Keep saying yes (Max)

This phrase entered my head this weekend after thinking about all the happened with Max: 

Keep Saying Yes

When the kids asked me if we could watch essentially my ex's dog (whom he acquired with his ex-girlfriend), I'm sure my first thought was, "Why would I do this?" I had met Max before on several occasions and I found him obnoxious and ill-behaved. I never liked dogs anyway, so why I would I welcome another one into my home (especially one who had accidents regularly when he got "excited") not to mention not really wanting to help my ex out at all.

I agreed, and we took him for a week or so in September. He was whiny and clingy. We were all used to our own space and peace and he was basically an interruption to that. I was anxious for the week to be over. 

We were asked again to watch him after Thanksgiving for month or so until Christmas. I agreed to that again. The time went much better as we all got used to each other and it was a little hard to give him back after that for the week that my ex was back in the country before leaving again for 4 months.

When he came back to us the third time, it was pretty much decided that we weren't giving him back. He worked his way into all of our hearts and established his position as a permanent member of our family. The amount of love this dog gave to us all was overwhelming which is a HUGE understatement. 

There are so many things I could say about Max. He was so fun and cuddly to sleep with. He would sometimes let me pull him close but sometimes wanted his space at the end of the bed or under my covers when I got my turn to sleep with him when Hope wasn't home. He was the first dog I ever (or ever wanted to) kiss directly on his little lips. Sometimes I was afraid I was obsessing over him and giving him too much love, but he gave us back WAY more. I also loved all of his different acrobatic-like sleeping positions. There was always a new one I hadn't seen before. 

He always wanted to sit in my chair with me - either right in front with his paws on the arm of the chair so I had to move my book or behind me with half of his body on my shoulders and half on the chair back so when I got up he would slide down the chair. I would put off getting up out of my chair sometimes because I would feel bad about disturbing him. 

I loved our walkies. I used to go for a lot of walks during Covid (like everyone else) but I have bad memories of those sometimes because what I was going through at the time (and right after the divorce with anxiety issues, etc.). I thought I would be motivated to start taking walks again if I had the distraction of Max and it worked. We would go in spurts when weather permitted and made our way around various neighborhood blocks. I started going at night recently around the immediate block which I felt more comfortable doing so he could be on the farthest end of his retractable leash and not get in the way of other walkers and their dogs. I will miss those walks.

Max was the life and love of our home. We all loved him, doted on him, pointed out cute things he did, played with him and laughed at him. We decided to bring him Up North with us and we had a blast. He was so good and he surprised us by running into the lake one day, digging furiously in the sand, etc. He was great in the car there and back and I am so glad we have that memory with him. 

We loved him through his seizures and helped him find a way to control them, even though that may have been the source of his demise since we never knew why he was having them. He was Hope's constant companion. I always say that Hope came first, Collin came second and I came in third with him, but I was happy with that. When there is that much love flowing, third is still a very good place to be in.

He really enjoyed chewing his "bonies" and especially wanted you to hold the bonie for him so he could go at it more. (I stepped on so many of his bonies on the floor - almost hurt as much as stepping on a Lego). He loved to play tug-of-war with his toys (like his rings) and get closer and closer to your hand to "accidentally" bite it. When he was under my covers he would play-bite harder through the covers for some reason than my bare hand. I had to remind him not to do that. He also chewed on a lot of my underwear and it makes me laugh to see the bite marks. One time a pair I had on was hanging on by a literal thread; so much so when I pulled it up after using the bathroom, they tore in two and I kept pulling them up. 

He loved to get into the trash, recycling, etc., so we quickly learned that doors had to be closed, recycling had to be up, trash lids secured, etc., even pop cans. He also liked to chew hard plastic cups, etc. and cracked many. He surprised us all when he got into Collin's cannabis gummies and went on the trip of his life. Thankfully he made it through that. That's how we found the emergency animal hospital where he would spend his last days. 

There are so many memories of our year together. I pray that I remember everything. 

Max, we will never understand (until we're in Heaven) why your time with us was so short. None of us have ever been so sad since we lost Hayden. You are and always will be the BEST.DOG.EVER. Thank you for all of the memories, thank you for all of the love. We are forever better for having known you.

Moral of this story:  KEEP. SAYING. YES.