My dog, well, my mom's too

Sadie – January 12, 1994 to March 3, 2008

Sadie had to be put down on 3/3/08 after a series of strokes incapacitated her earlier that day. Sadie was 14 years old – 98 for us – and I hope had a good life.

Sadie was born on January 12, 1994 and I got her in early March on a whim after I saw her at a pet store in Paramus Mall. A buff-colored cocker spaniel. I totally fell in love with her exuberant attitude – she was playful, curious and loving (a total suck-up) and I fell for her big brown eyes too.

My ex wasn’t too happy when I did buy her – so much for having “children” I would think. So, I purchased all the necessities she needed and took her home to my apartment in Manhattan (Chelsea).

I did not have a name for her right then because I felt it had to suit her. I kept mulling over ideas until I started leafing through my address book in a final attempt to find the right name. And then I found it, Sadie. Sadie is the name of a woman at my office. She was also very animated, with a heart of gold – and also had big, brown eyes! That was it then.

Anyway, I kept Sadie with me in NYC for 4 years. Trained her to go for walks (she was a total hunk magnet!) and did all the correct, right things like having her spayed and getting all her shots. Sadie would make me laugh because the vet was a hunky guy with a deep voice and every time we went, when he came out to get us, he would bend down to pet her saying, “How’s my little girl?” Sadie would just get all excited and pee. (I know how she feels! And, my friends would tease me endlessly)

Sadie went to the groomers every 4 weeks and had a bath every Saturday in between visits but never peed on the floor!

Sadie slept on a towel on my bed next to me almost every night. My ex would hate it when he spent the night and she would bounce onto the bed and happily squeeze between us! When I slept alone with Sadie alone, she would awaken me with her loud snoring. A few times, I would be groggily thinking in my sleep-dazed state, “Is someone sleeping with me?” Once, I realized Sadie was snoring, I would go back to sleep relieved.

We had a routine of going out at 5:30 am, 5 pm and again at 11 pm every day and made a game of racing to the lobby from my 4th floor apartment. On one 5:30 am walk, Sadie gave me a good belly-laugh. Sadie always explored every nook and cranny of the sidewalk and fenced-in tree and/ or bush. And, in the morning, an empty parking spot was an added bonus which required her undivided attention. This one day, Sadie was intently sniffing this empty parking spot between two parked cars. When, an in-line skater with an aerodynamic body suit, pads and helmet whizzed by, it startled her. Sadie jumped straight up into the air like a 4-legged character from and old cartoon – BOING! I never laughed so hard even when I had to pick her up to calm her rattled nerves.

I will admit, I spoiled her with squeaky toys, chew toys and treats like Snausages and Bacon Strips and rarely gave her any table food. Sadie was smart. She knew the names of every one of her toys – but her favorite was “Kitty” – a latex rubber toy in the image of Sylvester, the cat from Looney Tunes. I used to love showing off her intelligence to company and would love to see the looks on their faces when I would tell Sadie, “Get the dildo!” The “dildo” was a bone with nubs all over it, which supposedly kept tartar at bay. But, their looks!!

My best friend became, “Auntie” so every time he came over for a visit, he’d start yelling at the elevator, “Auntie’s here!” And then, Sadie would go into a wild frenzy – running madly and jumping from sofa to love seat - until she did see him – and when he’d pet her, she peed!

I took Sadie with me on trips home to Pennsylvania where she charmed my family and friends from the area. All were amazed when she would pick out her toys by name and do some other tricks she accomplished.

When I got promoted to VP of the division and had to go on business trips, at first I had my best friend come to baby sit Sadie. He didn’t mind because he lived on Staten Island and enjoyed a night or two in Manhattan. My other close friends pitched in when he could not baby sit Sadie. My trips were maybe every two weeks, but as our business grew, the trips became more frequent. I began to worry about Sadie and the fact that I could not be asking my friends to stay all the time. I had to do what’s best for Sadie and, me. I would worry because even though my friends were good with Sadie, it would not be me. I’d rather she came attached to someone in my family. My mother was my choice. Because she had a big piece of property in the country and at that time had been living alone, Sadie would have her space and my mom, the company.

I had to make a decision to leave Sadie with my mother that Christmas of 1997. So, when I packed, I also gathered up Sadie’s bed, dishes and toys – including “Kitty.”

Sadie was part of my heart then and when I left her, I cried like a baby at my mother’s house, in the car back to Manhattan and at my apartment, my quiet apartment.

Sadie and my mom bonded over the years that followed. And, for years after being with my mom, maybe another 4 years, Sadie still had “Kitty” and knew the toy by name! Of course, when I visited, Sadie jumped and carried on whenever she saw me.

I will never forget when I came home in February 2000 in the throes of my PML and at first I was put in my mother’s house – in the living room where they had put a hospital bed. I remember Sadie trying to climb up next to me and I could barely push her away because I had sunk so low that I hated the feel of anyone or anything near me. When I was moved to my sister’s house, I didn’t get to see Sadie for a year until we had moved next door to Mom and I had recovered enough to have my brother wheel me over to my mom’s yard.

So, when I did get the power chair, on nice days, I was able to cross our connecting lawns and visit with Sadie and my mom.

During a big family cookout about 3 years ago, my family invited my best friend from NYC and we went over to my mom’s place to see Sadie. Would you believe that she still remembered, “Auntie’s here!”

Well, about a year ago, my mother noticed Sadie’s hearing was getting bad. Old age, we agreed, she’s 13. About 6 months ago, we believed she had gone completely deaf and my mother happily told everyone how Sadie learned her hand signals!

About a week before Sadie died, my mom thought her balance was off and had her checked at the vet’s. All her blood work was good and other vitals too, so that calmed my mom down. Until about 2 am on March 3 when Sadie would have a seizure – one right after another – so my mom had one of my sisters go with her and Sadie to the vet.

We all knew – she wouldn’t be coming home