The Empty Kennel

This is a bit of a sad post, but I captured a moment and seen something that I had never witnessed before.  We love animals and there is not a doubt that I get attached to them. However, I also understand that they are animals and their lifespan can be quite short, especially depending on where you live.

We live out in the country and our animals are blessed to have three acres to call their own. But there is always the one who is not satisfied with anything at all that resembles a boundary. That would be our Benji, a high-strung poodle terrier.  He entered our home and turned it upside down with his shenanigans. He discovered two new friends, Kiko (chihuahua terrier) and Royal (boxer) and he brought life into those two dogs like I had never seen before.

Royal would stand by the couch and Benji would jump on his back and onto the couch again, back and forth until the fight was on. Those dogs would chase each other around the house and wrestle on the floor til they were out of breath. Benji was like a ninja, gaining so much speed he was able to run on the back of the couch parallel to the wall! When he needed a breather, he would hide under the rocking chair, smart enough to know that Royal couldn’t reach him and there was not enough room for Kiko to invade. Just as Royal would turn his back, Benji would dart out, bite Royal’s ankle and run again. They entertained us for hours!

We have a large,  fenced in backyard in which the dogs could exercise their freedom. I know Benji looked at the fence and thought, “Fence…boundary? I will not have it! Challenge? Oh yeah!” He was wiry enough that he could wiggle himself through the square openings in the fence.  The world became his playground. We would open the door and call his name and you never knew from which direction you would see the bouncy mop coming.

One day, we called his name and he didn’t come.  We figured he was in the pasture exploring and gave him some time. We called again and no Benji.  My husband got worried and went to look for him. He opened the front door moments later and quietly said, “Have the boys get a shovel and come help me.”  We live in the country but at the bottom of our hill is an old highway. He had ventured too far and got hit by a car. I was a bit upset that the person didn’t stop. There was only one of four houses to which the pup could belong. 

My husband had laid Benji in the front yard. We all came out and had left the door open.  The other two dogs, who never come out the front door, cautiously approached the body. Kiko would sniff at his playmate and then turn towards us and whine and whimper, then go back and sniff again as if begging us to help his friend. Royal didn’t seem to have much emotion at first. We took the other dogs inside and the boys prepared a resting place for our once-feisty fellow.

We keep the dogs in their own kennels at night which sit in the kitchen. Kiko’s small one sets on the floor next to Royal’s large one. Benji’s kennel fit perfectly on top of Royal’s. I was doing dishes, still sad over the days events and glad I was in the house alone as tears kept filling my eyes, but I remained in control. That is, until I turned around and saw Royal resting his chin on top of his kennel, peering into Benji’s sleeping quarters. Then I lost it. I called Royal’s name, but he refused to move. He just stood there frozen, sniffing, and trying to process where his buddy was.  

Kiko has tried to fill the gap and get Royal to play but to no avail. It breaks my heart but it showed me that animals also have a mourning process and thoughts that consume their minds.  Go give your animals a big hug and love on them!