Farewell Princess

This is a blog I never wanted to write. On Tuesday afternoon Evee passed away in my arms after suffering a massive seizure. Our little fat princess, the last of the original four, died mercifully quickly cradled in a blanket by her Mum. I carefully laid her next to Arry who gently nudged her a goodbye as the others lay quietly around her. She was loved by them all, the ‘boss lady’ gone to lie with Tony and our other beloved woofers up there in the heavens.

Evee was the most obstinate, untrainable and independent of them all. She was a dog’s dog who never saw herself as being anything but the same size as everyone else. She once chased a Rottweiler across the local park when he dared to sniff her bum and a friend of mine remembered on hearing the news that her German Shepherd would never come in the door if Evee was sitting in front of it. She would think nothing of stealing food out of another dog’s bowl before they could blink but growled if anyone tried to come near her own. She refused to wear a coat in the winter and would put the brakes on if you tried to walk her in one (although in later life, her dog walker and loved human, Susan, bought her one which she actually liked). She hated being picked up but tolerated it if it meant she could snore on your pillow all night. One of the things I miss the most is her high pitched yapping when it came to mealtimes, you’d think she was the biggest dog in the room judging by the noise. It used to drive me crazy but I’d give anything to hear her now. Everyone referred to her as ‘Miss Small but Mighty’ such was her character.

Tony and I bought Evee after Callum fell in love with her. She was bred by one of my closest friends (he is often noted for the confidence in his dogs ahem) and it was due to one very hot day and a car breaking down that we ended up with the little pocket rocket. We often joked that she was from Mexico via Tooting. There is a lot more detail in Evee’s bio should you need more but to cut a long story short, she became the fourth member with Macgyver, Rupert and Jordi. She adored Jordi from the get-go and the the thought has come to mind that he was the only other one of my dogs to pass away in my arms. From the day Evee arrived, she was spoilt rotten by the others who tolerated being slept on and barked at when she couldn’t get her own way. Then we rescued Gizmo who became her poor hen-packed but devoted ‘husband’, they really did invoke the until death do us part bit.

The dogs had known for some time that Evee wasn’t herself, especially Arry and Alice who would try and protect her when she was having a seizure. That particular day, Alice had been especially attentive and constantly stayed by her side worrying. When Evee passed away, all the dogs went into a sort of quiet mourning. No one stirred except Gizmo who for a brief time went looking for his girl before joining the rest in solemn contemplation. I called my darling Denis that evening to ask if he could bury her at the bottom of the garden and he turned up the following morning with my neighbour with plenty of hugs and kisses – rules disregarded – to do as I asked. The sensitivity in which Denis undertook such a request bought tears to my eyes, carefully laying his coat over her even though I had wrapped her in a comfy blanket and placing flowers by her grave. I will plant a rambling rose there in that sunny spot under one of the fig trees.

Goodnight my princess Evee 2009-2021. I love you.

“Though she be but little, she is fierce” (William Shakespeare)