The Silver Lining

If there's any silver lining to losing Kobear so young, it's that I'm now able to lavish amazing amounts of attention on Bailey.

Yesterday was the first walk we've had since Kodie's passing that I can really say was good. Bailey was shakin' his buns and fetching like mad, and midway through the walk, I felt the old familiar surge of happiness. It reminded me how these walks can and will still be the most joyous parts of my life. I finally didn't feel like we were missing Kodie; I was able to focus on Bodie, his rapidly improving fetching skills, his glowing health, and our rapidly deepening relationship.

I'm able to do things I could never do for two dogs, like cook for him, buy every new supplement I read about, and brush him daily. Bailey, the former independo, is really taking a liking to all this attention. I take him everywhere with me - to cafes, on errands, and to the mailbox. And I talk to him constantly. As such, he now sees us as companions. He comes straight to bed when I announce it, he snuggles up on the couch between Temple and me, and he even likes it when I brush him. All these things were characteristic of Kodie-pendent, but not BayDogRebelli.

There are so many downsides to having only one dog -- he doesn't have a companion, there's less activity around the house, we miss our puppy, and we generally feel less like a big family unit. But there is one silver lining: we can focus on making Bailey feel like one royal, much-loved, well-pampered puppy.