The Last Photos of Auggie

It has been really hard to get into these photos.
Several of these are photos I took after he came home. Still more are photos my sister came and took of us.
I’ll do my best, y’all, but some of these may just have no commentary.
The photos of Auggie’s final night at the vet will be hidden behind a link… I know those can be really hard to look at, especially for those of us who have lost beloved dogs. So I give you the option of preparing your heart, and then clicking to enter into those photos.
Here we go… the last round of photos of the best dog I will ever own.

July 4th – home on his bed after that first weekend. All I wanted was to be able to bring my dog home and have him curl up on my bed with me again. So so blessed to have been able to do that.

That Obi-Wan Kenobi pillow became Auggie’s pillow over the years. He slept with his head on it so many times. When I packed up all his things, I packed that pillow up along with it.

Our 33 week family photo… he clearly didn’t feel well this day. This was when he still wasn’t up to eating again.

With his niecelette, Georgie.

One more time – the hilarious disaster that is my three.

Payton with his bro. He loved his Auggie so very much. Just like we all did. Best brothers and best friends.

This is a photo of the best dog I will ever own.

A kiss from Georgie.

This beautiful photo my sister took. He obviously was feeling much better by Sunday. Look at that big, beautiful, happy smile.

Trying to get another family photo… just one last one with all of us.

Nobody would look at the camera, so I looked the same direction they were looking – ha!

The last one of all three of my great dogs with me.

One last jump, buddy.

Joy, right up until the end. Doing what we loved to do together.

We were at Louisville last year – the year Auggie retired from agility – and my friend Gary’s wife told me one day, “I love to watch you with your dog. Because no matter what your run went like, you pick him up at the end and you give him a kiss. And then he puts his little head on your shoulder, and you give him a kiss again.”
I’m so fortunate to have this photo. It is one of the things I will always remember most about Auggie.

Truly our last family photo. 1AM, just before I packed up my best dog and drove him to the vet one final time.

His paw in my hand. His little brachydactylic toe.

Licking peanut butter from my hand. Me trying to be as upbeat as I possibly can about what is really happening.

This is the end of our story. The end of our most wonderful, amazing story.
Spoiler alert… as it turns out, the dog dies at the end of this book, too.
Goodbye, my perfect Auggie.
I will love you forever.