Rest in peace, faithful friend Max

Back in 2004, we went to the Humane Society to look for a dog. The house seemed empty without our dog Bo. Bo had cancer and we had to put her to sleep. My husband was drawn to a labrador beagle named Max. I remember my first look at Max. He was standing squarely in his cage, barking furiously. We took him for a walk to try to discern his character. Somehow I felt he was conning us. And I was right. Max ruled the roost until 2008 when we adopted a puggle, mini dachsund and two cats. The three dogs and I would walk around the field. Max went camping with us every August. He had the distinct arooo rooo rooo of a beagle. His coat shone reddish brown in the sun. Maybe a year or so ago, Max became lame. He limped on his shoulder. We tried joint lubricant on his food to no avail. The limp got worse and he lost his signature bark. I slso suspect he was blind because he rode the walls and managed to get trapped almost everywhere. Last night when he whined and tried to get up to a standing position but failed, we realized it was time. I could think of nothing today at work other than the difficult task of taking Max to the clinic to be put to sleep. I set him in a blanket on the floor in the back, but 2 minutes into the trip he was upside down and terrified. I got out in the middle of traffic to try to make him more comfortable but it didn't help. Once we made it to the vet, I managed to get him out of the car. The techs inserted a catheter so that the doctor could give him two injections. When he came out of the back room, he was lying peacefully on a blanket with a lambs wool covering. All I could see was his head and he looked young. I hugged his head and told him he was a good boy. Rest in peace, Max 2002-2014. Enjoy chasing around with your ears back and your tail wagging!