Maine DJ Cindy Campbell Says Good-bye to Her Beloved Dog

Life took a sad turn last week when my husband and I had to say good-bye to our 5-year-old dog, Toby.

Saying Goodbye to a Furry Family Member is Never Easy

I haven't talked about it publically, but our dog Toby has been sick for a few weeks. We took him to multiple vets, tried a number of medications, and hovered over him like concerned parents. But, in the end, the veterinarians were stumped. All they could say, for sure, was that it was a neurological problem.

And he wasn't going to get any better.

READ MORE: 9 Times Animals Have Taken Over the News in Maine

Saying good-bye is always hard, but when you don't know why, it's beyond frustrating. Still, we had to do what was best for Toby and so we stroked his head as he crossed the rainbow bridge.

The Day We First Picked Toby Out, We Were Surrounded by 8 Rambunctious Puppies

Loss always brings a flood of memories. Like the day we traveled to Skowhegan, just before the pandemic, to meet a litter of eight (!) pitbull/labrador retriever mix puppies. All male. That was, maybe, the coolest afternoon of my life. Sitting on the floor as they raced past and climbed onto and over us.

Toby went right to Jim and snuggled in his arms. Sweet, loving, and immediately comfortable, we knew we had found our boy.

Over the years, he grew to become an incredibly strong dog, who would appear scary to anyone who didn't know him. But, the truth is, he loved everyone, and just seemed to know when he needed to be gentler with kids or the elderly.

Toby and His Friend Gunny Had Some Adventures Including Frequent Prison Breaks

Toby loved kids and would perk up anytime they were visiting. And then there was our neighbor-dog, Gunnar. Toby and Gunny had a path through the woods so they could run back and forth. Imagine our surprise the day we realized they had pushed on our neighbor's house door enough to pop it open, springing Gunny for a visit, despite the fact that no one was home.

It's hard to believe he's gone after just five short years. He lived large, loved everyone, and left quietly, with Jim and I by his side. We'll love him forever. As much as I'll miss him, I'll always be grateful that he came to stay.