I miss you C'J

I've had a hard time concentrating and getting motivated lately. On the day after Christmas, our family suffered a huge loss. Our 4 year old dog C'J died suddenly. That morning, we found him hiding under the deck. When he crawled out, I immediately knew that something was wrong. His abdomen was severely distended (swollen) and he wasn't his usual bouncy self. I worked at a vet clinic for 3 years and knew what was going on, though I didn't want to admit it to myself. I didn't want to say it out loud because I didn't want it to be true. My father-in-law, Loren, and husband, Colin, rushed him to the vet, breaking a few traffic laws as they went. The vet looked him over and confirmed my fears. He was colicking (just like a lot of horses, his gut twisted). His heart stopped a few minutes later. He was only 4.

But let me back up a little. His parents belonged to family friends, and the resulting 13 pup litter was a big 'whoops', but we were excited to have a new puppy. Our friends knew we were going to adopt him so they started calling him C.J. for "Colin Jr" after my husband. I wasn't crazy about the name, but we couldn't change it so we called him C'J ("Ceej"). He was the happiest, most laid-back dog I've ever met. He pranced when the food bowls came out, but let our 1 & 2 1/2 yr old kids crawl all over him. He slept on the bed (much to my chagrin) and stretched like a cat when he jumped down, farting all the way down. He was at home in the water and loved to fetch sticks and tennis balls. But he was content to spend the day at home, sleeping with his head resting on my foot. Colin called him our "stoner dog" because he didn't have a care in the world. Until the vacuum cleaner turned on. He had the worst gas and the best heart.

I will always love him.

C'J McQueen

2004-2009