Date of Death:
Russia came to me as a very sick senior pup. He was underweight, had massive raw areas on his skin due to allergies, had a very bad case of heartworms, and was scared of every movement I made.
However, within just a few days he showed me that he was, at heart, a young puppy who wanted to trust even when scared, was always ready with kisses, would go miles no matter what the vets said, and really wanted to be an integral part of someone's life.
He sang along with the firetrucks and ambulances (not police cars for a reason only he understood), hid his treats under the shed, told all the neighborhood dogs what was going on, and would tuck himself into any available space if it meant he could snuggle just a little closer. He absolutely loved to get brushed and would circle his body to be sure I got every spot just right. He was always in motion if anyone else was moving around, checking out the latest happenings to be sure he didn't miss a moment of life.
He never slowed down, not even on his last days. He might have been very sick, but that wouldn't stop him. In the end, we said goodbye after a last brushing (he made sure I got all the good spots), with his head in my lap tucked up nice and close for one last snuggle.
