Reese, aka Pieces aka BBB aka Beastie aka Best Dog Ever

Reese came into our lives on June 6, 2007. He was our 20th foster dog through DFW Labrador Retriever Rescue. The incoming team from our group had pulled him from the Plano Animal Shelter. There he was called "Jax" and had contracted a very severe upper respiratory infection. He also had stage IV heartworms. Of all the foster dogs we had cared for, he was by far the sickest. I was truly worried about him making it through the night much less each day. With his severe heartworms, he was confined to crate rest and could only have three short walks a day.

Luckily Reese pulled through. Life was good.

Unfortunately, nothing was known of Reese's first four years of life. With his broken teeth and very light coat, we guessed that he was an outside dog, spending his days in the sun and shewing rocks. He did not like men who were not white and had some leash aggression.He must've come from a breeder because his dew claw had been removed.

A few months passed and he gained strength.  My due date with Claire was fast approaching and we couldn't imagine giving him up. He was so gentle and mellow. Carly, our permanent dog, was going to have quite an adjustment period with baby Claire arriving, so we wanted to give her another pup to hang with-- Reese. For my 29th birthday, we signed Reese's adoption contract and made it official.

Everyone thought we were crazy. Bringing a new dog into the house? Right before a new baby? We thought we were pretty crazy too, but there was just something about this big brown lug that gave us faith that it would all work out.

Claire was born on September 21, 2007 and Reese was so excited with his "new puppy." He was very curious about Claire. Careful and cautious, but always in tune. When I would get up to nurse Claire at night, he would follow me into her room and hang out there.  During the day, he and Carly were where the family was. The two of them would play together on the living room floor-- mouth-sies was what we called it. Reese still loved his balls and would chase them out in the yard.

As Claire grew, Reese was right there beside her. He was her big brother. He let her suck on his ears. He let her take his ball. He let her play with his dog tags. He also loved swiping food off her highchair and cleaning the floors. He and Carly continued to romp and play.

Life was good.

Asher and Avery were born almost two years later in July 2009. Reese was doubly excited to have two more pups to add to his pack. He let the twins climb on him and play with his tags. The twins weren't quite as fascinated with Reese as Claire had been. I think that had something to do with being twins and having each other. Nonetheless, Reese was there.

In 2011, Reese was having some stomach issues. He was  Lab. Labs ate crap. It happens. But these tummy troubles persisted. We thought maybe it was his diet. We switched to duck and potato. We thought maybe he had sour stomach. We gave him famotodine. It finally got to the point where we had an ultrasound done on his stomach. A solid mass was detected. We scheduled him for surgery at the Dallas Veterinary Surgical center in June. We were prepared for the worst. I never expected Dr. Lange to call me and tell me that an entire ball had been removed from his stomach.  How did it get there? How long had it been there? It was an incredible mystery. We kept the ball as a reminder of Reese's defying the odds.

A few months later, the dogs were out running around in the backyard. It had rained so the ground was a little muddy. I was just about to bring the dogs back inside when Carly had one of those "puppy moments" and went racing around the crepe myrtle.  Reese went chasing after her. As he rounded the corner I heard a "pop" and he cried out in pain. He came up limping and I knew it wasn't good.

Back to the DVSC we went for his torn ACL. Dr. Lange once again performed a terrific surgery and Reese was good to go.

Life was good.

Jude was born in July 2012 and Reese was again thrilled to add another puppy to his pack. By now, he had the routine down. The kids loved him. Carly loved him. He had another little health blip that winter. I came home from dropping the kids off at preschool and found red "marker" all over the walls. Immediately I assumed my kids had gotten out the paints or markers and were playing Picasso-- grrr! However, it was at a strange level and looked like brush marks. After cleaning the walls, I discovered that it was Reese's tail. Somehow he had cut it on something and wagged his happy butt up and down the halls.

Getting his tail to stop bleeding was a challenge but we ended up using an empty syringe case and using the stretchy bandage to get it to stick on. It took months to heal, but eventually it did.

Life was good.

In July 2014, we purchased a new house with a pool and began the renovation process. We were so excited to have our family dream home. The dogs loved the pool and we would bring them over on the weekends during the renovation process to swim. Carly would leap and Reese would gently climb in. We used our old couch cushions for dog beds and the pups adjusted well. Reese loved going for walks in the new neighborhood and meeting everyone.

In June 2015, Reese started showing signs of mobility problems. Without officially running an MRI, Dr. Rae felt like it was degenerative myelopathy (the disintegration on the spinal cord). It was a painless, cure-less irreversible condition that was impact his back legs and then make its way up his body. We began Adequan injections that summer and they kinda sorta helped. In November, he began having accidents and we tried diapers and that kinda sorta worked. In early December we took him to a specialist and we tried some new vitamins to give him a boost in addition to his NSAID and other vitamins.

After returning from Puerto Rico for Spring Break, we began fostering again. our 21st foster dog, Lillian, completed our trifecta of Labs. She got along well with the pups and they enjoyed the run of the house.

Reese continued to slow down. We were able to walk him down the street without a leash. We would bring him out into the front yard to sunbathe. He would protect and shelter the guinea pigs, May and June, when we were all playing out front. He still loved going for walks, although a bit shorter, and being with the family.

April 2016 things were getting tougher. Reese was struggling to get up. He would often fall. His mind was still sharp (hell, he was even fighting over food with Carly!), but his body was faltering. Having had numerous conversations with the vet and having tried so many things, we switched up his meds again and his diet. It was our last "Hail Mary." Our big boy rallied! We knew we were living on borrowed time and tried to make the most of each day. It was then that we made sure the kids were "giving Reese-y loves" before they left for school each day because we weren't sure what the next day would bring.

A few days into the month of May, Reese was having more and more difficulty getting up and the accidents had increased. His quality of life was in question. His eyes had a far away look in them. He was restless at night. He was still eating and drinking but we had turned a corner, the corner I feared.

Scott and I made the decision on that Monday that the last act of love we could do for Reese was to set him free and cross that Rainbow Bridge. We had an incredible photo session that evening in our front yard. A few friends stopped by and visited. After we put the kids to bed, Scott and I lay on the floor and reminisced. I also texted with our dear vet and she agreed it was time to let his body rest.

It was one of the most awful nights for us. I didn't sleep but a wink. I brought Reese into bed with us and held him and cried. My mind kept going to "... this is his last..." We had known Reese was slowing down, but how could the end be approaching?

On Tuesday morning, the kids gave Reese loves and went off to school. Carly and I sat with him on the floor on the rug in the playroom, his favorite place where he could see all the action. Then without warning, Carly got up and went upstairs away from us. I think she sensed it. I think she knew.

Scott and I took Reese for one more walk down the street. We spread a blanket in the front yard and snuggled with him until the vet got there. The sun was shining. The mailman drove by. Reese gave a few good woofs. I held my big brown boy in my arms and talked him through his life with us. What a great dog he was. What a standard he was for others. What a part of our family he was and would forever be.

Reese died on Tuesday morning, May 10, surrounded by those who loved him in a place he loved. Our hearts will forever hold a place for him.

Time goes on. The days march forward. I think about him often and hear his bark. I hear his breathing. I see his face. I feel his love.

A few days before he died, Jude said to me out of the blue, "Mommy, when Reese dies, he will go up to heaven and look down on us." My beastie-beast is up there I believe, wagging his tail, fetching his ball and making sure we're all OK.