Bath Time for Pinto

My friend Bevin was away last week, and Pinto stayed with her parents. There was a gap between the time Bevin was coming home and an appointment her parents had to go to. So she asked me to look after him for a few hours. Of course I said yes. 

Bevin's parent sdropped him off and he was super excited to see me. He came into the house and I noticed he smelled quite doggy and was a little dirty from a week away from home. I decided to give him a bath. He isn't my dog and I really have no right of obligation to bath him - but I did. He was good. A little scared at the start but I was calm and gentle with him and he was a champ. 

After I dried him off it came to the realization of why I bathed him. I missed looked after Harvey. During Harvey's last months, as he declined, I found great satisfaction in looking after him. Making him good meals. Making sure he was comfortable. Stimulating him mentally. Making sure he saw friends and stayed engaged. 

I miss doing that. I have never felt so useful and purposeful as I did while looking after my old Harv. I miss that. I miss the routines. I miss him relying on me. He was never a burden or a chore. It was a pleasure to surprise him with small gestures as his world grew smaller. I would live those last 6 months over again and again for the rest of my life.