Best Dog Ever

I want to take a bit of time to write about our dog, Mazi. She is one of the things in my life that puts a smile on my face every day, shows me unconditional love, and gives me constant companionship. As some of you know, she almost left my life three years ago. So on this “Throwback Thursday” (I usually never do #TBT, but oh what the heck), I want to share Mazi’s (abbreviated!) story.

On the night of January 31, 2011, Mazi ran away. No one will ever know what really happened, but we speculate that she chased a snowmobile on the trail behind the house. I wasn’t home at the time. When I made it back home my friend Megan came over and we started searching for her (along with many other people). We were driving around in my car looking for her and I had to pull over to throw up. I was that hysterical. 

 

For the next week or so, my family and close friends spent all our time searching for her, going door to door, calling all the shelters and vets, putting up signs, researching ways to find lost dogs, you name it. Some of those nights it dipped down to -20 degrees, so I was losing hope.  Being a boxer, she doesn’t have much fur to keep her warm. There were no sightings of her anywhere. You couldn’t even talk to me about it without me tearing up. At a certain point, I just wanted to know if she was alive or not. I couldn’t concentrate on anything during those days. You never know how quiet your house is or how much of a void there is in your life when your dog suddenly isn’t there anymore. 

On the night of February 8, 2011, I got a call from a woman saying that her family heard a dog crying in their woods and they thought it was Mazi (they saw the lost dog posters). The house was a couple miles away. Every time they would try and find where she was, she would stop crying. The family enlisted the help of another family in the neighborhood, along with their dogs. It was the dogs who eventually found Mazi. I was crying on the way to the house, not knowing what to expect. We had to trudge through a lot of deep snow to get to where Mazi was. She was curled up on an icy patch under a tree. She had to be carried out because she was so weak she couldn’t walk. Even though I could tell she was really out of it and in pain, she still licked me.

 After all was said and done, she spent a night at the emergency vet and a couple nights at our home vet. She lost 11 pounds, she had to have some of her teeth pulled because they got cracked (we sometimes call her the toothless wonder), she had to have surgery on her back hocks because they split open, and she had to wear bandages on her front two paws for many months because the pads completely fell off. Our vet doesn’t think she would have made it if she wasn’t found that night. 

I am so thankful that the people who searched for Mazi didn’t give up. If Mazi wasn’t found, then Nate and I wouldn’t be together. Mazi continues to bring so much love and joy into our lives every day. Plus, she is so goofy that she is a great form of cheap entertainment for us :) 

On a box of dog treats that we bought Mazi recently, there were these “Lessons to Learn from Our Dogs.” And yes, I cut it out and put it on the fridge. They are great everyday reminders for how you should live your life.

-Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
-When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
-Take naps and stretch before rising.
-Run, romp, and play daily.
-Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
-Be loyal.
-Never pretend to be something you’re not.
-When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
-If what you want lies buried, dig for it.
-Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.
-Thrive on attention and let people hug you.
-Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
-On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
-When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
-Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Who could not love this face?