Dutch’s favorite place in Chicago was Montrose Beach. James and I loved watching our pups romp together
The morning after Dutch died, James and I visited Montrose beach with my dogs. It was a chance to be outside on a beautiful day, reminisce, and of course, cry. In between our bouts of tears I saw one huge smile appear on my brother’s face. Eko and Penny circled and jumped and begged James to play. Never one to turn down an invitation from a pup, James took off at a run.
Like his pup before him, James is happiest when romping at the beach
Of course James can play with my pups anytime, but there is no substitute for a dog of your own
For his entire adult life, my brother had Dutch by his side. What now?
I miss Dutch terribly, but it doesn’t compare with the void Dutch’s absence leaves for James
Dutch, like all pups, was one of a kind. So how do you move on?
There’s no replacing Dutch, but there’s no doubt James is happiest with a loving pup by his side
The question of James getting another dog is “when” not “if.” And I don’t believe there is a right or wrong answer as to when the best time is to get a dog after you have lost a dog. But I am very interested to hear your own experiences with the grief of losing a best friend and the joy of working to build a friendship with a new companion. How and when did you make those decisions? And was there anything in particular which helped the process for you?
PS – Thank you so much for all your kind words yesterday. They mean a lot to me, but more importantly, to James.