Goodbye Sweet Girl

I’m incredibly sad to say our beautiful Shelby passed away this past weekend. She had a rough month, but said goodbye peacefully after a sunny day on the porch with some ice cream and then on one of her three favorite sofas surrounded by her family. She was an elegant, incredibly smart boss lady who loved sweaters, blankets, car rides in her own “seat of importance,” and rooting through bushes searching for treats. Shelby was kind and patient with all the dogs and kids she encountered. We called her our little “charmer.” She brought us so much joy and laughter, and somehow managed to get everything she wanted exactly when she wanted it.

Shelby taught me patience and acceptance. The first year she joined our family, I completed a big backyard project where I removed a giant hedge and planted grass, and was super excited when the grass grew perfectly and everything looked great, even better than I imagined. The day after I removed the little fence around the new baby grass, Shelby went to the corner of the grass, dug a giant hole, and then sat in it.

I was not thrilled. After yelling at her (it did not affect her whatsoever), my daughter simply said, “Dad, let her have it. She deserves a nice little spot to call her own.” These magic words from my dog whispering daughter (and Shelby’s best friend and fiercest defender) resonated immediately, and I was totally on board. “Let her have it.” She was a good dog who just wanted her own little piece of the world. The hole is still there and will be her final resting place.

She is survived by her loving family and sweet sister Starr. We adopted them together back in 2018 as a bonded pair when they were around 5 years old (possibly a little older). They were exactly what we needed. Thank you for letting us share your life with us, Shelbz. You’ll be with us always, sweet girl.