My Ratdog

hey. So what's a ratdog? A rat dog is a doggy that looks like a cross between a rat and a dog! I present to you, my ratdog (now deceased) Tyson!

Tyson came into my life when I was 5 years old. He was a family dog and we didn't take very good care of him. We mostly left him in the backyard to exist and we'd feed and water him. Nothing very caring.

Then when I was 16, I got kicked out of my first high school. I was very lonely and sad. I was doing homeschool stuff for a few months and I was totally isolated from the world. I started to take care of tyson because I had nothing. I made him an indoor dog. I house trained him and loved him. I would give him baths, I let him sleep in my room and I played with him. He helped me through very hard times. He would sit there and look back at me while I rambled on and on. His companionship is what made me want to work with animals.

Then when I was 20 I got a new puppy. My pitbull mix Princess lived with me and tyson (and my parents). Tyson was 15 years old when I got the puppy but Princess was very gentle with him.

He died when I was 22 at the ripe old age of 17. Sadly it was my fault he died. One morning I put him outside and me and princess went back to bed. I heard him barking and barking but he was old and I thought he was just doing his usual bark routine. He finally stopped and I drifted off to sleep. When I went back outside with princess I found him floating in the pool. He was dead. His water bowl was empty. He died because I didn't check his water dish and he fell into the pool while trying to drink. Its a mistake I will never let happen again. I think subconciously that is what makes me want to be a veterinary technician.

These are the only two remaining photos I have of him. All the others have been lost.

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...tysonedit1.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a.../tysonedit.jpg

I'm so sorry about Tyson. I know you feel a huge guilt over going back to sleep that day. This was a hard lesson you had to learn. I'm sure Tyson forgives you for it. He was a cute little bugger. Try not to be too hard on yourself. I'm sure the animals you help in the future will have Tyson to thank for it.

That was a really hard lesson to learn. I'm positive he forgives you...actually he probably didn't blame you at all! I'm sure he knew you loved him very much. Don't be hard on yourself. There's just no way to know when things like this will happen. I'm sure he is happy now waiting for you at the Rainbow Bridge so that he can play with you again.
R.I.P. Sweet little guy.

What a lovely little tribute to your lovely little ratdog. I'm sure Tyson thanks you for the last few good years of his life, I'm sorry you had to lose him in such a tragic way.

Rest Easy Tyson, your legacy lives on.

I feel so sorry for you. That must have been, (and still is, I'm sure), just awful. He was a cutie.