What Maverick means to us

Hello and welcome back:

I know it has been some time since I last wrote a blog, a year to be exact but things have been hectic and at times have left me busier then a 3 legged dog digging a turd from a frozen pond. So sit back and get comfy and while your at it grab your favorite beverage and join me on an adventure of"what Maverick means to us"

 Picture it, a sunny day June 2004 to be exact. We opened our arms and our hearts to a 7 1/2 week old, 7 lb 4oz ball of fluff, sky blue eyes and the ever fragrant aroma of puppy breath. The moment I held him I knew he was the one, I whispered in his little floppy ear, hi Maverick, I'm your mom. He buried his nose into my neck and promptly fell asleep. His first parents went on to say that he was the youngest of 12 puppies, his mom and dad were both very laid back easy going german sheperds and they like their babies were raised with kids. Maverick's mom was born with one floppy ear so I was told to expect perhaps Maverick would be afflicted with this condition as well. I replied I like "squishey ears" and because I was not expecting him to trot laps at the next west minster dog show I was not concerned with "floppy ear syndrome". It was a good thing I was not concerned because Maverick not only has one floppy ear,,, he has two floppy ears and we love him even more because of it. His soft ears match his soft heart, he truly is a gentle giant.

 I brought home our new baby and showed him around our palace, he quickly decided the couch looked like a dandy spot to have yet another nap but perhaps he would need some assistance on the whole "how the hell do I get on it theory" Up in my arms he went and once on the couch he "claimed his spot" with his belly against mine and his head against my heart he was out like a light and truth to be told,,, so was I.

 As he grew bigger, and boy did he ever. He was quick to learn the basics of house training. At the old age of 3 months he was accident free all day and all night. He quickly learned his commands in both voice and hand commands as well as sheep herding commands(german sheperds are working dogs, they herd) his hearding skills were so good the boys could not run around outside if Maverick was with them, he would have them and their friends herded into a little group and god forbid they moved half an inch, he would nip at their feet and do the "stare down". The kids would bellow, mommmmmm hes doing it again. A quick, "that'll do" would hence stop the "herding". 

 Maverick has always been quick to know when something is not right, and would go above and beyond to let us know something was up. Luke our middle son was a sleep walker, for a time we thought we were going to have to install an alarm system in case during a sleep walking episode he went outside while we were sleeping. Our worries were soon eased when during the night Maverick flew into our room, barked and ran to the hallway. There stood Luke all set to go down 15 stairs while sound asleep, and there blocking his path was our beloved Maverick. He gently licked Luke's hand as not to startle him and as Luke woke up he was led back to his bed. From that night on when the boys went to bed, Maverick went with them. He would kiss them goodnight and then lay between their bedroom doors. His bed all these years later is still there and he still tries to tuck in his boys, even though they are teenagers now.

 Maverick as you all may know has also been a "mother" to 10 neonate foster kittens and 6 foster puppies, he also helped rehibilitate the mother dog who lived her whole existing life in a puppy mill. Maverick taught her that our hands never hurt, the food and water dish will always be full and there will always be a spot on the couch to lay your head down. Because of him the mother dog learned how to trust and probably for the first time in her life, she also learned how to love and be loved. She is now legally our dog and Maverick's best friend, she used to have a number, now she has a name. Her name is Piper and I think if she could talk she would say Maverick is as much her hero as he is ours.

 Last January Maverick alerted us to another situation. He got on the couch with Trevor and began licking his face, whining and then laying his head on Trevor's chest. It was then I knew,,,, it was another heart attack. Thankfully he was ok  and after a few days in the hospital was able to come back home and be greeted by his gentle giant. That first week Trevor was home from the hospital, Maverick would not leave his side. He even made sure he was in the bathroom with him while Trevor would be taking a shower, Maverick would lay on the floor against the tub making sure his dad was ok.

 You often hear people say " we will never get another dog like this one" and I can tell you I know this to be a fact. Our gentle giant is almost 10 years old and I guess maybe because for his whole life his heart has been so big and full of love that it is getting tired. Maverick now has congestive heart failure and as heart breaking as it is to watch and to hear him cough so hard at times he loses his breath. He will look at us as if to say" I'm not dead yet dont treat me any differently". We have decided to let him spend his last months, weeks or days the way he always did. Being with his family, sleeping on his brand new leather couch, eating all of his favorite foods and being given the love that he has given us all these years. Every night before I go to bed I lean down and whisper, "hi maverick, I'm your mom". If the pain gets to be to much and your getting tired, it's ok to let go. I will always love you, I will always miss you and thank you for everything you have taught us and for letting us be your family. 

 I do this not because I want him to die, but because if that time should come I want him to be able to run across that rainbow bridge knowing how very loved, wanted and needed he was. I give thanks every morning that I am woken up by slobbery kisses and prepare myself for the morning those kisses are no longer there. If I have learned anything since becoming maverick's mom its this. If your willing to open your heart, love will flow. If your willing to open your eyes, you will see beauty surrounding you and if you get down on your knees and pray, god grants you one more day with your faithful companion, but shows you along the way that not every prayer can be answered and to make the best of the time you have. 

 May you all be blessed to have an animal show you what life and love is about and may it make you so happy you to can say "I'm so happy, I could shit rainbows, and fart fairy dust"