Cheezer and Louzer

These are pictures the boy drew at school, the day our dog Caesar died:

"I wish I had 100 ..."

"I wish I had 100 hamsters."

"I wish I had 100 dogs."

"I wouldn't want 100 dead dogs."

Our first boy Caesar the pug died on Friday. He died on his 12th birthday. He had some sort of liver problem and he got sick fast this last week. It ate him up inside and he died on the way to the vet’s.

We got the Cheezer from a breeder in San Clemente CA back in 1997. He was eight weeks old and was adorable. We had just moved into our first house and he was our house warming gift to ourselves. He was so full of life at that age. Whenever anyone came to visit, he would run around their feet the whole time they were there. A very excitable pug. His full (AKC) name was Caesar H.I. McDonough (from the movie, Raising Arizona).

In 2000 we thought we’d get him a playmate and so Louie came into our home next. Caesar and Louie always seemed to have a sort of love-hate relationship. They’d sleep in the same bed at night, right next to each other. Then they’d fight like mad if one thought the other was getting more than his fair share of food. My wife would dress them up for Halloween in the first years but they never really liked that. Cheezer would go along with it if he saw some snacks in it for him.

In the last few years, Caesar was obviously slowing down. He had a bad infection last year but his vets were able to cure that. He recovered well but was still not walking around like when he was younger. He would get up and run into the kithcen when he heard us getting any food going but otherwise, was pretty puggish. I mean sluggish.

We had a wide variety of names we’d call him by — Cheezer, Cheese, Bug Chug, The Bitey One (a Simpsons reference, of course), Snore Boy, and on and on. We’re going to make a donation to the local animal shelter in his (real) name.

Louie is still with us. I can’t tell if he misses Caesar or is happier without having to share our attention and the treats. He’s resting beneath my feet as I type this.

You were always a good boy, Caesar.  I hope you get lots of good treats wherever you are now.

Here are some pictures on my flickr page.