Dog of the Day

June 6, 1999

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Maggie, the Dog of the Day
Name: Maggie
Age: Deceased, Twelve years old
Gender: Female Breed: Chocolate Labrador Retriever
Home: Pennsylvania, USA
 
   Maggie gave our family twelve+ years of happiness and joy. Labs are generally very faithful and loving dogs. Maggie was exceptional...

    My husband and I purchased Maggie as a wedding gift to each other when we were married in August of 1984. At the time my husband owned a Black Labrador named Jasper. At first Jasper did not like Maggie but soon they became best friends. Maggie was a very self-sufficient dog. She would bring her water bowl to you when it was empty to have it refilled. Since we lived in the country, we could open the door of our home to let her outside to do her business and have her return with a bark to be left back in.

    Maggie had three beautiful litters of puppies - two chocolate litters and one black litter. She was a wonderful mother to her puppies but would let friends and relatives hold and cuddle them. Maggie loved to play Frisbee, go swimming at the state game lands near our home and generally loved all people.

    Maggie became ill in early 1996. She began to have stomach problems and could not seem to digest her food. We tried medications and special diets which barely helped. She lost nearly twenty pounds and her quality of life went down hill. In October of 1996, which was about a month after we purchased our current Labrador, Casey, we had to make the decision to put Maggie to rest. I had begun to prepare myself mentally and emotionally for this inevitable event for almost a year prior. Maggie had a good long life and I felt confident in my decision. I stayed with her while the vet gave her the shot and held her paw until she went to sleep. We had Maggie cremated and took her ashes to her favorite hiking and swimming spot. She will forever be in our hearts. Although I still feel a great sense of loss I am truly glad Maggie was a part of our lives. You can see Maggie, Jasper, and Casey all at Happy Labs.
 

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