BooBoo

My dearest Booboo,
You left one month, 11 days and four hours ago.
I've been wanting to write something since, but have been unable to.

You, as a border collie, were of average height, average weight
having all the typical traits, with all the typical problems
and you lived 12 years, of an average lifespan

To me, though, you were anything but average.
Every night for solid 10 years, you slept right next to me
I shared all my thoughts with you, and you always tolerated it
For the last two years, we lived apart, and I missed having you in my daily life
How you barked, how you ran, how you jumped
How you put your head on my knees under the table when we ate
How you hid under the couch after you did trash so we could only see your tail
How you always took the front seat in my echo and made nose marks all over the windshield
How you would do all the tricks you know before we asked you to when you wanted the treat
How you understood every word we said but only do the ones you were pleased
How you would push me a little when I gave you my suffocating hugs
How you always managed to find stinky things to roll over during our walks
How you loved the snow and ate it like ice cream
How your fur would puff up after we shower you, and how you looked after your each summer shave
How you loved chasing and being chased
How you moved your back legs as if you were dancing when you got a back massage
How you would take a bow when you wanted to play
How you would hide your legs under you when we played with your paws
How you came running to me with your favorite toy in your mouth
How you followed me around the house...

My dear booboo
I hope you felt loved
I hope you had some great time with us
I promised you that I would come back to take care of you
I hoped that I kept my promise
We had to let you go
My dear, did you know?
Where would I go now, where would I put my face?
I can no longer find that soft spot behind your ears
For the last time, on your last day, you let me lay my face there, just like you always did
You sighed, just like you always do
Only this time, I know.

I'm so sorry, my baby.
I love you. I love you.
I love you.
Bye bye, my Booboo.

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12 things you may not know about Boo:

1. He was a surprise birthday gift to me. Only he didn't stay in his box and crawled out and really surprised me. Hence his name "Boo".
2. His full name was BooBoo Nutella Rakotomalala. Nutella for his hazelnut-colored eyes. He only gets his full name called when he is really in trouble.
3. He has had epilepsy since he was two. He had, on average, about one episode per month for 10 years.
4. He had an ear infection and a neck injury when he was little, which is why he wears a harness instead of a collar. He also had a knee surgery to fix his patellar luxation when he was about three. He was always energetic and hyper active despite all these health issues.
5. He ate all our Lindt chocolate Santa under the huge christmas tree one year. He only got some soft deposit after that, no other effects. His foodie adventures also include chinese roasted ducks, foie gras, and kung-pao tofu.
6. He loves bread. His weakness is pizza crust.
7. He had a major vocal fight with a squirrel (on a tree) once. It lasted 30 minutes. I wished, to this day, that I had my phone with me that morning.
8. His birthday is supposed to be Christmas. But he got bitten in the park on his first birthday, so we changed it to Halloween. It suits him better anyways.
9. I once came home and found out that he had got the trash bin out of the cabinet, digged trash, put the bin back, and closed the cabinet door. I only realized that because there was an empty bag left outside. 
10. The first time he went to the beach, he charged at the waves. He drank so much sea water he couldn't hold his pee. The next day he didn't drink it anymore.
11. I once left home with the TV on MSNBC, and came back to find him on the couch with the remote under his paw and the tv on Fox. I'm sure it was a prank.
12. He is secretly a mommy's boy. I enjoyed it. I even enjoyed the part that it was a secret. Because then it would be just for us.