The day I met my Louis 15 years ago, our eyes locked on each other and it was just like in the cartoons where little pink love hearts spring out of your pupils as you look adoringly at the love of your life.
For the little shih tzu puppy and I, it was a case of love at first sight. We had years when it was just the two of us against the world. Louis made me laugh as I rode with him nestled in my bike basket with the sea breeze in our hair, before we ran along the beach. We slept together and ate dinner together. I have no doubt he was the medicine that mended my broken heart from a bad relationship.
Louis was next to me when I went on that first date with the bloke I would later marry and over the years, Lou was there every time we brought home a new baby. The little dog would pad up and down the stairs when I was breastfeeding at 2am or when I was up with a sick child. I even named one child after him.
Lou (the dog) slept at my feet every night and we went together like carrots and peas. The years flew by and Louis started to slow down. I had to say the saddest goodbye to my soulmate after he lost a hard-fought battle with old age last week. And my last memory of my best friend as he went to sleep was our eyes locked, just as they had been 15 years earlier, with love hearts pouring into each other’s pupils.
I knew he didn’t want to leave me and I wasn’t ready to leave him. I believe you get one – or if you are really lucky, two – special dogs in your life who are your soulmates. Louis was mine. He met lots of famous people at the radio station where I work and he was next to me wearing a doggie tuxedo when I said my wedding vows. He was even on the cover of My Weekly Preview magazine a few times.
But it is the simple moments in time I will miss most, such as having a cup of tea late at night when the house is quiet or talking to Mum on the phone. He was there for it all. Always at my feet. That tail wagging and looking up at me as if I was the most amazing human being on earth. Loyal and loving every minute of every day.
Rest well my little buddy. I will forever miss my second heartbeat at my feet.
