I, like many other Siberian Husky owners, was taken one day by an adorable little snowball, with eyes blue as crystals and a smile that would steal your heart away. His name was Dallas. Born on November 11, 2000, this sweet little soul was carried off from MO to CT to be sold in a local pet shop.

    I will never forget the day we met. I called out of work that day, which I never do and decided to go shopping at the mall. I always avoid going into the pet store as my heart breaks every time, but for some reason on this day, February 20, 2001, I walked in the store as if I knew what I was there for and that's when I saw him. I asked the store clerk if I could just see him for a moment and when he handed him to me, he didn't want to be held at all. It was like he was saying "I'm free at last" and off he went rummaging through the pet store.

    From that moment on Dallas was my little reign of terror. I brought Dallas home that night and introduced him to my 2 year old Rottwieler, Sampson, and the 2 clicked instantly. Dallas definitely took control of the situation and soon became king of the castle. Dallas was very hard to train and gave me many problems during puppy hood. He was always chewing on something or trying to swallow something or chasing the cats. If only I could yell at him to get out of the garbage one more time.

    Dallas loved to play games. He was very sneaky and very smart. He could maneuver his way out of anything. Dallas being so destructive and defiant made him the dog he was. He was a great dog and all the fresh things he did, he did from the heart. As I mentioned, Dallas was a chewer. He would chew anything. If you drop it, forget it. Dallas would have it before you noticed anything fell.

    That's when the games began. You realize he has something he shouldn't and try to obtain the object at which point Dallas would run around the coffee table in circles until I got dizzy and would stop. He would tease me and come close with whatever it was he had hanging out his mouth. No sooner did I go to grab it and he would swallow it. Two Saturdays ago I notice my little man not behaving like usual. He wouldn't eat, which was so not Dallas. We are talking about a dog that would take your fingers right along with the treat with no problem. He was also very lethargic so I took him to vet right away Monday afternoon.

    The vet said that there was an obstruction in the intestine and surgery would need to be performed to help him. I said fine and he let me take Dallas home that night. He told me to bring him back at 7am the next morning. When I left the vet, Dallas was deteriorating and I thought the vet was nuts for allowing me to take him home as sick as he was. I decided to take him to my regular vet in the morning instead. There the vet told me that they would prefer to keep Dallas for the night for observation and try to help him with fluids and such, wanting to avoid surgery.

    I guess I trusted that they would take care of him and I allowed them to keep Dallas overnight & run tests before they did any exploratory surgery. The next morning the vet called and said Dallas was doing great. He wasn't completely cured but he had some color back and a little oomph that he came in with. She told me the tests were great, he was a healthy pup and everything looked promising. Being that Dallas was only 14 months old the doctors thought that he was strong and healthy and he was going to be just fine. She told me they were going to try to get Dallas to pass whatever it was that was causing him this discomfort and I could come visit him that night after work. Two hours later, I got the call.

    The vet called me at work and told me to get down there right away as they didn't think he was going to make it. He vomited some plastic from his water bottle that he consumed earlier that week and the plastic tore open his small intestine and Dallas died from peritonitis. She said he was fine, he went outside and when he came in he became delusional, non-responsive and striked a fever of 106. Five minutes after I arrived my sweet Dallas took his last breath. I couldn't stop kissing his cute little face and hoping that it wasn't true.

    I miss you Dallas more than words can say. In the short time you were with me you managed to teach me more than I could have ever taught you in a lifetime. You were so fresh, yet so loving and I wish you were here with me, Amber and Sampson. You didn't even get the chance to try out the new dog house we bought you and your little id tag came in the mail the day after you passed. I will carry it with me forever.

    I want you to know that I did bring home a puppy the other day. I haven't replaced you by any means, there will never be another Dallas in this world. You are the one and only. I just couldn't take the pain and emptiness and needed a reminder of you, I guess. Her name is Delilah and she to is a Siberian.

    In some ways she is just like you and in others she is the opposite. The one thing you two definitely have in common is your birthday. Yes, Dallas was born 11/11/00 and Delilah was born 11/11/01. I didn't notice that until after I got home and was reading through the puppy packet that was given to me.

    I definitely feel you wherever I go and you can count on me being on the North side of Rainbow Bridge as soon as its time. Until then, little dude...Be free and run like you've never ran before. There are no barriers or fences stopping you now. I love you Dallas and I miss you and know that I will NEVER FORGET you, ever.

Love,
Mommy

To Huskies Over the Rainbow Bridge