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Dogs & Decorating (A Re-Post): In Memory of our Sweet Pup

Dogs & Decorating (A Re-Post): In Memory of our Sweet Pup

6 Feb

This post was most recently updated on September 22nd, 2019

I first shared this post about Dogs & Decorating last May.  Today, I thought I’d post it again as a tribute to our sweet pup.

Yesterday, we said good-bye to our 14-year-old black lab.  We are, of course, heartbroken.  She was the sweetest pup ever.  She was the type of dog that could sense sadness from another room, and then quickly come to make it better.  She had a deep and protective bark, but was a total fake that way.  Her gentle nature made her the perfect dog for our 3 kids.  She’ll be dearly missed.

I talk to him when I’m lonesome like; and I’m sure he understands.

When he looks at me so attentively, and gently licks my hands;

Then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat.

For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that.

~W. Dayton Wedgefarth


Re-Post (from May 2011):

I’ve talked a bit around here about my crazy life with 3 kids, including 19-month old twin boys and a soon-to-be 7 year old daughter.

But before there were ever human babies around here, there were two big fur babies, our pure bred black lab, and our SPCA collie-mix.

For the past 12 years, I have struggled to strike a balance between living with our dogs and having a pretty home.

I am a bit obsessive about my home, but it’s a battle that can’t be won when you live with two beasts.

Let’s face it, dogs and decorating don’t mix well.  For me, a nice home starts with a clean home, and well, dogs are messy. REALLY messy. Sigh.

I’ve often thought how sparkling clean my home would be without dogs.  Let’s see…

Well, for starters, without dogs, I wouldn’t have to vacuum daily.

Without dogs, our hardwood floors would be perpetually shiny and scratch-free.

Without dogs, I wouldn’t have to buy air fresheners, or swiffers, or sticky lint rollers.

And, I wouldn’t have to replace my rugs annually.

Without dogs, guests could sit on our couch without needing a full body check with a lint brush.

I would never have to worry about stepping in a puddle of warm pee in the middle of the night while fumbling to make the babies’ bottles.

Without dogs, you wouldn’t find me in PJs and rainboots on any random night at 2am, gently nudging an 80-lb arthritic beast up the back steps in a rainstorm (or blizzard).

I wouldn’t have to clean up snowballs throughout the house in winter. And in summer, our grass would be luscious and green, and free of  pee burns.

Without dogs, I wouldn’t constantly have slobber-marks all over my new windows.

Yes, come to think of it, without dogs, life sure would be a whole lot cleaner and easier around here.  And my home would be a whole lot prettier.

But, I wouldn’t have it any other way!  Despite all this work, they still are adored beyond words after all these years.

They are getting older now, evidenced by the requirement of insulin shots and other meds daily, and it’s becoming clearer that we won’t have them forever. It breaks my heart to think about life without them.


When that day comes, I know my home will finally be fresh and shiny and lint-free. But the biggest part of what makes our house a home will be missing.  There will be an emptiness that will be hard to fill with ‘nice things’.

 

 

A dog’s love could never be replaced with a pretty new rug or a shiny windows or a fur-free sofa.

For there is no love like a dog’s love.

 

 

 













Until next time, enjoy your dogs, and ignore the mess.  There’ll come a time when you’ll miss it.

By Kerri, February 6, 2012, Filed Under: Life, Family & Travel

About Kerri

Kerri Roche is the voice behind A Pop of Pretty, a Canadian-based home decorating blog, where she shares her love of modern cottage and coastal style, from the island of Newfoundland. Kerri is a lifelong interiors lover and an avid home enthusiast. She holds an MBA and Bachelor degree in Commerce (Marketing). Her blog is a creative outlet where she loves to inspire other style seeking home lovers with design and renovation ideas, DIY home decor tutorials, and shopping tips as she decorates her suburban family home and coastal cottage - all while juggling a busy young family, including a globe-trotting husband, 3 busy kids (including twins), and two energetic dogs named Finny and Winnie.

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Comments

  1. Brittany aka Pretty Handy Girl says

    April 29, 2013 at 2:42 pm

    I’m sorry about your loss. I actually hopped over from Funky Junk’s link party because your collie mix reminds me of our dog Buddy. We think he’s an English Shepherd, but he was a stray. I will gladly forgo a clean and perfect house in exchange for a loyal companion. After our Australian Shepherd died, I only lasted 6 months without a dog. It was soooo incredibly lonely being home all day while the kids and husband were at school/work. Today I have Buddy as my constant companion and I just pray that he’s younger than we think he is ;-).

    • Kerri says

      April 29, 2013 at 8:42 pm

      Ahh, thanks for your note. I wrote this post a year ago, and I still miss our black lab dearly. We still have our collie mix though, and he’s my best bud :-). We found him through the SPCA, so like you, we have no idea what his mix is, and also just like you, we have only estimated his age and hope he’s younger than we think! So nice of you to drop by. ~Kerri

  2. Denise says

    February 7, 2012 at 4:32 pm

    We will miss Trinnie, Kerri-Lynn. Loved this post the first time and again. Lovely tribute to a special four-legged friend.

  3. Marlayne says

    February 6, 2012 at 10:51 pm

    Sorry to hear about your loss KL. Thinking of you and your family.

    • Kerri says

      February 7, 2012 at 4:36 am

      Thanks Marlayne!

  4. Stephanie says

    May 23, 2011 at 11:10 am

    I know what you mean. I've come to accept the saying "An outfit isn't complete without a little dog hair." Your "pups" are adorable!

  5. kpaints says

    May 22, 2011 at 1:45 am

    What a wonderful tribute to your 'family'! Who could resist those eyes, that face…just precious…you are so lucky. I am so lucky. Just stopping by from FJ.

  6. Thoughtfully Blended Hearts says

    May 22, 2011 at 12:38 am

    Such a cute post and it has so much truth in it. We can never replace that warm fuzzy feeling that a dog can give us. They are worth all the "mess"!!! Have a beautiful day!

  7. Karen says

    May 21, 2011 at 11:56 pm

    So beautifully said. There is no way to measure the joy and love our pets bring us. A little extra work is a small price to pay for what we get in return.

Hello & Welcome

Welcome! I'm Kerri. I love pretty modern cottage and coastal home decorating style. I aim to inspire style seeking home lovers to decorate with confidence, by sharing decorating ideas, shopping tips, tutorials + inspiration. Read More…

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