Audrey is our sweet white fluffy Maltese. I’ve been her mama sense she was 8 weeks old. I still remember the February day in 2006, when I picked her out, and took her home. 

Let’s back track a little…

The hunt for a puppy all began, because our 6 month old Min Pin, desperately needed a bestie. At the time Erik and I both worked in the restaurant industry, and our Min Pin pup was spending too much time home alone. I’m a strong believer that dogs are packed animals and are happier when they are with other dogs. There was no question, finding him a buddy became my top priority. 

I wasn’t having much luck finding any breeders with puppies locally. It seemed that everyone was in PA, West Virginia, or North Carolina. 

I finally came across a simple advertisement, with no photos, that stated, “Yorkie and Maltese puppies for sale in North Arlington.” Perfect, I thought… Could they be any closer?! My mom and I causally stopped by to check out the Maltese puppies later that evening.

I remember the breeder bringing out all of the female Maltese pups. Their white fur was gray from laying on newspaper on the long car ride from Kentucky. I picked up the  cutest, most playful, active puppy, and looked at her from head to toe. I immediately fell in love. She was the one! I named her Audrey. 

When I brought her home, she became obsessed with Manny, (our 6 month old min pin), just what I hoped! She followed him around the whole house, and from then on they were companions for life.

Audrey has been our fur baby for 11 years and 4 months. During those 11 years and 4 months Erik and I tried our best to spoil her rotten. 

She spent her nights sleeping in our bed, with us, buried in between a mountain of the softest pillows and comforters. 

She went on daily walks (up until she was diagnosed with heart disease.) When we became home owners, we made sure our home had a fenced in yard, so she could spend time outside off leash – she loved being outside.  

Some people think a dog is just a dog. But once you become a dog owner especially one of multiple dogs, you discover your dog’s unique personality. 

Audrey was a food lover, who would bark to remind us it was dinner time. Her favorite meal was chicken and rice, and I would cook that up for her as a special treat. She would stand by my feet drooling waiting patiently to be served. She also thought eggs were delicious, and could never get enough, of them. Peanut butter was something she ate daily. 

She absolutely loved Christmas! I don’t know if it was the cheerful positive energy that filled the day. But it was absolutely hilarious seeing her excited, barking at presents under the tree. 

Audrey loved toys. She would chew and play with her toys, while my Min Pin could care less. When Zoe started to get stuffed animals as presents, it was hard for Audrey to understand they weren’t for her. Sometimes we gave in, and Audrey would take it as her own.

When we were packing for a trip, Audrey knew I was preparing to leave, so she would hop in my suitcase, hoping to come along. She always wanted to be with us. 

She wasn’t very good on a leash, she would tug and want to lead the way. However, she was very obedient and loyal, and in her last year, I had enough trust in her to follow me or lead the way off leash. (Just outside our house never around other dogs, or busy roads.)

Over the last 11 years and 4 months, she was by our side during many amazing life milestones, including, engagement, marriage, pregnancy, and most importantly meeting Zoe, and adjusting to her, and including her. 

Going from a kid free house, to all of a sudden having a newborn, was hard on Audrey. But eventually, she adjusted, and Zoe and her became great friends. 

Every morning Zoe has been asking, “Where Audrey? And then she runs to her bowl to fill it up with dog food. 

So as you can see, Audrey had her place in our family, and she was very loved. 

It has been an upsetting couple of days. I rushed Audrey to the hospital at 11:30 pm on April 24th, and at 4 am I finally decided after two hours of debate, (my dog has never been crated before), leaving her there.

Side note: Audrey had developed heart disease at 8 years old, which is common in her breed. For the last 3 years her energy levels never changed and the heart was stable by medication.

However, on April 25th, I was on the phone with three different doctors, through out the day – Audrey’s primary vet, her cardiologist, and her emergency vet. And with much discussion about treatment and quality of life, I got honest answers, and finally the right choice was made.

Putting my sweet innocent Maltese to rest was not a decision I took lightly. But at the end there was no other option. It was her time. 

We miss you already, Audrey, the house is so quiet without you. But it is a relief that you are at peace now.

Thank you, so much for being so loving, cute, obedient, loyal, playful, sweet, loud, and bringing us more joy than you’ll ever know. 

 

 love always, your human mama