Tali McGovern
Our family dog passed away a few weeks ago after spending 14 years as a constant and loyal listener, snuggle buddy, cleanup crew, travel partner, and so much more.
The operative word here is family because Mattie, a white and fluffy Bichon Frise, was uniquely important to each individual and the overall dynamics in our household.
It’s difficult to write about, how important this fifth member of the family was, but my observations can offer a glimpse of the lessons we all learned.
My children, as 6-and-7-year-olds, welcomed him with excitement and enthusiasm - offering cuddles, kisses, toys and treats any chance they could.
My spouse and myself showed him how to integrate and become an important member of the family. Note: I do not recommend “potty” training a young puppy in the dead of winter. (I spent many hours waving from the warmth of the living room window as my spouse shivered outside hoping to avoid accidents in the house).
Our youngest learned what it feels like to be corrected and reprimanded during an instructor’s “clicker” obedience classes, while Mattie reaped the benefits of the never-ending lessons - delicious treats over and over again. I’m not even sure we passed the class.
As our children grew, so did our dog’s loyalty and responsibility: claiming the top of the couch as a personal perch to look for what I can only assume was potential burglars, placing himself with impeccable timing in the same room when dating began, and most recently, sniffing out a possum living in a closet.
One of the biggest roles Mattie had to master, without any formal education, was that of therapist.
You can imagine the stories my spouse, a paramedic, unloaded on our four-legged therapist, who would lie on his lap lending a furry ear for scratching.
For myself, our furry child helped talk me through the day-to-day, from cooking to vacations to event planning. I can’t really tell you if I’m successful at anything because my assistant never complained about taste testing or unwrapping gifts.
Just whispering, “Do you wanna go for a ride?” would result in toys getting dropped, tail wagging, and a race to the door. That phrase multiplied as the number of drivers in our home increased, which meant more toe-tapping adventures to feel the wind in your hair, smells all around and smiles on your face.
Thank you Mattie, for allowing us to be your family for one of the best rides of our lives.
Tali McGovern is a Sarnia native who recently moved back home with her family