When I was having a bad day, you always made me smile.
When I was truly alone, you were always there,
Looking up with those loving eyes,
Telling me everything would be ok.

It has been a while since I have heard your bark
When someone was at the door, or
When there was a squirrel outside. 
It has been a while since I have played with you,
Afraid to hurt you, afraid to see you in pain. 

You lost interest in toys a while ago,
But your spirit never left you.
In the last few months when I would come home,
You would wobble over towards me and
Just stumble into my lap and stay there,
Happy as ever.

Even in those last few days,
I knew you were there, 
I saw it in your eyes and
I know you saw me.

You grew up with me,
I told you things that no one else knows
You saw me at my worst and loved me even more. 

But now,
Never again will I hear the familiar jingle of your collar around the house or
Your soft snores while asleep in front of the fireplace.
Never again will I feel your head resting on my leg, waiting for your ears to be scratched.
Never again will I feel you curl up next to me on the floor, sniff my face and then lick my nose.
Never again will I feel your stare from under the dinner table, waiting for the next green bean to somehow make it on the floor.

Never again will I have to watch you wince in pain in response to the simple action of getting up.
Never again will I cry, just seeing you walk from the kitchen to your bed. 
Never again will I have to watch you suffer.
You are in a better place now and will forever hold a place in my heart.
Watch over me.