A Tribute to Our Dog Reece

This month we had to put our 12 year old dog, Reece, to rest. We had many people tell us how difficult this would be, but nothing could have prepared us for how hard it really was.

Reece was not just any dog. He was truly one of a kind. Right about the time I was graduating from college my, then boyfriend (now husband Josh), and I thought it was time for a dog. Someone to be responsible for other than ourselves. I felt strongly about rescuing one, so every weekend I would search the local animal shelters of Palm Beach County (we lived in South Florida at the time). There were many great dogs, but I just couldn't find THE one. We really wanted a black lab. A few weeks went by and after another disappointing trip to the shelter, I went for groceries. I'll never forget walking through the parking lot of Publix in Boynton Beach feeling sorry for myself because I STILL did not have a dog when I saw him. A tiny, black puppy sleeping at the foot of an older woman. The sign read "Pets in Distress", a local animal rescue. I said to the woman "Is that a black lab mix?" She said "yes." I said "I'll be right back!" I ran to the phone and told Josh to come down right away. Twenty minutes later he was ours. His foster mother had papers we could sign on the spot. We were in love!

That day started a life we would share for 12 years with this little guy. He was the BEST behaved puppy in the world! Easy to train, didn't chew and loyal...I could see in his eyes that he was thankful we had given him a home.

Four months later he was ready to go wherever we took him, when I strapped him into the backseat of my car for the 12 hour trip to North Carolina. We were moving and Reece slept back there almost the whole way.

Josh had always trained Reece to protect me and I will be forever grateful to him for possibly saving my life one day while I was home alone. Two men tried to break into our home and I was very preoccupied talking on the phone with my sister, ironing curtains with our stereo blaring. If not for Reece's "Danger" bark I would have never noticed the strange man on my porch trying to get into my house while his friend played "look out" at the end of our driveway. Only when I saw the man trying to shush Reece, so that he could get through the screen door, did I realize how badly he wanted to get into our house! Not with my body guard though-no unwanted visitors were aloud in our home with Reece at the door.

This same guard dog was as gentle as could be the day we brought his baby sister home from the hospital. One sniff and he knew she was ours. He marched right down the hall, behind my husband, to the nursery and parked himself next to her bassinet. Just another part of the family that he would vow to protect. Four years later when our son came home, I swear his face said "Geez! Another one? How will I keep an eye on both of them at the same time?!"

After 5 years in North Carolina we moved back north to our home state of New York. Reece was nervous on moving day but when the vehicles started up he hopped in the passenger seat of that big moving truck with my husband, for another 12 hour ride. (This time he was feeling pretty proud of himself for riding shot gun)!

Over the next 6 years Reece would be extremely tolerant and protective of our family, especially our two children. He was their best friend and he really loved them too. I felt confident with Reece around, knowing he would always protect us.

This past summer we were told that Reece had an incurable disease called Degenerative Mylelopathy. As soon as we got home I started researching this disease only to learn that there was nothing that would stop it. This horrible disease attacked his spinal cord and ruined all of the nerves in this back and legs. Like any deadly disease, it is bitter sweet because you cherish the time you have all the while knowing it will soon be cut short.

Like I mentioned earlier, Reece was not just any old dog. He played on the doggy beaches of South Florida (the same one as in Marley and Me). He camped and hiked in the mountains of North Carolina and rolled in the snow of New York. He rode on boats and flew on planes with us. He did more in 12 years than some people do in a lifetime! That makes me happy. He was never JUST a dog to us, he was a big part of our family and we treated him as such.

Our home is not the same without Reece. We miss the welcome home he used to give us. Whether we were gone an hour or a day, he was elated to see us. Sometimes I stil think I hear him. I feel a little less safe and a little less loved. But I also feel very blessed to have had him with us for so long. I will be forever thankful to Reece for teaching us the true meaning of unconditional love and loyalty