Waters Recede

Not a post I'd expected, or wanted, to make anytime soon. Doesn't feel all that long since I did one like this, and that one was only a year after the last one. Anyway.

This past weekend, we said goodbye to our corgi/retriever mix, Si. I want to tell you his story.

We brought Si home in August of 2011. At best guess, he was about 3 months old when he came home with us. He was in a shelter way out west of us (I don't remember what city, I just know we stopped in Lima on the way home) and was there with his brother, who looked just like him but with longer "socks." When we brought him home, he was the size of two of my shoes laid end to end.

Si quickly got along with his bigger packmates (Leo and Sephi). He bonded with Leo especially, and in the years before Leo got old and slow, they had many a lovely romp in the backyard.

Si was opinionated and chatty. We had a going theory that he really thought he was using words, as he'd sit in front of you and do a kind of whine, wuffle, growly sort of thing. He'd also wiggle his butt and stomp his front legs (corgi stomp!) when he wanted a treat, and was quite happy to direct your gaze with his eyes. He was active and frisky as a younger dog, and the retriever side of him came out when he got to play in water.

Si as a submarine.

Si was incredibly affectionate; we joked that he was codependent. He liked to be on as many people as possible, so when we'd sit on the couch, he'd often put his front end on one person and his butt on another and stretch out. He loved chest scritches and he would stand in front of you, sit back on his haunches, and stand there with a derpy look on his face to get them. And, of course, he loved having his belly rubbed.

Pets plz

PETS PLZ

Si was loud. When he wasn't chatting, he'd bark at strangers, cars, squirrels, or whatever else. Squirrels in particular were a favorite. He'd sit beneath trees in our yard, holding conversations ("BARK BARK BARK" "CHIP CHIP CHIP"). He loved winter and romping through snow with Leo and Sephi, and he would happily chase sticks, snowballs, frisbees, or whatever else you felt like throwing. He would bark at strangers and new gamers, and was particularly upset by very tall people. Our going theory was that if you were too tall, Si couldn't see your head and assumed you didn't have one.

Si wanted to be right there in the middle of everything and everyone. It was hard to sit on the floor without getting a snerfle in the ear. He wanted to be close to people, and would sleep on the floor behind my chair during games.

Si amidst bins of books.

A very dapper pirate.

When Leo died, Si mourned. He got extra clingy for a while, gained some weight (because he wasn't romping as much; Sephi was too old and slow for that), and kept close to us. When we brought Artie home some months later, he perked up and played with the new puppy, romped with her, and was typically gentle.

As Si got older, his muzzle got gray. Sephi left us last spring, and Si became Elder Statesdog. He retained his dapper tuxedo look, but with a bit more distinguished coloring. He got slower and while he still chased after Artie, and later, Sandy. He was a bit more snappy with Sandy as she got bigger and a bit more protective of his toys and bones, but he remained responsive to direction. He did develop a habit of zipping off into the woods to chase deer, squirrels, and whatever else, and he was notably slower to come in when called. He remained affectionate, though, and was always down for some petting.

And still very much liked to be on us.

Last Saturday morning, I went to let the dogs out of their crates and found that Si had died in his sleep. He wasn't sick, and hadn't been acting differently or showing any pain. The vet's best guess is that he had a heart attack or a blood clot. He was, after all, almost 9, so although he wasn't exactly ancient by dog standards, he certainly wasn't young, either.

Si was a good, loyal, affectionate dog. He was a good companion to me, Michelle, my kids, my stepkids, and my other dogs. He even made it into an RPG called Strays.

Sandy and Artie have been looking for him lately. They nose around his crate (I haven't had the heart or the energy to take it out to the garage yet), they poke around the woods, they go upstairs or into the other rooms. They're just pups, really, and they don't understand. I think they miss him. I know I do.

Poseidon, Dog of the Oceans, "Si", April 2011-February 2020