Shandy was my late husband's Fox Terrier. In May, soon after my husband passed away, we noticed that Shandy wasn't quite as happy-go-lucky as he used to be. Shandy had always been energetic and playful, even though he was considered an older dog. Usually he loved playing fetch in the back yard with our children, or going on walks, but lately he seemed not as interested in the outdoors. I chalked this up to him missing my husband, and possibly feeling a bit lonely.
When my husband was alive, every morning and afternoon he would take Shandy for walks to the nearby park, or local beaches. I knew that those walks were so important to Shandy; he so loved all the attention he got from my husband. Then one day, a few weeks ago, I noticed that Shandy didn't want to go for a walk. When I tried to get him up from his bed to play fetch, he didn't seem excited or even interested in going outside. I felt something wasn't right, so I called the Veterinarian's office and made an appointment for Shandy to have a wellness exam.
Later that evening Shandy wouldn't eat his dinner. I had a strange feeling that I should sleep in the living room that night, on the couch, near Shandy's bed so that I could keep an eye on him.
I can't remember when I finally fell asleep that night, but I woke up around 4:00am to the sound of Shandy pawing at the front door. I sat up quickly and called out to him - Hold on, Shandy! I was so relieved that he was back to his old self again; I jumped up from the couch and ran toward the front door to meet him. To get to the front door from our living room, you must go through a short hallway and then into a foyer where the front door is located. Once I was in the hallway I could see Shandy waiting at the front door, wagging his tail, anxiously jumping up and down (as per usual). Realizing I forgot my shoes in the other room, I turned around and ran back into the living room. I hollered back to Shandy- Be right back, boy! As I entered the room, I happened to glance toward Shandy's dog bed. There he was, laying motionless in his bed, his big brown eyes open, but looking lifeless. I walked over to him, knelt down and pet his fur - I sensed that he had passed away sometime during the night. Did I just experience Shandy's spirit, or was it 'residual' Shandy? Right at that moment, it occurred to me that maybe Shandy might have been letting me know that he was finally feeling better, now that he had passed on.
Shandy was a part of our family for nearly 13 years, and we miss him a lot. I guess I'll never really know what that was all about, but I feel comforted by the vision that I had of Shandy appearing happier and more carefree, just like he used to be...
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