But Zacky couldn't find me worth his soul. He'd be one foot from me and couldn't see me sticking out behind the bathroom door.
Zacky and I were together for 12 years and 4 months. I adored him. He gave me such tremendous joy, and I tried to make him happy in any way I could.
After he died last year, May 6, 2008, I was inconsolable. If I could have died with him, I would have. He was everything to me.
As long as I live, I will never forget him. I will never stop wishing he was still here with me. I gave him a million hugs, but a million more would never be enough.
I hope maybe one day to get another wheaten puppy, but I don't know if it will be possible. I don't know how I could love it and not constantly think of Zacky.
But I suspect that if and when I'm ready to have another loving relationship with a pet, I will get some advice from a few good friends who have gone through this. To enjoy a pet's very unique and precious gifts of boundless love and limitless joy is worth anything.
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