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It's been just a few short weeks, but I still look out the front door expecting to see him lumbering this way. Major lived a good stone's throw from our house.
He was a regular visitor to our home, nearly every day in his last years. He had his own food and water dishes in our home, and the pantry contained dog treats.
The big black Labrador recently crossed the rainbow bridge after a good, long life. He left this earth in the lap of his owner, a fitting departure for a dog so loved.
What set him apart from other canines is that his life began in a prison. He was part of a prisoners' training program and was then put up for adoption. He found the perfect home with his human family.
All I know is that he had the best disposition of any pet I've encountered. The only time I ever heard him bark was when a strange vehicle approached his home and his beloved Emily was nearby.
He was a gentle giant among his breed, but I don't think anyone would have challenged him if he took a protective stance.
In his younger years, Major would wander from his homestead, and you could hear his family calling his name in our nearby woods. He always came back. He just felt the need to patrol the neighborhood.
Major caused no harm, but brought a lot of joy to those who encountered him. When he plopped down at our feet as we sat around in lawn chairs, he had a unique way of crossing his front paws as if in prayer.
He didn't care for the cats or deer that came into his yard, but he never harmed any of them. When his family brought chickens to the property, he would settle in the yard near their pen and simply watch over them. Even when the chickens were roaming outside, he let them have their freedom without interruption.
As the aging process crept up on Major, his all black countenance began to show tufts of gray. In his last days, when his breathing became labored, we often rode him home. Or his owner would lift him into his truck to spare him the walk home in the summer heat.
Whether you are a dog lover or cat lover, or any pet lover for that matter, you understand how much your animals are a part of your family. Losing such good, loyal companions is hard.
For every Major who has left us, there are dozens more dogs and cats sitting at your local animal shelter waiting for their forever home. Maybe you will be lucky enough to bring one home and experience the unconditional love they offer.
Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.