The Bobo's: A sad goodbye to our dear Zoe!!

I really don't know how to start off a post like this...luckily some time has passed because I must admit it was a rough few weeks after we lost our ole pal Zoe. I realize to those that aren't dog people this may sound so silly and overly dramatic but this dog was with me from the moment I married Mitch and moved to town...she was my constant companion in a new place and when I was along. She has been with us through every phase of our lives together over the past 15 years. Zoe means life and when we rescued her from the Little Rock Animal shelter before she was scheduled to be put down I just thought the name fit. Not to mention she battled red mange, ear mites and pretty much every other condition she could have had when we got her. We spent weeks getting her bathed in our tub to get rid of the mange, she lost all her hair and we weren't even sure if she would make it through at such a young age. But just like everything over her 15 years of life she just kept going. Then little did we know but at 1 year old she had an accident riding in the back of my dad's truck while Mitch and I were gone on vacation. This led to weeks of trying to rehabilitate the leg until infection struck and we had to have it amputated. I tell you all this to say this girl was a fighter through and through. I was so worried how she would do on three legs especially losing a front leg which is much harder than a back leg due to the weight on that front side. But this girl it didn't stop her she rounded that corner after surgery and ran straight up to me jumping the whole way. She was an original those that knew her could recognize her just from that high pitched squeal she let out anytime we pulled in the driveway. It could have been 5 minutes or 5 days but every SINGLE time we came home we were greeted the very same way. Our neighbors would even come out to check on her thinking she had been run over from the commotion that was coming in the drive. She loved to chase squirrels, cats and whatever else she could find...never caught one but boy did she try. She was a great companion to me in my pharmaceutical days. She would ride with me to make my calls in other towns. We would stop to pick her up a Sonic water and i would leave it in the cup holder and she knew what to do. She even got to be famous among my clinics I called on and they would ask if she was outside and go running to see her. She loved to be right in the middle of all the action...I hate that at times my kids never saw that side to her because as she aged they were not able to play with her like before but they knew she still protected them and was so fiercely loyal. I have attached a few of my favorite Zoe pics from over the years and even some old blog posts related to Zoe. I thought that she was a goner years ago when she was no longer able to walk one morning. I made the kids take pictures with her and everything cried the whole way to the vets office only to hear that he could start giving her medication that might and that it did. She lived another 6 years past that dreadful day. I hated to have to say goodbye to her one of the hardest things I have ever done. We knew she was in great pain, no longer able to walk or even go to the restroom on her own. I know that she is in a better place and no pain and probably chasing squirrels with that big grin and those big brown eyes but this has been so having her around. Our neighborhood just got a lot quieter without her in it...

This is the portrait that a woman asked my parents if she could paint for an art show one day after meeting Zoe in there yard. She said she was drawn to her big brown eyes and wanted to know if they were okay with her painting a portrait of her. They said yes and the portrait even won an award at the art show...fast forward several months and mine and Mitch's anniversary rolled around. My parents presented us with our gift...this portrait they had tracked down. At the time I remember Mitch asking if my parents really liked him because they would have never given him a portrait of our dog (all in good fun I promise!) But the other day he walked by it hanging in our hallway and said "You know I am really glad we have this now." I just thought it was so cool because she looked so regal and so true to life!

One of the last photos of Zoe and I one afternoon when she had come down with my parents to help mow the yard. She was my first baby and will always hold a special place in my heart.

These are just a few of the reminders of how much she was a part of our lives and how we never went anywhere without her. She loved boat rides more than just about anything and would scream at the door if we didn't take her with us. This is from 10 years ago with baby AB on the boat.