Gabby "Fat Dog" Swensen

Gabby "Fat Dog" Swensen

1998-2011

Gabby Swensen, known fondly as Fat Dog or Gabriotta Poop- a-Lotta, joined so many other good and faithful doggy companions at the great toilet bowl in the sky on May 28th 2011. She was freed from this word of arthritic pain, partial deafness, and breathing problems at the hands of a kind and gentle veterinarian. She lived to be a full 13 or 91 in dog years. She will be missed.

Some say that dog is man's best friend, but to the Swensen household, or at least me, she was so much more than that. She was family. She was always there, part of who we were. Hiking trips just weren't the same without her bounding along side you, sniffing out all the interesting smells. The back yard wasn't the backyard with out countless mounds of her doggy doo and discarded tennis balls worn down from hours of fetch. Watching TV just didn't seem right if she wasn't there sniffing around, begging for attention. Latter in her life a night in front of the tv wasn't the same without her rather loud, human-like snoring. For the last 13 years Gabby has always been there to poke her nose at guests where guests usually don't want dog noses poked, to lick all the cuts on my hands, and to try and sneak out the front door if you opened it more than about 3 inches. She was there to see me laugh and to see me cry. She really was an extrodinary animal and I'm going to miss her so so much.

Knowing that it was her time to go, that she was in too much pain for life to be good, and that she's in a better place doesn't make this easier. It never makes things easier. It still feels like something important is missing, like something is never going to be the same. It hurts. But she's in a better place (she's in a better place she's in a better place) and that shall be my mantra. I love her so I am ok with her going out of this world, but she'll never go out of my heart.

Rest in Peace Gabby, you'll always be my puppy.