All Dogs Go To Heaven

            If anyone knows the Omer family, they know Dori. She’s kind of a big deal, and definitely the cutest boxer on the block. Most of my friends even referred to her by her full name for additional celeb status, like “where is Dori Omer?” She never really grasped the concept of personal space, and was constantly licking… So she was constantly licking right in your face. Annoying to most people, and even to myself majority of the time, but those big boxer kisses were what welcomed me home time after time.  After a long summer abroad, her slobber and nubby little tail wagging would be the ideal welcoming when I walked in the door. It hurts more than I can put in words to say I won’t be getting that welcome home.

Licking in action

           When I called my mom the other day to tell her happy birthday, happy was not her emotion for this birthday. She informed me Dori had been sick for a week with a very fast acting cancer. She had lost 17 lbs in 7 days, and after seeing her in such pain my family decided she needed to be put down. I immediately burst into tears, which is pretty awkward when you’re walking down a busy street during rush hour.

            People’s dogs die all the time, and although it’s not the same as a human dying, they still are part of our families. I’ve always been convinced Dori was half human anyway…and maybe part cat? I swear the girl had 9 lives and unfortunately used them up. She was a stray when we found her with mange and starved. A few years later an x-ray at the vet revealed that she had bullet shells in her leg bone…I called her 50 cent for awhile after that. She had the strongest personality than any dog we’ve had…and even her own pillow in my parent’s bed. It might be a stretch, but on days that I may have pissed my mom off, I think she may have even loved Dori more than me. I think the hardest part about receiving the news was that I couldn’t be there with my family through all of it, especially it being my mom’s birthday. I suppose that's part of the abroad experience, learning to deal with things even through the distance from home. I’ll miss that crazy licking machine more than she could know.

Mom and Dori taking a nap together

RIP baby girl