RIP Xena Warrior Poodle, 1999-2011.

I had to have my old friend put to sleep yesterday.  She had had breast cancer for a few years now, and we had decided that once life was no longer fun for her, it would be time.  Even though I had known this day was coming for a while, I am still feeling very sad right now.
Xena had faced her share of adversity.  She had come to live with me when she was five weeks old, after rough play from her litter mate resulted in her left back leg getting broken.  Still, it never slowed her down - she would race after me at full speed, her little leg sticking out at a 45 degree angle. 
As she got older she loved puppies.  She only ever had a few herself, but when other mums had puppies she would harrass and harrass, wanting to get to the puppies, and usually getting milk herself so she could take over as soon as the birth mother would let her.  Even after she got breast cancer, she would still get milk if there were puppies in the house.  Only in the last couple of years were puppies too much for her, and she would grumpily move out of their reach. 
Aside from puppies, her biggest joy in the world were squeaky toys.  She would excitedly bark and wag her tail at any squeaky toy.  I've never known a dog to get quite so excited at the merest squeak.
Xena gave me all the love she had inside her little body for almost 12 full years, and I am very sad to see her go, even though her time had come.
Farewell my friend.  Thanks for the memories.