Walking into the pet shop to find treats for Maggie and Ziggy, I never expected to find you. With a big red sale sign on your crate, all black and white fluff, I fell in love at first sight. It was almost Peter’s birthday but what kind of dog would you be? I found a book on Shelties and you sounded perfect; an obedient, endlessly loyal, closely bonded to family, good with children dog.  Stop too quickly on a walk and you would run into our ankles–a fact you would bear out as true.

I drove straight to the shop to ask Peter if he would come see you and let me buy you for him as a birthday present. He fell in love with you too. You fit right in our family, like a long lost member.

We immediately agreed on your name, Kobe, the pearl capital of Japan because you are a pearl of a dog. I don’t know how many times we rescued you from the top of the stairs because you didn’t know how to climb down when you were a puppy. I remember the afternoon that you revealed your fascination with flash lights, the sun shone a spotlight on the wall that was irresistible.

As I look through our photo albums, I find pictures of our many hikes, walks and camping trips. I even have pictures of the cliff you fell off in Yellow Springs, managing to bounce down on only mossy spots, missing every jagged rock. Surely, St. Francis guided you down that day.

Somewhere I have a video tape of the vacation to the beach when you got stuck in the bush at the hotel. I am paging through pictures of you playing with your beloved frisbee, and romping through fall leaves and winter snow (your favorite time of year.)

I think the most remarkable creatures on Earth are dogs; loyal to a fault, loving without bounds and completely trusting. A shorter dog life is surely a lesson for human beings to value every moment with their loved ones, no matter the species. 11 years with you went too quickly, it feels like a day.  Despite all of the pain of losing you, I would not miss having had one second with you.

You are the most gentle, loving, kind and giving dog soul I have ever met.  If the Mayans are correct and souls are guided into the afterlife across the lake from earth-bound life to the spirit world in a canoe powered in part by the tears of the people whose lives you have touched, then you have already reached the other side. Kobe, I love you and miss you and will see you on the other side.