Saying Goodbye To Gifford As He Crosses The Rainbow Bridge

On Thursday, Jim and I said goodbye to our sweet boy, Gifford, as he crossed the Rainbow Bridge much too soon.

Anyone who's had to make this impossible decision will understand the emotions that Jim and I are currently dealing with. It's never easy, no matter what the age of the dog. But when it's one so young, it's just heart-wrenching. Still, we know that it was the right decision, given the circumstances.

I won't go into a long explanation about Gifford's health issues. Suffice it to say that he had suffered from occasional seizures for the past year or so. On Thursday, he entered a series of seizures from which he couldn't escape. The potential for brain damage was too great, so we made the tough decision to let him go.

Gifford was a very spoiled, much-loved baby who lived large. His favorite place was outside, whether he was soaking up the sun or romping through the snow. He enjoyed visiting our neighbor's house to watch their chickens wander around the yard. Visiting family was always fun, but when there were kids around, Gifford was in heaven. He loved chasing little people around the yard, making them laugh. Giff's middle name was 'adventure,' because he adored riding in the car, visiting new places, and meeting new people.

We're already missing our big guy, but take comfort in the fact that he made our lives better, and hopefully we did the same for him. Thank you to everyone who has loved him, whether you met him or just enjoyed the many pictures I posted on Facebook. Somewhere, Gifford is giving you big, goofy boy smiles.