Today I write to say goodbye to my dear friend, my companion, my dog Tramp. It is so hard to say goodbye. He was 7 years old and didn't get to live out his full life span because he had a baseball sized tumor that totally blocked his intestines. Today I want to share stories with you so that you may know in some small part just how special Tramp was and what a blessing from God was every single day we were blessed to be with him.
When our son Ryan was 2 years old he asked for a dog. At the time my husband had not been in favor of getting a dog, but gave in when I used Ryan as a manipulative tool. We got the first dog we saw in the newspaper, which turned out to be a very dominate and aggressive dog. We finally had to give him away because we didn't feel he was safe for the children. I then prayed for forgiveness and asked God to bring us the dog He wanted us to have.
Well, God did just that. one morning I was making breakfast and looked out the back door and saw a dog hopping up and down to get our attention! We didn't have steps on our back porch so she couldn't scratch on the back door. She had 3 puppies. We kept one (Tramp) and the mother and found homes for Tramp's sisters. The moment Tramp and I locked eyes we bonded and he has been my dog ever since.
Tramp would follow me everywhere I went and was content as long as he could be near me. He loved the entire family, but I was his special friend. He loved to take a walk with me down the street, and one time there was a strange dog in the neighborhood which attacked Tramp. He looked like an American Bulldog and he latched onto Tramp's neck and wouldn't let go. I was so scared that Tramp was going to be killed right before my eyes that I forgot about my own safety and started kicking the dog as hard as I could and he still wouldn't let go. I screamed and cried out for God to help. That's when Tramp's collar slipped off, and somehow he was able to break free of the dog's grip and run away. he only ran a little way then turned back, forgetting his own safety to check on me. The dog went after Tramp again so I yelled for him to run home. God sent a truck along about that time which stopped in the road because of the 2 dogs, temporarily blocking the bull dog's view of Tramp. He then left Tramp alone and Tramp ran home.
We had to take Tramp on vacation with us to Jekyll Island that year because he was on antibiotics because of the large wound he had from the Bull dog. The camp ground had rules to keep dogs with us at all times and to keep them quiet. At home Tramp would bark at other animals, but not at the camp ground! Squirrels and birds would get within inches of his face and eat his dog food, and he just watched them in bewilderment!
I would sit in the shallow water at the beach with Tramp and he would whine and pull me towards Darin and the boys who were out in deeper water because he was worried about them and wanted to save them from "the big water!" He was a blessing on that trip and no trouble at all. We were totally amazed and impressed with him.
Quite possible my favorite memory of Tramp was how he seemed to think he was one of my boys. Every morning my sons have always loved to get in bed with me and talk, a really nice way to start the day. One boy would get on each side of me and Tramp would plant himself right on me - full body! He would lick my face and want to be pet, and if he had been outside that night, he would tell us all his woes. He would "talk" and "talk" and "talk", especially if it had been cold outside. We always wished we would have taken a video of this spectacle as it was really funny and endearing.
I feel so blessed that Tramp was my dog, even if 7 years feels like such a short time. I don't know if God will ever give me another dog as wonderful and bonded to me as Tramp, but I feel privileged to have know him. He was the best Dog ever.
I love you Tramp and miss you so much it hurts.
Goodbye buddy.
