Dixie

June 26^th 2015

We lost one of our dogs yesterday, Dixie had Renal Failure and her life had deteriorated to the point that putting her down was the most compassionate thing we could do. Millie and I are as devastated by her death as we would be for any other family member. Dixie was a Yorkie/poodle mix of about 12 pounds. She was the sweetest dog you could imagine, all she ever wanted was to be close to us. 

Whatever room in the house you went to, within a minute or two Dixie would quietly tip toe in. She would curl up someplace out of the way but within sight of you. If Millie and I were in separate rooms she would either lay in a position where she could see us both or she would be near Millie. I know that she liked me but Millie was her first love and you can’t take that away.

Dixie loved to go for long walks, she chased squirrels and birds and lizards; she was a hunter. Except for a few occasions we had to keep her on a leach, we were afraid she would get the scent of something and run off after it. In hindsight I’m really glad that we occasionally took a chance and let her run free.

On the beach she discovered minnows swimming at the swash a couple blocks from the house. Every trip after that both dogs would go straight to the swash to go fishing, and Dixie became very good at catching them. 

In the house we loved to watch Dixie hide things, mostly her babies (stuffed toys) but also chew toys or treats. She would carry them around and scratch out a hiding spot under one of her blankets or in her bed, and then she would use her nose to gently cover the object with a fold of material.

  

If Millie and I were sitting together, Dixie loved being snuggled in between the two us.  When we went to bed at night, Dixie was in her little bed next to ours. When we went out Dixie would lay facing the door waiting our return, in the motorhome she would stay on the dash and watch for us to return. When we got in view she would jump up to greet us, her little stubbly tail wagging wildly! Unconditional love, she gave it to us every minute of every day.

Millie and I owe everything we are to Dixie and Maggie. If it wasn’t for them we may never have met. 

We first met while walking on the beach at Myrtle Beach State Park. Back then dogs had to be off the beach by 8am so most folks with dogs were out there about the same time in the early morning. Millie lived across the street from the park and she and Dixie walked the beach each morning beginning from the south end and walking north. I was staying at the park campground on the north end and walked south each morning with Maggie.

That first morning when I saw her in the distance I was immediately intrigued. She had a majestic presence; tall and slender with perfect posture and a walk that had purpose. She also had a well behaved  little dog who trotted along beside her. I remember thinking, who is this stunning creature coming towards me.

 That first day we passed each other our parallel courses about 30 feet apart, we did no more than nod a hello. On subsequent mornings we progressed only to saying hello. It wasn’t until we stopped so our dogs could become acquainted that we introduced ourselves. 

 I recently told Millie it was a good thing the girls brought us together because I am socially awkward and would have been afraid to approach a refined woman who was obviously of southern aristocracy.  She laughs at this and reminds me that her roots were on a share cropper tobacco farm, but admits that the credit goes to the girls and she would never initiate contact with a stranger on the beach.

Our little dogs of course had to greet each other and thus began our adventure.

Dixie was around eight or nine years old and Maggie was about two and a half when Millie and I became a couple. They lived together as sisters for over four years and we know they bonded. They were together 24 hours a day for all that time and they never fought. They would show affection for one another by licking faces or sniffing each other and we truly believe they enjoyed each others presence. This is especially true when we humans went out and left them in the condo or the motorhome.

Both of our little girls have been with us every mile of our many cross country adventures. I built a window level perch next to the driver’s seat in the motorhome for the one of the girls to sit on. Maggie prefers sleeping on a cushion next to Millie or in a bed under the driver’s seat. Dixie was awake for every mile, she loved sitting next to me and watching the world roll by. 

Our next trip in the motorhome will be emotional; I’m dreading the day that we start a road trip without her. It will not only be hard on Millie and me, I know it will bring back memories of Dixie to Maggie as well.

Since Dixie left our condo never to return I can’t help but wonder what Maggie is thinking? Obviously we can’t explain the circumstances to her, but we can tell she knows Dixie is gone. Did she perceive Dixie’s illness and could she somehow know Dixie is not coming back? 

After Dixie was gone a couple days we started to see a change in Maggie. We know she missed Dixie and grieved. She looked for Dixie in the condo and outside as well, always wanting to go to the parking spot the motorhome would be in, if it was here.

Maggie has gotten better recently, as have we, but I also know she’ll never forget her little sister and neither will Millie and I.

Rest in peace little girl, we love you Dixie.