This is a sad story that I must tell because I know it has happened to other people and I know they are looking for some comfort just as I am.  If you are not a pet lover then you won’t get much from reading this.  This is a story about my miniature schnauzer named Rosco.

Rosco and I started our journey together 14 years ago.  I bought him when he was 6 weeks old and in my opinion he was the pick of the litter.  Of course I might be a little biased.  Rosco replaced my previous dog that I owned for 12 years.  That dog developed serious hip problems and I had to help him go to the next world with dignity.

As some of you know Schnauzers are a lively breed with loving personalities.  Rosco was no different.  He quickly inserted himself into our family.  He was smart and was always there for food and love.  He loved to be loved.

He loved to travel, even trips to the grocery store, he just wanted to go and be with us.  We often took walks together.  If we met another dog he thought he was the king and other dogs needed to make way.  If the other dog ever threatened hostility; however, Rosco would immediately go into retreat mode,  the bigger the dog, the faster the retreat.

Squirrels were his number one enemy, he hated them.  He tried thousands of times to catch one but they were always one step ahead of him.  They would climb about 4 foot up a tree and shake their tail at him.  It would piss him off.

He was a healthy dog; of course I kept up with his heartworm, flea and tick medicine his whole life.  He was an inside dog and really had a better life than me.  He was warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

When he turned 12 he started slowing down a bit but was still going strong.  At 13, he began to show his age and he just wasn’t able to do the things he used to do.  He wasn’t suffering, just not as active.  I could tell; however, that he knew he was limited in what he could do.

He turned 14 this June and I could tell he was in a little pain especially in his hips.  I was watching him close because I was not going to let him suffer; he had been too good a friend for too long to allow that to happen.

Then on the night of September 14 I let him out for his before bedtime business.  He came back inside and went to lie in his bed.  After about an hour he came in the bedroom for what I thought was some love.  I petted him and loved on him and told him “Ok boy go to bed.” He went back to his bed and after about 5 minutes he came back in and looked up at me as if he wanted to go out again.  I said “Ok boy, let’s go so you and I can get some sleep.”  I let him out, and that was the last time I ever saw him.  Now it is almost 11:00PM at night. We live in a rural area with plenty of woods and no lights.   I went out and called him, got the flashlight and looked and looked.  He never came back.

Next morning, I went to work, of course my mind was not on work.  The wife and boy continued the search when it got daylight.  They had no luck.  I came home from work at lunch and had no luck.   Rosco was gone and never to return.

I did some research online and read of this happening to other people.  https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080625152830AApcu0e There are many theories as to why this happens but none of them fill the void in my heart.

I do respect Rosco and his wishes because I truly believe he knew it was his time to go.  His instincts told him and he listened.  He knew he was loved and he knew his life was full.  I do not believe he suffered and I believe he went quickly.  Trust me; he was not an outside dog at night.  The pull to go must have been very strong.

I still walk and I still look for him some, but in my own heart I know he heard and heeded to the call of the wild.