Toby weighed under 1 pound at 6 weeks old when I brought him home to my Uncle Jonas and Aunt Hollys house in summer of 2008. I was still a kid, he was the first dog I ever had all to myself and I needed him with me everywhere I went!
He had a trendy black and white carrying bag so I often snuck him into malls, restaurants, and all my fav places, got caught several times too lol but he was so darn cute that we were always told to stay and enjoy! ???? Well he grew out of that bag into about double the size expected - pop!
Beth , if you’re reading this I still remember the day Wal Mart met us at the entrance and put an end to the “Toby goes everywhere we go” times! ??
Still didn’t stop mine and Toby’s adventures…I’m naming only the few that stick out to me but over his years he attended several “Chow Wagons”, Thunder over Louisville, Friends parties every weekend, family get togethers, pool parties, a couple Easter Egg hunts, he saw Santa almost every year for Christmas and I still have the one of him cheesing so big it just cracked everyone up that saw it!, Panama City Beach Florida on minimum 3-4 different trips and yes he literally would jump waves like a kid trying to attack the pelicans out way too far for him to ever reach?? He tagged along on so many weekend getaways like to Nashville or Indianapolis, etc. We lived our best lives.
Later I moved into my own place and of course my room mate was my Toby..just us for about 3 years. He had his own pet steps to my bed. Those $5 yard sale steps still sit here in my bedroom now all these years later! Toby used them daily and I sit here tonight waiting to hear him sneak up and get cozy by my feet??
If you ever babysat him you know he had very bad separation anxiety from me so he would get a shirt from the dirty clothes of mine and lay with it all day just waiting for me to come get him. When I was working I’m sure he did the same but always greeted me so genuinely excited that I couldn’t be sure?? No one ever loved me as much as he did. I get it, some aren’t pet people and will think oh that’s silly but I was not “pet people” either until I felt the love that sweet little dog had for ME..He was my family and my closest companion that knew when I needed him and he would not leave my side. I struggled a lot in my early 20s just working and paying my bills, breakups I thought I’d never get over-(lol at that now)
Fast forward a bit and I start dating Mike who Toby wasn’t a fan of for a good while actually, meet Rylee and Ava who stayed at my apt a lot and would go hit up Mamaw Kay’s pool with me and Toby! Toby instantly loved those girls and he loved all kids especially my younger cousins Gracie, Aspyn, Jesse, Joey that he grew up around????
Well he ended up loving Mike eventually too so I said ok I guess I can marry ya now haha kidding! Me and Toby move to Indiana where he would once again know exactly how to be there for me during losing a parent at 26 years old and 5 months pregnant ..hard times again, he never left my side and made sure I didn’t leave his sight too.
I know I’ve written a book here but I’ll start to wrap up what I want to make clear and leave for all of Toby’s friends and family to remember about him..
He loved everyone of you he met through the years. I’ve ran into a few of you that we hadn’t seen in a decade or more and Toby went and sat right next to all of you which just blew all of our minds! If he was a person he would be the type made perfectly by the Lord to love others deeply and make them feel special even if he met them for 5 min 12 years ago..And that was my Toby, not a mean bone in his body..pure innocence and true genuine love for his people!
I’m crying typing this but what dog do you know you can say most of this about? ..what people? .. He saved me so many times and it tears me apart I couldn’t save him today.
Nearly half of my life I was blessed with him and now I see that God knew I needed him…not the other way around.
God needs him now for what reason I don’t know but his life on earth ran out of time and wore down his poor body -The vet told me I was being very selfless for my decision made today but I’m not feeling that way in no shape or form.. I still needed him here y’all ??
I am fairly positive when my time down here is up , that little face is the first
thing I see greeting me as the young pup most of you remember! He’s with Meme now and probably being pushed around in her little cart of goodies just like the old days. Love your fur babies hard because chances are YOU are everything to them and they live for YOU.
And I can’t say that about many “real people”…if any at all?????
If you didn’t know Toby before I hope you do now.