Her registered name is BlackHawk’s Gray Sky, a Siberian Husky.  I called her and she would usually answer to Sky.  I went looking for her yesterday morning (May 24, 2018), to see if she had once again escaped, as a gate was left open by an air conditioning serviceman.    I found Sky in her dog house, in a position she often slept (half in-half out) having taken her last breath of life somewhere in the early morning hours .

Sky was born in January of 2001, nearly 17-1/2 years ago.   The average life span of a Husky is 12-15 years.  She went peacefully, no suffering, no pain.  Breathing had become labored a bit in the last year, after a good run in the yard, or during play.  Her time had come.  God bless, I was never put in a position to make a decision to put her down.  She was very healthy; she went to the veterinarian only for her annual shots.   Never did I have to take her for an illness.   During her entire life, I never saw her ill.   I believe that is true because she never ate table scraps.  I wouldn’t allow it.  Siberian’s do not over eat, they eat only what and when necessary.   A good diet, a great deal of exercise, a great life.  This last year, we would occasionally give her bones with some meat left on it as a treat for a long life.   I knew she was nearing her final year(s), so, why not!

Sky wasn’t just a dog, or just a Siberian Husky, she was a companion, a friend and family.  She was a gift from my mother.   I remember the first time I saw her, only a few weeks old.  I walked through the front door of my mother’s house, this little furry pup pranced right up to me.  My eyes met her stunningly beautiful blue eyes, Sky Blue eyes.

Chief Black Hawk of the Sac nation is an ancestor, my great, great, great-grandfather.  Black Hawk roamed northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin and eastern Iowa.   Sky was born in Iowa.   As I was processing her registration papers with her full name (that I was giving), I learned from her birth papers, a part of her fathers’ name was BlackHawk.   A coincidence?   I believe our coming together was fate, meant to happen.   BlackHawk’s Gray Sky, gray the color of a great deal of her coat; Sky….those beautiful blue eyes, as blue as the distant sky.

What a personality, too much to describe in one post……lets just say she had a lot of character, some from the breed and much of which she developed on her own.   She was all Husky.

Anyone that knows me, knows how proud I was of Sky.   I have stories of her escape skills, stalking moles all night then dropping their remains at our back door to show us she got him.  Possums and raccoons that entered HER YARD, were skillfully executed for trespassing.   I guess they didn’t see her sign!  She left squirrel’s alone, unless they were caught digging where she had a bone or food buried.  She could count.  When I brought her inside from the heat during the Summer, I’d bring in her food bowl.  She couldn’t bury her food for a later time in the house.   She’d take pieces and place them in corners of the room, or place them underneath a table, hiding her food.   I noticed all the piles looked the same, the same number of pieces.   I counted them, in each pile, she always had 8 pieces (Kibbles N Bits) per pile.   Exactly 8 in each pile.   It wasn’t just a coincidence.   She always had about 5-6 locations where she’d neatly place (store) her food.

Thank goodness Sky was chipped.   Siberian’s are escape artists.  Houdini would have been proud.  When she got loose, I’d get calls letting us know where I could pick her up.   Those that held her for me would say:  “Oh she’s so sweet!”   She was sweet, but she loved tormenting me, putting me through hell with worry.   She loved the adventure that escape runs gave her.   She loved people……… Just a couple of months ago she got out of HER fenced in yard and took a run.   The couple that found her thought she was still a puppy.  “She has so much energy, she acts like a puppy.”

The night before her passing, Jo Ann and I set out on our patio, enjoying her company, as she enjoyed ours.   There was no sign of any distress, no sign of feeling ill or injured.   I am so thankful we had that time with her.

Sky would always sit and wait outside our back door every morning, by the clock, for me to come out, check her water and food bowls………and a treat or two before I left for work.   We’d have a moment of play, a kiss from her and of course she loved the petting.

Sky gave and received love.   I thank God for this beautiful gift through my mother.

I believe someday we will be together again.   Sky will be sitting, waiting for me as she always has……….and she’ll expect me to bring a treat, after she goes on that long run she’s dreamed of.      Thank you Sky for the memories and the love.   You are missed!