Wally's story began 6 months before he came into our lives. Mark and I brought home a cute and adorable puppy named Fritz. The three of us were very happy until the plastic Dashchund statue made its way into out bed. At that point Fritz needed somebody.

Fritz and I made our way down to Wally's breeders home. Wally was outside. Fritz did not want much to do with the puppies. Wally liked what was in Fritz's food bowl and made himself at home in the front seat of my car. Wally became an instant member of our family. The softball shaped puppy that he was.

Wally was shy. He did not care for strangers nor did he like anybody calling him cute. Although he was very cute or should I say handsome.

Fritz and Wally became fast buddies and traveled everywhere with me. Wally never cared to ever be left alone. Fritz always had to be close by.

The years passed and we played with balls, cyber mouses and zhu zhu pets. The later was always contained in a hamster ball. I kept Petco in business. Outside, he chased the bunnies and guarded the perimeter of his yard.

For as much as Wally played, he developed many health issues. His first were allergies and that eventually lead to Cushing's and then Addison's disease. One serious bout with back issues that lead us to doubt if he would ever walk again. He did and became our miracle. After Wally had passed, Mark reminded me that we had 3 1/2 extra years with Wally. We were blessed to have him.

Wally in February of this year had passed out in my arms. We thought it was Addison's related. In March, we discovered the dual adrenal tumors that blocked the blood flow through his vena cava. Nobody saw this one coming. We tried alpha blockers to allow Wally that final fight. Alas it was not meant to be. On that final night, he played for 45 seconds. Unknown to me at that time, it would be the last time he would play.( I recorded it to show the vet on Wednesday that he was playing. I treasure that recording.) I told him that I would always be with him and he would always be with me. At 3:00am, Wally decided that enough was enough. He began to look for a place to pass one. I held him for the rest of the night and morning until he took his last breath.

Wally found comfort in music, especially Jim Brickman's Coming Home For Christmas. It got him through his back issues. Wally and I often prayed together. Most of the time it was prayers of Thanksgiving for his health and for the homeless dogs without families.

Wally had a big heart. He was your typical dashchund, but marched to his own drummer. As his vet always said, "Wally is Wally." There will never be another Wally, nor would I want another Wally.

In the past month, I have mourned my loss of Wally. I have remembered the good times and the bad times and everything in between. I have memorialized Wally with a donation to the MWDR to help those homeless dogs that we so often had prayed about.

I have hugged Fritz and gave him more attention than ever before. His ALP levels have gone down some in the past month. I thank the good Lord for that.

I have looked at puppies, but realize that it is just too soon. But I learned that there is still room in my heart to love another again.

Wally had many more good days than bad. He would want us to remember him full of life and not like his final 72 hours of life. That is how I remember him. He was after all, my buddy, my Wally.