COLUMN: Our Finn passed away this morning and it leaves us with broken hearts
Fair warning – if you aren’t a “dog person,” this piece will not be for you.
Eight years ago, she saw a post on Facebook about a woman near Oxford who had one Great Pyrenees puppy left out of a litter and she was thinking of sending him up North to live with a relative who had less than ideal living conditions for a dog.
Wanda, my softhearted bride of almost 50 years, wasn’t going to let that happen so she wrangled up the check book and returned home with a white ball of fur with the only other color you could see were his black eyes and nose. Snow white.
We have had all sorts of dogs in our time – golden retrievers, springer spaniels, Irish setters, feists and mutts – but never a Great Pyrenees so we really didn’t know much about the breed.
We named him ‘Fins Up’ and called him Finn and it didn’t take long before he captured our hearts as all puppies do. He was quick to love and demanded love in return, but he gave more than he received.
And boy did he love Wanda. A retired school teacher, she was home with Finn 24/7 and they developed a bond that was beautiful to watch and unbreakable. Finn loved everyone in our family, but Wanda was his treasure.
I asked our vet one time about why he grew so attached to her and she said it was because Pyrenees were bred to protect goats and sheep and the like and Wanda was his “goat.”
As gentle as Finn was, if a stranger knocked on our door and he felt a threat to Wanda, he would try to eat the door – literally. Whenever I had to go out of town, I knew Wanda was safe. I knew Finn would give up his life for her.
That little 10-pound puppy grew and grew and grew some more. At the end of a couple of years, he was a 125-pound “puppy.” The whitest white – beautiful.
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We are blessed to have a large backyard in Oxford and Finn had his spot toward the back where he would majestically watch over his domain and stay on alert to protect his “goat.”
He was nothing but a joy to us. A part of the family. Loved.
About three weeks ago, he started having severe stomach issues out of the blue. We ended up having to take him to Starkville to the Mississippi State Veterinarian School.
It broke our hearts to leave him there sick and alone, but we had no choice if we were going to try to save his life.
This morning, we got word that our Finn had passed away. Too young, too vital, out of nowhere.
We are shattered. Wanda is inconsolable for now. She will be OK in time, but this one hurts deeply.
You know when you get a dog or a pet of any kind, that you are most likely going to outlive them. We have outlived many and even though we gave them the best life they could ever dream of having – actually being part of our family – it never gets easier when one passes away.
We loved them all and while you are grieving you wonder if you should get another one. Then you remember the good times and the bond you shared and you bite the bullet again, knowing that sooner or later there will be some pain to go along with the years of happiness.
Finn was a sweet boy. A big bundle of sweet and he will always have a special place in my heart for the way he loved Wanda. And the way he cared for our family.
RIP, our heart. Our love doesn’t end with death. I thank you for being you.
