A couple of weeks ago, my ex-girlfriend Michelle broke the news that Attila, the labrador/border collie mix that was her companion for almost thirteen years, had passed away. Although not a surprise due to his age, it was still saddening.
Michelle adopted Attila from Friends for Life in the Heights in April of 2013. My claim to fame is that I picked him out from the photos of all the puppies in his litter. I made a pretty good choice! I'm not sure I'll be as lucky the next time I'm asked to pick out a dog...
Attila was well-behaved and gentle, in spite of the size he quickly grew into. His worst habits were trying to escape from the house whenever the front door was opened and jumping up on me because he was happy to see me (with his dirty paws!) when I got home from work. He got along well with a then-eight-year-old Kirby; in fact I'm not sure he ever met a human of any age he didn't like.
He did have to contend with my cats; in fact Attila's first experience with them as a puppy left him yelping and scurrying into the next room after Little Girl hissed and swiped at him. But over time he learned to tolerate them. Attila was well-socialized with other dogs and spent a lot of time at dog parks such as the one at the corner of Westpark and the West Loop with his canine friends.
Even after Michelle moved out, I still got to dog-sit him on occasion. Most recently, he stayed with me in the spring of 2024 when Michelle went on a cruise. Although older and a few steps slower, he was still the gentle dog I knew from a decade before. As he continued to age his health issues prevented any future stays with me, so 2024 was the last time I saw him.
He was an excellent dog, and he will be missed.
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| I don't remember which Christmas Michelle had this photo taken, but it's a really good one. |
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| Relaxing on my living room floor, May 2024 |
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| Share your steak, humans! Attila and Black Cat wait by the dinner table, May 2024 |
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