Pocket was the love of my life from the first moment I met him in the middle of nowhere Vermont. Even at 4 weeks he had a larger than life personality that never changed as he got older. He was always the boss.
When I took him home I was a college student who had just graduated high school living in MA. I dreamed of our life and now looking back on it things were more magical than I could've ever imagined. He was a great dog from the beginning and I don't remember ever really having to train him. He knew what he could get away with and he respected it almost all of the time.
He was very rarely sick and it was me and him against the world for 14 years. We moved to FL, bought a house and built our dream backyard. He loved long walks in many neighborhoods we lived in, chasing squirrels, birds, other dogs and protecting his space. He was very protective over me and even more protective over his younger but bigger brother toby. He had a sister Allie who he was always trying to win over.
He was always checking on all of us and a shadow anywhere we went. If you got up to pee in the middle of the night he did too. If you went to check the mail he did too. If you were getting a snack, he gets a snack too. He loved us so deeply and even if we had gotten 15 more years it wouldn't have been enough.
His life was full and we went to many sunsets and parks. He enjoyed all 4 seasons. He absolutely loved to stand in the rain (but he hated the thunder), cheese, and swimming! He would stand and stomp his feet to get what he wanted and was persistent until he was victorious.
Christmas was his favorite and he would enjoy long naps under the glow of the tree lights and year round in my office where the tree lived outside of the holiday. We enjoyed going to see Santa, the Christmas lights in town and a big Christmas dinner where he always got his own plate like a person.
It was the 2 of us for many years and he was spoiled even when we became a family of 5. My only regret is that fate did not bring Pocket his best friend and brother until he was 10 and that cancer gave them only 4 short years together.
He was my soul dog and Toby was his soul dog. Their love was the sweetest until the very last moments. Even msotly blind and deaf Pocket was still always checking to make sure everything was okay.
The hole in our hearts is so big now that he is gone but his spirit will always be here and when we are reunited at the rainbow bridge I know he will lose his mind with excitement.
I miss him every moment of everyday and I feel so incredibly happy to have been loved and protected so deeply for 14 years. Some people never get this lucky and being Pocket's mom was and always will be one of my greatest joys in life. There will never be another dog that can live up to the shoes he left behind here on earth.
