Ten years ago we brought our sweet Friday home. A farmer had a litter of Golden Retrievers he wanted to go to good homes, so Mike and I and my parents all decided to head to his barn and bring home a couple of puppies. Mike and Bre and I decided that whichever one we got would be for Sabrina's birthday (it would be a surprise for her). Major waddled up to Mom and Dad, and Friday wriggled his way to Bre.
Sabrina was overjoyed, of course. And since that day, she and Friday were as close as a dog and his girl could be.
He grew into such a sweet gentleman…
And what a handsome boy he was…
He was such a good sport whenever the girls or I would get in a silly mood…
…And he refused to outgrow his lap-dog mentality. Once, on a walk with Friday, I stopped to talk to a neighbor who was sitting on the warm cement of his driveway, enjoying the weather. Friday promptly took the opportunity to sit all of his 111 pounds onto the poor man's lap, and I could barely see my neighbor behind Friday's tall body. When I finally got Friday to stand back up, I was relieved to find my neighbor was quite good-humored about it, even though he almost got his beer knocked over.
In the past few months, Friday had become more tired, and had a difficult time getting up. He also lost his hearing, so when he'd go outside, I'd have to jump up and down like a crazy person to get his attention so he'd come back inside.
Whenever Bre would come home, she'd shower him with lots of love and say, "Hiii, Fridayyy!" in such a cheerful voice, it always made me smile. And of course he'd roll on his side for her and relish all the belly rubs.
He loved listening to Bean play her guitar…
Since Sabrina couldn't come home from school, Sophie had become a very good care-taker for Friday. He had started growing weaker, and didn't want to stand up to eat his food, so she would do her best to help him out…
Yesterday we made the heartbreaking decision to have Friday go to sleep after watching him decline so rapidly this past week. Sophie had taken such good care of him in Sabrina's absence that Sabrina wanted her to be there, and asked us all to say goodbye to him, and to tell him she loved him. Of course we did, and I scratched Friday in the same way Sabrina always did when she was here.
Mike and I carried our boy into the vet's office, and after spending some time with him in the quiet room, the vet came in to tell Sophie she was doing the right thing, and that she was loving him the best way possible by letting him go. He was suffering so much, and needed to rest.
Sabrina, it was very peaceful. He was ready to sleep, and he knew he was loved.
We love you, sweet Friday.
August 2, 2002 – September 21, 2012
76 Comments
Linda Huson
I am crying so hard, I can’t see to type… I’ve been through this so many times with my own pets and it never gets any easier. But they depend on us to help them out when the time comes. We do it with love and they know it. Friday was loved and he knew it…every single day – and at the end….
Linda in VA
Lindsey
So sorry to your family. Lots of hugs! You don’t realize how much they become part of the family. I was away at college when my family made the decision it was time for my precious pup. The good memories will always last!
Sharon
Paulette, how devastating! I am so very sorry for your family’s loss. Friday was such a beautiful blessing to your family, but you all were a beautiful blessing to him as well.
LuAnne
Friday was one lucky dog to be so loved by your family…RIP Friday.
Debra
Beautiful story! So sorry for your loss.
Melody
What a beautiful tribute to your beloved dog. So sorry it was time to say goodbye. Thinking of all of you.
Margaret
Oh Paulette. I’m so sorry for your loss. Through all of your posts, Friday was always such a presence. You could always tell how much he was loved by every member of your family. I know this is heartbreaking for you all. Hugs. I loved seeing Friday as a puppy.
Chris
I am sorry you and your family had to say goodbye to such a sweet boy.
Tracey
Oh, Paulette… I’m so sorry to hear about your sweet boy Friday (((hugs)))! I’m in tears because I remember how difficult it was to make that heartwrenching decision 5 years ago with our little Sheltie Heidi when she was just 9 1/2.
Friday was such a lucky boy to have been a part of your amazing family 🙂
Sheryl
that is so very very sad. So so sorry for your loss. I know he will be dearly missed and I loved seeing you post pictures of him. Friday is at peace now and not in pain. Hugs to you all
Laurie in Iowa
Loved seeing all the photos of your sweet boy. Hugs to you and your entire family. Friday was a very lucky dog to have been loved by so many people.
Patti
Such a sad decision to have to make. I know it will leave quite a hole in your lives for quite a while. Sending good thoughts..
Liz Hallahan
I am so sorry it was time to say good-bye! It is never easy. He had a good life and I know he was well-loved. I am certain he knew it too.
Michelle
Sweet boy. I know how hard this is. Prayers and hugs to you all.
Sue Vaughan
Oh my gosh, what a lovely boy he was. What a lovely life he had too. I lost my beloved pooch earlier this year after spending 15 years with her. I know how you must all be feeling. My thoughts are with all x Sue x
Jill
So sorry to hear about Friday. He was such a beautiful dog. My heart goes out to all of you.
Pat Matejcek
Oh Paulette, I am so sorry! He was so beautiful. My hearat goes out to you and your family. So hard to lose a pet we lost our bunny of 9 years and I still miss him it has been over a year now.
Michele
hugs to all of you … I’m so sorry hear about Friday. Dogs are such a huge part of our lives.
Nuria
un perro que ha vivido con amor y que se ha marchado rodeado de cariño… es triste decir adiós
Nuria – La Casina Roja
Charlene♥SC
Hugs to the Stewart family. I’m sorry for your loss.
KsMaryLou
Goodbye sweet Friday, RIP. Your pictures always brought a smile, sadly today it’s tears.
Pilar
So sorry .
Hugs to all of you
Joann09
Friday was loved by many and will be remembered and carried in your hearts forever. My sympathies for your fur baby’ s loss. >3
Jan
Lots of love and hugs, dear Paulette-y…that is hard…we just never seem to have them long enough and they so tug at our heartstrings. Thinking of you and yours…xxxxx
Kelly
The Stewart family…
Goodbye sweet Friday. Even though I only knew you through this blog I can feel the sense of loss your family is going through. Many hugs to the kids and know that this was the best thing for him.
Kelly
Marsha Kruze
I’m so glad you got to be with him. Our Clark died unexpectedly at the vet’s. So sad though. They are such gentle, loving souls.
beritbunny
What a touching tribute! I have tears on my cheeks.
I have always loved hearing stories and seeing pics of your Friday (and Major, too) since I began reading your blog. He is just the sort of dog I would want to own. Thank you for sharing him with us.
Thoughts with Sabrina and all of you,
Berit
P.S. If you feel like answering, why did you choose “Friday” for his name? I have always wondered. I think it is full of charm.
Frances
What a beautiful, sweet dog. I’m so sorry for your loss, but you did what you had to do. And he knew he was loved and adored.
Linda
Paulette, I’m so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you and your girls.
Linda
Gabi
This is so sad and has me reduced to tears. But you made the right decision Paulette.
My heart goes out to you and your family.
Faye
I’m sitting here boo hooing…..It is SO SO hard to let them go….My sweet beagle girl will be 9 in January and I know her day will come too…Chin up momma…. Take care, Faye
Elizabeth
Oh, how heartbreaking for your family but it looks like Friday was loved and privileged from the day your girls picked him out. I remember the day my Golden passed and it still tugs at my heart, but you and your girls are amazing for recognizing his situation and doing the best for a family member. – Liz
karen
I’m so sorry for your loss of Friday – I understand that very difficult decision and my heart goes out to your family. It’s so hard to say goodbye to our little fur treasures.
Hugs – Karen
Connie B
I’m so sorry for your family’s loss of Friday. Your pictures of him always brought a smile to my face and it was easy to see that he was a very happy, loved dog. It’s not easy to help a very special dog leave this world, but it was the best for him. When I lost my sweetest boy, the 4th dog in 15 months, a friend and fellow dog lover sent me this:
“They come into our lives and fall through our hearts on their way back to Heaven. My heart is like a fine piece of lace.”
Lisa V
Deepest condolences to you and your family on the loss of sweet Friday. I have been wiping away the tears as I geared myself up to write this message to you.
You are in my thoughts.
Hugs LISA V
Catherine
Sending hugs to all of you…
Denise
I am so sorry for your loss. He’s better now. Hugs for you all!
Marion
So sorry to all your family….tears are running down my cheeks…I feel your pain…having done this 10 months ago with our beloved Border Collie…they are such treasured members of our families….
He looks like he was loved dearly….
Take care
Marion
PS..Sophie…what you did for sweet Friday, my youngest daughter Sara did for our sweet Nallie last year….hugs to you for taking special care of him in his last weeks..
Lisa M
your post bought tears to my eyes. What a wonderful tribute to a faithful friend. I was in my first year of uni when my first pet, a cat called Mickey, passed away. I had her since I was 5 so as long as I could remember really. It didn’t really sink in until I went home for the first time afterwards and she wasn’t there – then I cried!
connie adrian
A Parting Prayer
Dear Lord, please open your gates
and call St. Francis
to come escort this beloved companion
across the Rainbow Bridge.
Assign him to a place of honor,
for he has been a faithful servant
and has always done his best to please me.
Bless the hands that send him to you,
for they are doing so in love and compassion,
freeing him from pain and suffering.
Grant me the strength not to dwell on my loss.
Help me remember the details of his life
with the love he has shown me.
And grant me the courage to honor his
by sharing those memories with others.
Let him remember me as well
and let him know that I will always love him.
And when it’s my time to pass over into your paradise,
please allow him to accompany those
who will bring me home.
Thank you, Lord,
for the gift of his companionship
and for the time we’ve had together.
And thank you, Lord,
for granting me the strength
to give him to you now.
Amen. RIP FRIDAY
Patti
I am so very sorry for you and your family. Of course, you did the right thing, and Friday was a very lucky dog to be in such a loving family.
Was he born on a Friday? How ironic that his last day on this earth was a Friday.
Patti
Brita
I, too, only know you and your family through this blog but I’m sitting here in tears and feeling so sorry for you. You have written such a sweet post it’s easy to feel all your love for him. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Anja
Oh, Paulette, only from the fotos I loved Friday so much. My tears for him. I am so sorry for your loss.
Love, Anja
josette76
je suis très triste pour vous.
j’ai moi aussi perdu 2 chiens et 1 chat cette année. c’est très difficile.
courage.
amitiés.
Josette 76
Meriem
beautiful life for a beautiful dog
Dogs hurt us only only once in their life: when they go away
Cathryn
Oh Paulette, with tears in my eyes, I send you all my deepest sympathy. Hugs and prayers too. Cathryn
Vickie
Oh my! I can type now that I have wiped my tears. Such a loving tribute. What wonderful pictures. Dogs are such a blessing. A true gift from God.♥
Diane Grick
Dear Paulette and family,
I’m so sorry for your heartbreaking loss. I just went through the same thing this past May with my beagle, Maddie. It’s never easy, but take comfort in knowing he was loved beyond measure and will live forever in your hearts. Rest easy, sweet Friday.
Hugs to you,
Diane
♥ marylin ♥
you made ​​the right decision, it remains there in your heart, I send you my support here in France, and I embrace you all!
Nicole
I’m so sorry for you and your family’s loss. Lots and lots of hugs to you all.
Claulem
Oh, Paulette, I am so sorry for your loss. Hugs to you all.
Terri
Oh gosh, this just broke my heart for you! Hugs to you all.
Betty
Goodbye Friday, so sad to see you go. But you don’t have to have pain anymore. You were a fantastic dog, and I really loved reading all those little stories about you.
It’s nice to look at all the pictures again, and to see you grow from a little playful puppy to an old and grey dog. That really is a well-deserved tribute, made by people who loved you dearly and will miss you very much.
Lynn Jones
Oh Paulette, I’m so very sorry to hear your news. It’s always such a difficult decision to make but the right one nonetheless. Thank you for sharing your pics with us. Since I too have only known Friday through your blog it was wonderful to see the photos of him as a young pup. My heart goes out to all of you and I’m sending lots of hugs your way.
Phyllis
Hugs to your family. It’s so hard to let them go, but it’s sometimes the best thing to do. We had to put our kitty down a few years ago and it’s the saddest thing to go through. I’ve even shed a tear or two while reading your story and looking at the pics of your sweet pet.
claudia
So very sorry for your loss. It is a heart breaking decision even though it is the loving one. I’ll be thinking of your family in the coming difficult days.
Linda in CO
Stewart Family….my sympathies to you all. I lost my sweet Pooh Bear, a plump yellow kitty of 13 yrs of age, last week. There will always be a place empty in your heart that can never be refilled, but the love that you shared with Friday will always be with you. It is so very hard to go through the loss of our sweet furry family members, but how could we go through life without their love and companionship? It is better to have loved them and lost them than to never have had them in our lives. Remember only the love and the wonderful times you shared together. My thoughts are with you all…..rest in peace dear Friday.
Karen CA
I have always enjoyed all the pictures you have shared of Friday over the years. There are tears in my eyes as I read of his passing. He seemed like such a sweet, loving dog and very good natured! We have a dog and know just how much a part of the family they are.
Kristen from MA
Oh Paulette, I am so, so sorry! It’s a really difficult decision to make, but you did the right thing. Condolences to the whole family.
A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness…
Leslie
Very sorry to hear about Friday! I loved seeing his picture! What a sweet dog.
Tanya
Loved the pictures – so heartbreaking – love to you all.
Tanya
Heike Bieker
Oh, Paulette… I’m so sorry to hear about your sweet boy Friday.
My heart goes out to all of you.
Heike
Sophie I.
Our four legged companions are such a big part of our lives….
xxxxx
Sophie
Valerie
Poor Friday and Stewart family. I am so sad to read this news but think of all the happy time you all and Friday shared. He was a beautiful dog and I know he felt love.
Jana
What a sweet memorial to your beloved dog! It brought tears to my eyes. A good friend of mine lost her Dauschaund recently and another friend and I are stitching Halloweenies (with a few small modifications) as a memorial for her.
Terri Hall
How heartbreaking for your family…Friday was such a lovely old guy to read about! My heart goes out to you all.
Terri
Tanya Pearson
What a lovely tribute to Friday! It is very heartbreaking to lose a member of the family. Big hugs!
Janet
I’m so sorry. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Paula Wiggins
So sorry about Friday……such a pretty dog! I also believe it is a very unselfish kindness to have them go to sleep surrounded by family members knowing they were loved. No one wants a family member to suffer……human or animal. The right desicion was made. Please be at peace as much as you can at this time. I’ve said a pr
ayer for comfort and healing for your family.
Paula
Rachel S.
Beautiful post. Beautiful tribute to him.
Stephanie Messenger
I am soooo sorry to hear about Friday. They become so much apart of our families and unfortunately are not here long enough. I have been in your shoes 3 times and it is the hardest thing to do, but just know it is something we can give to them so that they are not suffering any longer. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Stephanie,
California
Rinda Just
Paulette and family–I cried when I read your touching farewell to Friday. Been there. Had to do that. Sucks. But I will go through it again and again, because no matter how much it hurts, the pain is always exceeded by the laughter, joy, and love engendered by our furry family members. I often tell people that have lost a pet to go get another immediately–preferably at your local shelter or rescue group. There is no higher tribute to the love and loyalty of a dear pet than to give another deserving animal a loving home. We never stop grieving for those we’ve lost, so we might as well love another while we can.
Carolyn
Oh Paulette, I am so sorry to hear this devastating news. My heart is breaking for you and your family. Try to take comfort in your wonderful memories. Goodbye sweet Friday.
Carolyn
Ann R. Gough
Beautiful story and tribute to a dear friend and family member. I feel your loss. Hugs to all of you.
marly
I’m so sorry for your loss. What a wonderful loving life you gave him. Such sweet photos.
Natalia Canaday
Sweet, sweet Friday…. How blessed he was to have such a loving family and how blessed you all were to have him in your family. I know you are heart broken and that he will be so missed.