A year after Dad died, and just a few months after my house was plowed into by a truck, my beloved Doberman died. I was staying at my brother's house at the time. I remember I was sitting in a chair tuning my fiddle, because I was supposed to go to a jam session later that day. Snoop was lying at my feet. I noticed he was making some strange noises and looked down. He was having what I assume to be a heart attack. I ran upstairs and told Aaron, my brother, "Help. Snoop's dying.!" Aaron said, "Call the vet!" I knew it was too late for that. Aaron cradled Snoop's head on his lap, and Snoop took his last breath. I was devastated. I'd had him for 12 years, and losing him was every bit as hard as losing my father. He'd become part of the family, just like another kid.
Aaron, who is a mortician, built a small coffin, sprinkled him with embalming powder and stored him in the garage until spring. I couldn't / wouldn't go near that garage!
He buried him near a pine tree, in the 'pet cemetary', next to three other dogs... Brandy, Zeek, Crank, and my aunt's cat. Aaron had a bunch of vet grave markers that were misprinted, so he ground off the engravings, shined them up, and engraved their names on them. Crank's says, "Crank. Truely man's best friend," Snoops says, "Snoop Doggie Dog (don't blame me... my kids named him back in their rap phase) 1990 - 2002"
I still go out to the pet cemetary to visit old Snoop whenever I get the chance.
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