Winston Oakes - Our Four Legged Family Member

Six and half years ago, I did something I've never done before. I lied to a professor about an illness I didn't have, skipped out of class and picked up my new hubby to make our way to meet a little bulldog puppy from Kentucky.  We had no idea what we'd encounter, but as we pulled up to a nice house, we felt optimistic.  What we found inside that house changed our lives forever.  


In a room all to his own, bounced a little brown and white wrinkly faced puppy, they called Chompers.  He held in tow a little brown teddy bear and the moment we laid eyes on that silly little guy, we knew he would be ours.  So we forked over more 100 dollar bills than the two of us had ever carried before and made our way home as a family of 3.  


The minute we got home with the newly named Winston, all my puppy rules went out the window.  He was on our couch, in our bed and our names quickly changed from Shell and Trav to mommy and daddy.  I can't begin to explain all the joy that Winston brought us. I'll never be able to explain the companionship he gave Travis.  The bond between a man and his dog, I know is great, but theirs truly was unreal.  Winston had kind eyes, a wrinkly nose, a love for life and barking at himself in the fireplace and was a gentle giant.  We couldn't have asked for a better pet for boys or ourselves.  Winston was never the healthiest dog, but you'd never know as his personality and love for life always outweighed anything that ailed him.  In the words of Dr. Wolf (our vet), Winston was a lovable lemon. 


 Not long ago, our lemon lost his legs and we lost our old Winston.  Today we had to say goodbye.  Winston will never know the joy he brought our family or the pain we are feeling with his loss. We only hope that now Winston is barking at himself in heaven and enjoying his new life without pain.