There are dogs that come into our lives that are much more than a dog. They become a soul mate. One cannot create this bond, it is naturally there and something to be treasured if you have the good fortune to experience it.
One such dog in my life was Cody, officially known as Cherokee Star Memory Maker. Cody entered my life in June of 2005 as a 3 month old puppy. I have had a collie in my life ever since I was 12 years old and adored the breed. I still do. Cody was my first Tri-color Collie, all the previous ones had been the Lassie sable and white.
Cody and I bonded immediately. He was always such a stately dog, even as a puppy. An old soul, as some would say. I swear that dog could read my mind and finish my sentences.
When Shawn and I decided to start our business in the pet industry, we named it Cody and Company, after this great companion. We started out dealing in pet toys, supplies, etc. and got into designing small dog clothing later (I will save that for another day). We were doing well and business was progressing nicely.
Then came the chain of events that one hopes never to go through, certainly not after only having your dog for three short years.
On the morning of Thursday, August 28, 2008, Cody woke up violently vomiting. It was very apparant that this was no ordinary case of an upset stomach. We quickly had him at the vet's office. There was no question that he was in distress and they immediately went to work trying to determine what was wrong.
It is so frustrating when your pet is seriously ill. They cannot tell you what hurts or how they feel. I could look into his eyes and see that my Cody was not there and I was in a panic.
After x-rays, ultrasounds, IV's and I can't even remember what else, by Saturday morning we had the answer. Cody's abdomen was filled with cancer that was attached to so many vital organs that there were no options for treatment. Nothing had ever shown up in his yearly physicals and he had never before this time shown any signs of pain or discomfort. After consulting with other specialists who agreed with the diagnosis, we had no options but to say good-bye to our beloved Cody and end his suffering.
I have never been more shell shocked in my life. In two short days, one of my best friends was gone. This is just not suppose to happen to a three year old dog. Even the veterinary staff was in shock. In a daze I made the necessary phone calls to inform family and friends. Some people asked if I was going to change the name of the company. I was determined to keep it going in his honor, to make it a success.
While we have taken the business in a different direction than we started, it will always carry his name. I get asked often how we came up with this name, so today I decided to share with my readers how it came to be.
I love my three little dogs, and we still have Cody's half-brother Carson. Dogs are wonderful, true friends. Why they live such short lives, some even shorter than others, is a mystery to me, but they pack so much love and devotion into those few short years and teach us so much.
I miss Cody alot. He hasn't been replaced by the girls, but the great thing about the human heart is it's capacity to still love, even after it has been broken. I feel privileged to have had Cody in my life, even for such a short time. And I am equally privileged to have Carson, Stormie, Shimmer and Breezy to love now.
That's the way life works.
