Remembering Joni.

Today our beloved dog Joni breathed her last breath. She lived 12 plus years of life to the fullest, filled with things she loved (and hated). Her last day was a quiet affair, mostly spent in the back yard with us as we waited for the appointment with the vet, feeding her by hand and carrying her around, and loving her up. To remember her tonight, we felt inspired to share a list of a few of her favourite things….

1. Eating almost anything in sight.
2. Snuggling.
3. Chasing animals.
4. Bunnies specifically.
5. Swimming.
6. Shaking off right beside people who are dry.
7. Rolling in snow, dirt, mud, and smelly things.
8. Especially shoes. Slippers. Feet. She even ate a sock once.
9. Treats.
10. Eating cooking scraps like cabbage and other crunchy foods.
11. Digging.
12. Lying in the dirt, especially in her sand hole.
13. Running with her friend Schade.
14. Belly rubs, butt rubs, head scratches, and deep tissue massage.
15. Being in the same room as us.
16. Drinking water from salmon/tuna cans.
17. Getting in the car. Anyone’s car. Anytime.
18. Head-pressing.
19. Running in ecstatic joy circles.
20. Chasing toys.
21. Chewing on toys.
22. Tug of war.
23. Licking dirty plates.
24. Licking herself.
25. Licking people.
26. Licking the car.
27. Eating dirt.
28. Eating grass.
29. Eating dead animals.
30. Eating shit.
31. Lying on people.
32. Resting her head on your leg to beg for treats.
33. Eating anything you drop at anytime.
34. Lying in sunbeams.
35. Being in charge.
36. Being first.
37. Her many friends. Mostly humans, but a few dogs.
38. Her family.

While the things she loved were many, she did have things she definitely did not love too:

1. Fire alarms.
2. Vacuum cleaners.
3. Most other dogs.
4. Walking on gravel.
5. Citrus, vinegar, spicy food, and ketchup. The only things she wouldn’t eat.
6. Slippery floors.
7. Going down stairs.
8. Having things thrown at her to catch.
9. Being clean.
10. Going to the vet.
11. Being left behind.

Thanks for being our loving friend and companion for more than a decade. You were loved. Rest in peace, Joni.