Matildamesh the Velvet Pig

Today we had to have Mattie put to sleep.

When we lived in Tennessee, one day Jim and I went for a hike to Andrew's Bald at the base of Clingman's Dome in the Smoky Mountains. It was then we decided we wanted a dog. We scoured the papers, and decided to go and "just look" at a puppy. We went to Morristown to a scary house in the boonies. There she was in a muddy pen in the backyard. She was maybe 6 weeks old and the only one left. She was the runt of the litter. Her ears were way too big for her body - that never changed. We could not leave her there. So we ended up back at our apartment with a little brown disease bag. Her registered name was Matildamesh the Velvet Pig. Matildamesh was Jim's car in high school. Pig was what she looked like and how she acted. Velvet was the way hear ears felt.

She had everything worm and parasite know to dog. She cried. She pooped. She peed. She destroyed. She was smart, sneaky, and manipulative. She was also prickly and definitely not a cuddler. You had to force her to be affectionate. I can't say how many times Jim and I sat on the kitchen floor crying... asking why we did this to ourselves.

We took her to obedience school right after she was spayed. She was the youngest by far. She taunted the other dogs - the rottweilers, german shepherd... She was the teacher's pet. We of course would leave with exercises to practice, and we never would. We would stand there nervously, knowing when it was our turn she would do nothing. No... she pulled it from her butt. Perfect every time.

She loved things that squeaked. In fact they drove her crazy. She would jump and squeal and bark. She would destroy her toys, dig holes in the yard, and eat cat poop. She let the cats chew on her, attack her, and ride her like a pony. She loved kids, and she was very protective of them. She was also an excellent judge of character. She was never wrong. Never. We always joked if Mattie liked you then you were good people. I remember Jim had a friend that came over one night. Mattie would not leave him alone. She chewed on him, attacked his shoes, and showed us she did not like this guy. She did this every time he came over. She was so right. He didn't last long.

By the time she was 6 months old the three of us had come to peace. She was affectionate. She was potty trained. She did not dig in the yard. She no longer chewed. She was a smart, sweet, pretty girl - still with ears that were too big for her body. She was our baby.

She was so patient with the boys as they came into the house. She put up with each puppy, making sure they knew she was the boss. She would not show them affection either and would not mother them, but sometimes we would catch her snuggled up with them. She always looked so guilty when we caught them. As she got older she got more and more cranky. She would bark at the mailman, do her mean voice when to doorbell rang, and once she even try to attack a ground hog. We took her often to Nags Head, NC in the winter to play on the beach. She would eat the nasty things you find on the beach, and dig in the sand. She remained queen of the house up until a few months ago.

We found out a few months ago that she had cancer. We didn't want her to suffer, and Jim and I had "the talk" when we found out. After that she was allowed to do anything she wanted. She ate as many of mom's homemade dog biscuits as she wanted. She slept where she wanted, she got to dig in the yard... she got all of the special treatment. She is the first dog we have ever lost. We loved her, and we are glad we had the strength to keep our promise to her. She will be missed. 8/7/1995 - 2/1/2008