A story from Emily Arth about Duke & Me.....12/26/08 posted 12/25/2008 I remember the look on Duke's face when i would come home from school each day. It is like it was only yesterday. It all began when i was just 2 years old. My parents decided to load up me, my brother who was 4 in the car and we drove out to the country. We stopped out at a farm on the way out skirts of town. We walked into the farmers barn to find at least 3 litter of puppies....he had 3 female dogs that had given birth pretty much at the same time. My dad had decided that the first dog to walk up to him was the one we would take. All of a sudden......the cutest little yellow lab with a mix of golden retreiver walked up to my father wagging his tail. My dad told the farmer we wanted him and asked how much he was. The farmer replied, "Take him for free. I need to get rid of all these puppies." So this is where our journey began. My dad named after his favorite western actor. John "The Duke" Wayne. Duke was a playful puppy. Since i was only a toddler....i would call him guke. Which before it was embarassing....but now a memory. I look back at the pictures that we have of my good companion....and i come across a picture of his first christmas with us. Mom and dad had gotten him a bone and wrapped it up. My dad was handing it for Duke to sniff it. He sniffed it and started to tear the paper apart. Once he found the bone he took it in his mouth and began to chew. As years went on....i grew older and so did he. I remember one year my dad tied him to his leash and his leash to my little red wagon. My dad then took a dog treat and threw it. Duke then ran to the treat with me behind him. It was the best ride of my life! We then moved to a smaller town in our little state of North Dakota. I remembered my first day of school. It was not a good one. I was made fun of by my classmates because of my weight....i do have to say i was a chubby child. I came home and went out to his kennel....there he was waiting for me and my brother to come home. It was my turn to let him run around the yard for being cooped up all day. I let him out and he came straight toward me knowing that something was wrong. I kneeled down and hugged him....tears running down my face. He looked at me with his big brown eyes.....and licked my face. I then began to smile as i hugged my dog. Every day i would come out to see my friend. He loved when i would bring out a brush to brush his long soft blonde hair. And when i would get to his head....he would stick his tongue out...close his eyes....and had a smile on his face. He also had a little white spot of hair on the top of his forehead that i will always remember. Whenever my feelings would be hurt at school...i would go let Duke out and sit on the deck and just hold him and cry.....and he would lick my face to make me happy...then we would spend hours playing in the sun....the leaves....the snow. I remember one summer...Duke and i were playing and he got hot and tired and laid underneath a tree. I came towards him and laid my head on his belly. He raised his head to see what i was doing...the licked my face and laid his head back on the grass. We both then shut our eyes and fell asleep. That is one of my favorite memories. We then once again moved. And of course he came with us. He was getting older. It was 2005 when we moved. You could tell he was older. He was slower when walking.....losing some of his sight. But was still playful like his old self! When you would call him.....he ran towards you like he was a puppy again. His ears flopping back and forth a big grin on his face and his tongue sticking out. A year later...he was showing his old age for certain. From time to time his hips would give up but he would get back up again. But in October 2006, Duke's hips gave out....and this time he couldn't get back up. We then went out and bought him a warming pad thinking that heat would make him feel better. The next day he still couldn't get up. He tried and he tried...you could see in his eyes that he was tring so hard to stand. We then gave him asprin to see if that would help. Then....the next morning we checked on him....he was trying with all of his might bu could not get up. It got so bad to the point that he was going to the bathroom on himself and you can see in his eyes that he knew he would never walk again. My mother called the vet to make an appointment to put him down. That night.....my dad sat outside in the garage with his hunting dog and companion and held him in his arms and cried. That was the first time i ever saw my dad cry. The next day...my mom woke me up for school and asked if i wanted to go or not. I told her i wanted to stay home. At 9:30 am....my dad packed Duke up in his travel kennel and we drove to the vet with tears in our eyes. We then brought him into the room where he would shut his eyes....for the last time. We had our time to say goodbye. I put my arms around his neck, tears rolling down my face holding on for dear life. My mom and dad then grabbed one arm and dragged me off of him. I was screaming NO!!!!! NO!!!!! DON'T TAKE HIM AWAY!!!!! We then sat out in the truck. The nurse then came out and said......"We gave him the medicine....and....well....he went to sleep." I then held my face in my hands while the tears rolled down my face. We then drove home....with an empty kennel and a collar and leash. That day.......i cried...and cried....as i looked at the pictures of him. I then looked on my shirt....and found a piece of his hair on my shirt. I took that hair and put it in a safe place. Weeks later....we got our precious friend back.....in an urn....where we can take him with us where ever we go. My mom and i recently went to the movie Marley and Me and when Marley was being put down....i remembered when i had to put my best friend down. I cried...all the way home. I then went downstairs and took the urn containing my best friend....and held it in my arms crying.....wishing that he was here for me to hold....but i knew....that he wasn't. I just wanted to share my story of my best friend.....because he ment so much to me. Duke.....I love you with all my heart....and i will love you till the end of time. And when mom and dad are gone....i promise to take your ashes to take care of.....and tell my kids all the good times we had! RIP Duke....September 1992-October 2006 Read More Stories > Begin Sharing Your Story >