Athena was my husband's dog since she was a puppy. She was born on July 31, 1991. She was a beautiful 80 pound black longhair German Shephard. I had always been afraid of dogs, so of course seeing this big dog coming to me it scared me. I sat down and she came and licked my hand. I instantly fell in love with her. This was in late November of 2001. My husband and I became in engaged in October 2002 and of course Athena was part of the engagement and she was part of our lives. Everything we did for vacation was something we could take Athena with us, the thought of leaving her with someone did not even enter our heads. When we got married on May 15, 2004 our wedding night was spent at home, so Athena did not have to be with strangers. We went to Cook Forest for our honeymoon and had a cabin and of course our honeymoon was planned so Athena could be with us. It was not long after we got back that she was really starting to slow down, last Wednesday, July 7, we could tell that the arthitis in her back legs were getting bad. On Sunday morning very early, she came out of the bedroom crawling using her front legs. I did not even know this and when I woke up she came right to me, my husband asked me how she came and I told him that Athena had walked over to me, he was so shocked and told me about what happened in the morning. I knew that she would not survive the week and made a special effort to stay the day with her and then made a special dinner for her and spoon fed her, because she always liked it when I spoiled her. My husband took her to the vet on Monday morning. The vet said that since the arthritis is so bad that there was nothing more they could do for her. Athena put her head in my husband's lap and fell asleep for the last time. I knew that something was wrong because my husband was suppose to call and never did. I sped home because I had to come and see my puppy girl. I was able to giver her a kiss and tell her how much I love her. We buried her with a squeaky toy bear, with a big heart in the middle that was the first toy I ever bought her, a picture of me and Ken, my husband at our wedding reception, so she will see us forever, a rope that she loved to play with and a bone that she could bury, since when she did bury bones, it was only putting a leave other them. Ken had bought a post sign last year, that we had in the front yard that said "Spoiled Rotten Dog Lives Here" , we put that has her marker and her dog chain around the post sign. The unconditional love that Athena gave, met that I was not judged and felt that when I did not feel good that she laid right by me and that no matter how bad I felt about myself and wanted to complain she laid and listened to me. I'll miss my puppy girl, Athena. She taught me how to love again, when I thought that would never happen. At least she is no longer in pain. I love you, Athena Your Mom, Judy