My name is Cleo and I'm a Jack Russell Terrier. When my mommy picked me out, she knew from the jump I was going to be a handful! I was in with w a German Shepherd and bulldog puppy, even though there were a bunch of other puppies like me who were all together. But I was adorable and she didn't have a chance - she was in love! Since the day we went home I got everything I wanted (pretty much. There were a few times she wouldn't give in but I forgive her. Otherwise, I trained her pretty well!). We had a great life and I know she loved me very much. There were a few hiccups along the way, for instance 1 day we were in the car and I was sitting on her boyfriend's lap and he let me lean out the window a little too far. When we took a turn I fell out of the window! Luckily mom was going slow and there weren't any other cars. I was a little freaked out but I put on a brave face because mommy was REALLY freaked out! But I was ok. After that I was only allowed to stick my head out the window, not my whole upper body (especially if HE was holding me!). I got to do really fun things - we went to beach, paddle-boarding, we went for lots of long walks, and usually I got to share their dinners. My grandparents always had a doggy too and even though they were always bigger than me, I didn't care. I was definitely tougher and knew I'd win. I never got to try though - mommy and grandma would always scoop me up and put me in time out (not much fun, but for some reason it kept happening!). When I was about 8 or 9 I got really sick. Mommy was very upset and I had to stay at the vet's for more than a week. I had something called kidney failure and I don't think the vet thought I would be going home again. But I showed him! I was super tough and I knew mommy missed me because she came to see me every day (my other people came to see me too). I heard the vet tell her he thought I pulled through partly because I knew how much she loved me - I did know (she told me ALL the time! But I liked it!). After that I hated the vet (I never wanted to go back there even though I got to bark at cats and smell tons of other animals). And I always knew when we were going back there because mommy would be even nicer to me and then to make it up to me I'd get a yummy treat, like ice cream or a hamburger!). I got to stick around for another 7 years. But now mommy is really sad again. You see, this past weekend I had to go to the vet for the last time. After the kidney failure, I got better but I ended up having some problems. I got something called diabetes and a few years later I started to go blind. Things weren't so bad though. All of my people tried to give me the best life they could. They took very good care of me and always played with me and I slept with my mommy every night! But this weekend I got really sick again. I knew I hadn't been feeling that tip top for a little while and my mommy knew it too. She tried everything she could but eventually, I got too sick and she could see that I was in pain and I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open even though I couldn't really sleep either. My mommy and uncle were really sad because I kept trying to find small spaces and I would just go lie in there or stand there (I was pretty out of it). So when we went back to the vet it was time for me to rest. I had a really high temperature of 104.4 and I hadn't really been eating for 2 days. My mommy kept crying and I wanted her to know that it was ok, not to be sad. I was very old and I had a great life, but now I was really tired and wanted to go to sleep and see my sister Dallas so I could mess with her again. Even though I was sick and wanted to go to sleep, I didn't want to leave her. I heard the nice lady tell my mom that she gave me as much sedative as she'd give a Lab even though I was so much smaller. In fact, after I got a shot, I heard my mommy crying and hugging me and telling me how much she loved me. I made a noise and woke up just so I could see her 1 more time. So the vet had to give me another shot (I told you I was always a handful!). But now I can see my mommy crying a lot and I can hear her talking to me but she's still sad because she can't see me. I saw her wake up the next morning and put her hand on my part of the bed looking for me. When she really woke up and realized I wasn't there, she got very sad again. But she seems to get a little better every day. Today she planted flowers with my uncle and grandma for my great grandparents and I heard her tell them to take care of me and that she hoped I was sitting on Nana's lap and that I was being nice to Dallas. I want to tell her that I'm ok and I miss her too. I'll never forget her and I know my mommy won't forget me. So mommy, please don't be sad. I miss you very much too but I know I'll see you again someday. I'll be waiting for you.