Dogs and Death in the GNC

Yesterday at the bank, while I was at the teller's counter, a big black Lab appeared at the drive-up window in the driver's seat and proceeded to drop an envelope into the sliding tray.  The teller didn't mind the slobber, recorded the transaction and then said, "Nice to see you again, Smith" as the pick up drove away.  I asked if Smith was the dog's name or the owner's name.  The teller said, "The dog - like Smith & Wesson".  Yup, people here love their dogs (and their guns).  Wesson was in the back seat.

At a neighbor's house party last week, there were four guests, and each brought a dog.  I left  my two dogs at home because the host's dog once attacked my dog, necessitating a trip to the vet.  All the dogs got along fine this time until food started to drop from the table.  It was interesting to watch how the owners reacted to their own pet's begging compared to the others.  Table manners matched up pretty well.

A friend down the road in West Kill has a pretty pooch with sad eyes and arthritic hind quarters. A friend up the road in Lanesville has an outdoor-only dog named Shubert who sings along to classical music, preferably Shubert.  A friend up the hill in Jewett has a Lab named after a huge NFL linebacker of roughly equal size.  This dog could swallow a pig without a hiccup.  Across the valley in Windham,  there's a terrier - chihuahua mix that is a nervous wreck, not sure if it wants to be European or Mexican.  At the mountain in Hunter, there lives a pure white Siberian who can't wait for it to snow so he can romp down the trails next to his owner on skis.  He seems to hibernate in the summer (the dog, not the owner.)

At the vet last week, as I waited to purchase the monthly supply of  hormones for one of my dogs, out came a corpse, wrapped in mover's padding.   Three people were needed to carry it out to the waiting pick-up.  The owners followed, sobbing, heaving and barely able to walk.  I don't know if the COD was an accident (there is a lot of road kill here in the GNC) or a put down - I suspect the latter, since they were prepared with the padding.  I wonder how soon before the owners get another dog.  

One of my dogs is diabetic, blind and incontinent.  The other is deaf.  Both are quite old for their breed. Today, I woke up wondering where on the property to bury them when that becomes necessary, and how to make a proper headstone that will endure the harsh GNC winters.  As I was pondering, a friend called in tears to say she had put down her Shepherd last week due to cancer.  She could hardly draw a breath.

I called a city friend to discuss my dogs' fates. He said, "Just put them down, together.  No big deal.  You'll get another one. Dogs are a nuisance anyway."

Cityfolk -- what do they know about dogs and the GNC?