I had to have my most precious Border Collie, my best friend, euthanised the week before Easter. I miss her immeasurably. Those I've told have been very nice but nobody wants to actually TALK about her. I thought we could all tell each other some of the quirky daft things that made our furry family members so special - we know that all of us here in the Pets sections will understand.
Skye would always pace her right front paw up and down every time she took a drink - I think it was a throwback to nursing from her mum!
When it was time for dinner she'd follow you to the dog food bin, pawing at your heels with alternate paws like a kitten with a ball of wool.
She drove us all mad with scratching at the door and then refusing to actually go out! Likewise she'd refuse to come in, but stand looking sadly through the glass door after you shut it!
She had a present whenever anyone in the house did, wrapped and everything! By the end of her life she had 5 toyboxes full to bursting. It was quite absurd! She loved unwrapping the gifts herself, and would have been heartbroken to be left out!
She had a firm belief that if she bounced on the spot hard enough she'd eventually take off and be able to reach that squirrel at the top of the tree
She loved streams, and would run along with her chin in them. She always did this with puddles as a puppy - I'd totally forgotten that til now!
She never stole our food, unless we were on holiday. For some reason she considered it fair game away from home! I'll never forget the year my brother joined us and the proud expression on his face as he showed us the cake his boss had gifted him for his work performance, or the expression on his face after he found the empty box!
She wasn't an overly tactile dog, but she was so empathetic, if you were upset she would come and give you a hug, with a forepaw draped over each shoulder and her cheek pressed against yours.
I trained her to find my phone, keys and gloves, That actually came in useful on a couple of walks when one or other fell out of my pocket without me realising!
She was completely socially inept with other dogs. If one asked her if she wanted to play she'd get all shy, but if a pair of dogs were having a lovely time together, or one was playing perfectly happily with its owner she'd bounce up and ask to join in! If they ignored her she'd be upset, but if they were keen she'd then go all socially awkward again and back off!
She was beautiful. Like really, really beautiful. And her fur was so long and soft, and very black and white. And she smelled delicious. And she had this sweet, innocent, slightly goofy quality about her - people asked up if she was a puppy until she was about 10! God, I miss her so much. Special, special girl.
Now, tell me about your pets who are gone but never forgotten. What made them 'them'?