A very, very good dog

The chew toys are still around: the rope monkey and the squeaky skunk and the flying squirrel that’s now half-rope and half-matted fur.

It is after all, the weekend, time to clean and vacuum dog hair, and make the house a bit more presentable after a week in which Molly has reigned supreme over all. Which is what every week for the past two years has been like since the October day in 2019 when we drove up to West Point, Ia., to pick up a puppy from Rafter W Farms. 

We had no idea what we were getting into.

What we were getting was a 20-pound miniature goldendoodle, a specialty breed of golden brown hair that never got curly — a “toy” golden, the perfect dog. A long snout that made a smile more obvious; a long tail with so much hair on it that it looks like a plume when it’s curled up and wagging, which is often and awesome at the same time.

Two years ago this week, she completely took over our lives — beginning in the early days where we were like, “What were we thinking, getting a puppy at our age?” The family text string was working overtime with frequent updates and pictures: updates on her thrice-daily walks; her affection for eating acorns; and the frequency and consistency of, well, poop. Matt in Chicago wondered why we waited so long. Jack took advantage of his last three months living in the house to bond with her. We willingly shelled out money for daily pet care, premium snacks and mobile grooming. We rearranged social outings and work schedules to make sure she didn’t spend too much time alone or in her kennel.

She was a Godsend during the pandemic, from the early unsettling days of 2020 to the long months that dragged on, making work at home bearable and fun. Molly was a constant presence who needed us as much as we needed her. 

If you notice a subtle change in verb tense, well there’s a reason: On Thursday, we had to say goodbye to our beloved Molly much too soon, and much too unexpectedly.

Last Thursday morning, she either got bit/stung by an insect or ingested some kind of toxin that seeped into her bloodstream, resulting in a slow — at first — reaction that ended up in anaphylactic shock. So what started out as a nervous trip to our Arch Animal Hospital vet for what we thought were stomach issues ended up a few hours later with a transfer to the emergency pet hospital for what the vet called a “systemic and violent reaction” to the toxin.

It all changed within a matter of a few hours. Her organs began to fail and she did not respond to treatment. By 8:30 p.m., they told us it was doubtful she would make it through the night. So we made the awful, horrible decision to euthanize, and Tom, Jack and I were able to be with her when she was put to sleep in a most gentle and pain-free way. But not before raising her head and seeing her glorious tail wag one last time — at the sight and smell of Jack and Tom rushing into the vet’s office just before we transported her to VSS.  

Turns out, that was her goodbye to all of us.

We are shocked and saddened. She was just entering her prime — she turned 2 Aug. 11 — and we would have celebrated our “gotcha” day this Tuesday, Oct. 5. She was our Molly Girl, our Doggie Dog. And she taught us many things, such as:

• Sometimes, a good walk around the block, no matter the weather or the temperature, is just enough to settle you down.
• The surest way to make a neighbor a friend is to walk past their house every night.
• A dog begging for a belly rub is a fail-proof way to curtail screen time.
• A 20-pound dog can play soccer, push a regulation ball the length of a backyard or balance it on her nose — and bark in delight at the same time.
• Naps are good.
• Snuggles are contagious.
• Love is unconditional.

We will miss her forever. From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank Dr. Angela Garcia at Arch Animal Hospital, the best vet ever, and Dr. Jennifer Eisele, the ER vet at Veterinary Special Services, as well as the staffs of both places. Thanks to Cindy Berndt of Critter Sitters, our beloved pet sitter who was responsible for the soccer tricks and who jumped right back in despite an 18-month hiatus in pet care. Thanks to our friends Cindy and Miles Wellman and Rafter W Farms for helping us find the most unique and perfect canine the world has ever seen. That’s not an exaggeration. 

She was a very, very good girl.