Kyra is in Doggy Heaven.

Kyra

Age 8, ~2002 - August 22, 2010

Kyra was our best friend and we miss her every hour of every day

Nickname: Monkey

When I first met my husband, I'll never forget the night I met Kyra. He brought her with him when he had come to pick me up one evening. The minute I saw her face I knew that she was one of the best dogs I would ever have the pleasure of having in my life. She immediately endeared herself to me with her happy tail wag and big chocolate brown eyes.

My favorite thing about Kyra was that no matter how bad my day was, I came home and she was waiting for me and was always excited no matter what time of day it was. Those who are pet owners know that having a furry friend often brings a gratification and friendship to your life that exceeds all of the limitations that you can have in the relationship with a two legged human. We often tell our darkest fears, troubles and confide things to them that we might might never whisper to another human soul.

When my husband travelled quite a bit and we were living in a new city where I knew no one, she was in fact, my other half. We had many conversations and she kept the side of the bed warm that my husbad usually did (reading this he may be finding out that little tidbit for the first time! Sorry honey!!)

Kyra had an undeniable effect on all that knew her. She was very patient and loving to everyone she met. And most of all she had a way of weaseling into your heart and staying there. She loved to take naps with us, and was often content just to be next to you as long as you were touching her in some way.

When she became unexpectedly ill and we were told that this was not something that she would recover from, both my husband and I struggled to accept that she might not be with us very much longer. We didn't understand or think it was in any way fair that we would be deprived of her in our life. She was such a part of the beginning of our life together, we started out as a family of 3, we wanted it to stay that way.

As if she knew that she would be leaving us soon, she wanted to leave us with a great memory of her. When she was spending the night at the vet before he let us take her home for the last couple of "good days" we went to visit her in the morning. When we got there the vet asked us why we hadn't told them that she was very good at opening things. We told him that we weren't aware of this hidden talent either and wondered what kind of trouble our mischevious dog had gotten into this time.

Apparently Kyra had decided that the sleeping arrangements weren't up to her lofty standards. (She had a long and illustrious history of climbing on to the couch after we had gone to bed, and getting off of it right before we had gotten up. We knew about this shortly after but couldn't bring ourselve to scold her as she was getting up in years and it was so darn funny!) Sometime after the office closed, Kyra got out of her kennel, found the vet's personal office and climbed up on to the sofa and promptly fell asleep. When the tech arrived the next morning he couldn't find her and quickly became worried, just when he was about to call in support to help find her she wandered out of the office, yawning and acting as if she had the best sleep of her life and wondering why everyone was late to feed her!

It wasn't long after that she had to leave us in this life and go on to the life that she deserved where she could run, jump and not be in the pain and discomfort that plagued her towards the end of this life for too long. I can still feel the smooth fur running under my fingers, her incredibly soft nose nuzzling my hand or hip when there was something she was asking for or simply to let us know she was here. I can hear her collar jingle in the next room or spy her out of the corner of my eye sleeping or laying somewhere she wasn't supposed to be. And sometimes in the darkest of night, in the quietest of hours I still hear her soft snore and deep breaths.

I look forward to the days that I will remember her when she was a lively spirited dog as opposed to the weary soul she became at the end. But we know that in the eternal happiness that her life is now, she watches us along with all the other pets that have gone to that wonderful place and I know someday we'll meet her again.

So our darling Kyra, we think of your every hour, every minute of everyday. And like I told you during those last breaths, it's all going to be okay, we love you forever.