Give Your Dog an Extra Hug Today — I Miss Lumen — Haysnacks

I had to say goodbye to my dog Lumen on Friday after 16 years together. She came from the Fayetteville Animal Shelter and was absolutely terrified of cars, so road trips were basically a no-go — happy to stay in her bed and judge me from the yard. She had the funniest little life: terrified of Pupperoni in the truck, once got into a margarita and legitimately acted like she'd closed down a Mexican restaurant at 2 a.m. Her hips got so bad that walking became painful, and last week I made that awful decision every pet owner dreads because it was the kindest thing to do. Grief sucks, but if the price of 16 years of that sweet, ridiculous love is one big hurt, I’d pay it every time. So do me a favor today — hug your dog, take ’em for a walk, give ’em extra time — those dumb little moments are gonna mean everything.

Takeaways:

I shared how Lumen, my adopted pup from the Fayetteville Animal Shelter, was terrified of vehicles and never liked rides.
Once she got into my margarita and ended up hilariously drunk—next morning she looked like she’d closed a Mexican restaurant at two a.m.
After sixteen wonderful years together, I made the heartbreaking decision to say goodbye when her hips made walking unbearably painful.
Grief is brutal, but I’d gladly pay that price again for sixteen years of goofy, loving memories with her.
Do me a favor: hug your dog, take an extra walk, and savor those ridiculous little moments while you still can.