Rest In Peace Sweet Benny Boy...

Last tuesday 11-25-08 my sweet dog Benny took his final breath.  He lived a long life for such a big doggie.   Benny was 1/2 Great Perinese and 1/2 German Shepherd, he was 11 yrs old.  

Benny as a puppy:



And the final pics I took of him on my fathers Birthday: 10-26-08





Benjamin Barker Ownus, or Benny for short lived with my father and stepmother.   They got him out of the paper, the add read Fat, Furry and Free.  He was such a cute fluffly puppy and he grew to be such a good, obedient dog. 

Even in his old age he acted like a puppy, and would bounce around, but as the weather grew colder this year his old age seemed to hit him hard.  

2 weekends ago, on the 23rd, we went to visit my father and stepmother.  It was a cold day so we didnt' spend any time outside, but I went to see Benny before we left.  David was waiting in the car and had already buckled Maddie into her carseat.  
Benny was so happy to see me, but had such a hard time getting up to come out of his dog house, I had a feeling inside me it would be the last time I ever pet him.  The whole drive home I felt bad because Maddie and David had been waiting in the car and as we left Maddie kept saying Benny, Benny.  She loved Benny and they had become good friends.   Some of you might remember a photo essay I did on the two of them several months back.  You can view it Here:
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?memberId=230440&articleId=281474977358158&nav=MyGather
I wish I would have got her back out of the car to see him one last time, because I know next time we visit she will be upset to see he is not there anymore.  Every time we visit she drags grandpa outside to see Benny.

When my father called me Monday I knew right away why he was calling.  He called to tell me that they made an appt to put Benny to sleep.  He was getting old, and the cold weather was making it worse.  He was hardly leaving his doghouse, because he had such a hard time getting up, and was barely eating anything anymore.  They didn't want him to suffer any longer.    So Tuesday 11-25-08 around 4pm Benny took his final breath.

Here are a few more pics:

My dad with Benny:
This was back in the winter of 97'


 More Maddie and Benny: