My Benjamin Button of dogs was aging, nothing was helping Dahlia with her mobility issues. It was getting harder for her to get up and move, her breathing would become laboured. I knew with my whole heart my sweet girl was tired and ready to move on.

I emailed my vet, and shared with them that I couldn’t call, I couldn’t say the words out loud, but I knew I had to do right by Dahlia and let her go.  We made the appointment for August 29^th, that gave me one more week with the most special lady.

There were so many times during that week that I wanted to cancel the appointment. I wanted to keep her with us longer, but I knew that would be nothing but selfish of me. I knew Dahlia was left 6 years ago to die alone in a ditch, alone.  I would hold on to this thought, reminding myself I had the power to let her go how she deserved to go, how every dog deserves to go. I had the power to let her go with dignity and love. I knew, despite my heart breaking and continuing to break every day, she deserved this. My tears and sadness were mine alone, because Dahlia would be free.

Dahlia and I had a lot of conversations in her time with me, but there was none as magical as the one we shared on our last Friday evening.  She came over and sat in front of me, I got down on the floor in front of her so I could be closer to her.  She laid down between my legs and we connected. It’s hard to find the words. I felt like she heard all I had to say, that she wanted to comfort me and assure me that she was ready. We held “hands” for a while, then she laid her head on my lap and slept on me. Amazingly, Flipflop didn’t come and try to get attention, he understood and respected the moment.

Dahlia’s life deserved to be celebrated, she was a fighter, and she was loved. On our last day Auntie Janet and the Doodles planned to come over and Auntie Janet was going to make Dahlia a steak dinner.

Janet was dog sitting a litter of pups at Zoe’s Doodles that weekend, but despite having 9 puppies and 4 adult dogs in her care that weekend, Janet baked a dog cake for Dahlia, knowing how much Dahlia loved her cakes.

I also had a handful of people who wanted to come say their farewells to Dahlia. It was a beautiful warm Sunday afternoon, so I took a blanket out and Dahlia went to one of her favourite spots and we laid out on the grass.  Friends came to see her, human and canine.  They brought treats and snacks and even had a whole deboned chicken, just for Dahlia!  She loved every moment of it.  And as sad as we all were, it meant so much to me to see this girl surrounded by so much love.

On our way back into our lobby, we ran into more people and Dahlia laid down and we spent another hour in our lobby with people coming to say their farewells to this beautiful soul they had all come to love.  And that evening her pack showed up and she had her celebration with her pack.

I was woken up early by Dahlia on August 29^th, she knew she was going to be freed from her pain and she wanted to spend her last few hours with me.  We went outside, for what I thought would be 5 minutes……but it wasn’t.  She went to another one of her favourite spots and laid down. She closed her eyes and felt the wind on her, I cuddled her until she didn’t want me near her, and then let her be.  Laying close by, wanting to stop time so I could stay there forever with her.

As the time passed on, we had a few people come by to say a final farewell as they saw us outside. Her Auntie Margaret FaceTimed her from Ontario to see her one last time. Eventually (2 hours later) Dahlia got up and wanted to go for a walk.  She hadn’t wanted to walk in a long time, so I let her walk with me. We didn’t get too far but we were both happy to have one last walk together. It was while we were walking I saw a Dragonfly and I asked Dahlia to please let me know she was ok, somehow, some way, to come back and connect with me.

Dahlia passed peacefully in my arms and her Auntie Janet close by. Both of us telling her how amazing she is and how loved she will always be. Like in life, Dahlia went like a diva, I had her two favourite toys to go with her, and she laid her head on her toys, closed her eyes, and went to sleep. She looked like the angel she is.

Since Dahlia’s transition Dragonflies come to Flipflop and I all the time. Janet and her dogs are visited by them too.  And we both know it is my sweet Dahlia, telling us she is good, she is free, and she is dancing!