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Sadly, I lost my very special Vivy at age 12, and I wrote this eulogy to her:

My Pal Vivy

May 27, 1994 - April 20, 2006

"Our perfect companions never have fewer than four feet"
--Colette

Vivian was my great companion and creative inspiration for 
nearly twelve years.  In 1994 I was considering getting a dog
and out of curiosity I  went to see a bulldog.  She looked at
me with those big bulldog  eyes and it was love at first sight. 
From that day forward, she was always at my side.

She came to me as a messenger of perfect love.  My designer 
furniture no longer mattered; slobber on the walls was a minor 
annoyance; fur balls floating down the hallway were amusing. 
Snoring? no problem!

Clicka clicka clicka on the hardwood floors let me know where 
she was.  Bulldog whining let me know when she wanted to go 
outside.  If I was late with her dinner, she would come up and sit
by me and stare; if I did not respond, she would paw my leg.  We
had a routine and if I ever varied from it, she would let me know
with a look as if to say 'let's get on with it!'

She was always happy to see me.  She would run to me when I 
came home, roll over on her back and squirm around as I pet her 
soft belly.  We played tag.  We played fetch except she didn't 
usually bring the ball back.  I taught her to smile with her lower 
teeth, and to speak with what wasn't really a bark, but that
gravel-ly bulldog sound.

We had so much fun.  She loved the water and for years I took 
her daily to the local fountain to watch her wade around trying 
to catch leaves as they floated by.  We could barely walk down 
the street for all her admirers - people would stop their cars 
and jump out to say 'hi'.

And they didn't even know she was famous.  Since I 
was a photographer, I took her to my studio with me and began 
taking photos of her in-between jobs.  In our first commercial 
attempt I posed her the way I saw her: as an angel.  I got little
wings for her and  put her on a pedestal.  She was a natural.

Five years later I launched VivyLand, a greeting card company 
that featured her whimsical photographs.  To say she was a 
creative inspiration would be an understatement.  I found so 
much humor and joy in her expressions and character that I was 
compelled to make all her cards.

She was on tv several times. Fame and celebrity did not phase 
her.  She took it all in stride and taught me that it really doesn't 
matter.  She was always content to just sit on the couch with me. 
She knew that the only thing that matters is love. 
And she had plenty of that for me.

Last Thursday she looked at me for the last time, as she took her 
last breath.  Those bulldog eyes.  That bulldog love.  She remains a
bright light in my life and I am forever grateful for the times we shared.

Your Bulldog Pal,

Jan

p.s. The details are few.  She was slowing down and on her walk Tues
afternoon she dropped on her back legs coming into the house.  Tues
night she was restless and I got up twice to let her out but she would
not settle into her bed.  I called the vet Wed morning and took her in. 
She was hanging her head and was less than enthusiastic.  The vet called
Thursday morning to say all her tests were normal and he wanted her to
see the neurologist.  I put her in the car and we got about 5 blocks and
she looked at me and gasped and died.

 

 

 

 

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