Hugo

First and last photos:

                                              

 

                                                        

With some of his people:

     

     

With Rupert:

   

At home:

When an older Great Dane loses its appetite, loses its waggy tail, loses its enthusiasm; when its ears droop and its bounce disappears; when it only wants very short walks; when it struggles to breathe ... When all that happens, you know that is is time to say your farewells.

Hugo was a couple of weeks short of his 8th birthday, which isn't bad going for a Dane. He had been going downhill for a little while but while he was eating, enjoying his walks and enjoying his visitors there was no need for the hard decisions. Then he stopped eating. If Hugo stopped eating, all was definitely not well. Hugo loved food.

Yesterday morning, Lindsey and Ian made the decision and later in the afternoon the vet from The Kindest Goodbye came to visit. It was the same vet who came for Rupert's final farewell. Very gentle, very kind.

I would not be surprised if Rupert and Jim were waiting for him. The screen saver on my laptop is random photos from my general album. Jim and Rupert came up many more times yesterday than they usually do.  We have long intended to put Jim and Ruperts' ashes into the garden at Hill House, but somehow haven't got around to it. Obviously they/we were waiting for Hugo. We'll scatter all three of them together when Hugo's ashes come home

RIP and vale