The Silver Strand: Why We Keep Letting Dogs Break Our Hearts

We lost a dog late last year. Tango was 16 ½. At the end, his systems simply shut down, but the life he lived between those years was nothing short of rich. While the initial sharp pain has started to fade, the lingering traces of his presence are woven into every single day.

It’s more than just an extra bowl we don’t have to fill. It’s the time we used to spend washing his bearded face every morning, the individual play time that’s shorter with one fewer dog. Even the time factored into each day to stand around in the back yard yelling “Tango, go pee!” He’d forget why he was outside and stand there sniffing the breeze.

The Silver Strand

We saw a video this week about the “silver strand” breaking and leaving a hole in our hearts. And why those of us who love dogs, go back time after time for another soul to break our hearts. 

Dog people know. The last dog’s place is never “taken” by the next dog. We know that hearts and souls expand with each dog. There’s no limit on love. There’s always room for one more silver thread.

Adjustments to make

For now, we’ll figure out a new schedule. The dogs we have will get a little extra play time. And, in time, there will be another dog to disrupt the new routine. Just as it ought to be.