A Memoir
A Memoir dedicated to the greatest dog in the world, Shiloh.
We got Shiloh form a friend two years after we moved to Jonesboro, she was an 8 week old black lab, border collie, german shephard mix.
When we first got her, there was a terrible tunderstorm one night and we were training Shiloh to sleep in her dog house so we did not let her in to deviate from the training. Ever since, she was terrified of loud noises, especially thunder. A storm could be two counties away and she would be at the door before we even hear the slightest rumble. Whenever there was a storm late at night, she would go into my parents' room and sleep next my dad's side of the bed.
Shiloh was the sweetest dog ever. She would always let strangers pet her unless she felt they were a possible threat to the safety of anyone in the family.
When we got Ming, our chow/german shephard mix, she served not only as the family dog but an excellent playmate.
I remember one time in particular when Heather had some friends over, they were all sitting in the living room and Heather was eating a piece of cake with whipped cream. Shiloh just sat in front of her and focussed on that piece of cake, hoping for something to fall on the ground. Meanwhile, Ming was chewing on Shiloh's tail trying to get her to play with her when out of nowhere and without even turning her head to look at Ming, Shiloh lets out a WOOF and Heather jumps, dropping her cake on her lap.
Over the past few years, Shiloh's old age finally started to catch up with her. She suffered from arthritis, she was half-deaf and while she was still healthy, we had to give her medicine everyday.
I remember I would be sitting in my room late at night when everyone else was sleeping and I would hear my door open. Startled, I would turn around quickly to see Shiloh's head poking in as if she was saying "hi, just thought I would stop by to keep you company" and hobble into my room, come up to sniff me and let me pet her and then go to an empty spot on the floor to lay down. Sometimes, she would lay down next to my bed and would stay there until morning.
Shiloh was truly the sweetest dog ever.
I found out right before 7 while I was in my motion picture appreciation class. My dad sent me a text message that simply said "Shiloh died." On my way to work, I called my mom to get the story. Apparently, Cameron and his friend Dustin were rounding up the dogs so that they could be fed. Ming came trotting up as usual but they didn't see Shiloh. They went around to the back of the house to Shiloh's doghouse. They saw her lying down and she would not respond to them. They removed the top part of the doghouse and noticed that she had shit all over herself and was barely breathing. Cameron called our parents who were at Joe Muggs getting coffee and Mom instructed them to put Shiloh in the back of the Rodeo and take her to the vet. Dustin backed the Rodeo up to the backyard, picked up Shiloh and put her in the back. Upon arriving the vet's office (which isn't even a mile from our house), they were told by the doctor that there was nothing they could've done even if they had brought her in earlier. She apparently went quickly and painlessly. She was gone before they got there.
I love you, old girl and I'm gonna miss you.
R.I.P. Shiloh, the greatest dog in the world