Judah was with us for fourteen years.
June 1, 2016 was Judah's last day. Levi, Taylor and I said our goodbyes and gave him some last treats. We facetimed with Kay Charlotte so she could be there too. I'm sad. I'm grateful.
Judah was a good dog. He tried my patience. He shed and he slobbered. But he was eager to please and wanted to be where we were. He reminded me of me. At times he showed me my shortcomings and just by being himself he showed me that I want to be a better man. And he reminded me of my own mortality, and he showed me that mercy is often the best course.
I love that Judah was an optimist. He was a living example of how to be enthusiastic for simple things. He always believed for one more throw of the ball, and always hoped for a stray piece of popcorn on the floor. I am impressed with him in that he faced aging and even his last days, (which must have been more painful than we know), with tremendous hope. He never got snappy or even had a hint of a bad temper. Instead he chose to sleep close to the back door instead of on his bed. I think it's because he wanted to be a little closer to us while he was hurting.
Levi and I stayed with him and stroked his ears while the vet gave him the injection. It was short, without any drama. He licked his chops and laid his head down one last time. I am deeply saddened that his story has ended. But I think we did it right. We didn't wait too long, and we didn't rush to get rid of him like he was inconvenient. I think we gave him a good life, and I think he enjoyed it, and I think he helped us be more human.