I still remember the first day we bought Joe. He was the most beautiful dog in the shop. Because the store was an older type of store the set up was different than most pet shops we see now. Everything was in one little room. The cats, the dogs, the mice, etc. So when Joe was taken out of his cage he got so excited that he knocked the mice cages, and he began to chase them and bark at them. Finally we took him into the car and as soon as my brother opened up his window, Joe jumped on his lap and stuck his head out the window. He was so overwhelmed that he didn't even know what to do. He just kept going from my window to my brothers. 

Through the years Joe developed his ever-changing personality but never forgetting those who always showed him love. Everytime he would see a member of the family cry he would lick their face trying to say, "its ok". Joe is always remembered as the dog who would always stand up for us, but was SO kind at the same time. He never let anybody hurt me, even if it was just playing around. The one thing I remember being so cute about him was, my mom and I would tease him by hugging each other and saying things to bug him, and when he would realize that he wasn't being hugged by us he would jump up and run towards and and begin barking and whimpering until finally we stopped and gave him all the attention. And when he would be sick he had the cutest bark ever.

Whenever I or anybody would come home, he would run out to the porch then run back in for a 'hello' hug. And even though he just passed away yesterday, i miss giving him his hello hug.

I don't know what happened to him. All of a sudden he became sick. He just became more tired and less hungry. He wouldn't get up to greet us anymore. He would just lay there, still expecting his 'hello' hug, you could see in his eyes he wanted to get up and run around more than anything. Last nite i was out with my mother and i came home to see Joe laying in the same spot he was in when I left. So i went to pet him, and i noticed that he was laying in his own pee, and that is not like my dog whatsoever. So i got worried and i tried to get him up but he wouldn't move. So i layed him on his side and he was shaking...A LOT and he was staring into one spot. He wouldn't even react to the snap of my fingers. So i called the vet and they told me to bring him in. And when i did, the told me that he was really pale, not because he was sick, but because he was bleeding internally and he had lost a lot of blood. They told us that we could run some tests to see what they could do and also to give him a blood transfusion. But they also mentioned that because of this age (11 yrs 9mths)and his condition, they coudn't guarantee that he would survive. So my mother and I talked it over and decided that it would be best to just put him to sleep. So we said our goodbyes, which took forever to do...cuz i didn't want to say goodbye to him. I didn't want to stop looking him in the eyes. His eyes were always my favorite part about him. And his nose and ears! But I had to. So finally we all said, "this is it" and the vet put him to sleep. He passed last nite just after 11:30 pm and i miss him so incredibly much. I grew up with Joe for almost 12 years. I got him when i was 5 years old, so it felt like losing a brother. After you bring a pet into your home, they are no longer just a 'pet' they become family. I know he's in a better place now and he's not in anymore pain. But its still going to take a long time to get used to walking through the door and not seeing him jump up for his...'hello' hug.