He was my Bestest Friend

In this picture, Picasso was about a year old, and had been out in the yard rolling in a mud puddle...he loved to dig holes and lay in the cool mud to keep cool. He was so cute!

My bestest friend for over 13 years died yesterday and left a giant hole in my heart and my world. Picasso was born on July 3rd, 13 years ago. He was 6 weeks old when me and Jeni and Heather brought him home. I remember the day we went to pick him up. I had seen an ad for free puppies posted at Petsmart in Conyers, GA. The woman who was giving the puppies away worked at the store, and didn't believe in paying for animals. She wanted the puppies to go to good homes, so she held interviews for prospective new parents. The ad was for mixed puppies from an AKC female Shitzoo (Poochie) and an AKC male Lahasopso (Pablo). I took the girls with me to pick out a puppy. Well, the little guy they chose was the most active one of the bunch, and he went home with us that night. Being that his parents were Poochie and Pablo, I had the perfect name for him..thus Picasso came to be the newest member of our home. During his first few days he got used to us, and the potty training was almost complete when we got him, so he would go outside, potty, then come right back in. For years, I never saw him potty, this was his private matter.

He loved to ride, in fact, from the time he came to be with us, he rode in the front dashboard of my minivan every day when I took Jeni to school. As soon as I picked up the keys, he would launch himself at the door, ready to go! Picasso also loved to bark at the horses and cows that we would pass on the way. One day, he and I were riding around in my little 280Z with the t-tops off and the windows down...I was going real slow, about 10mph, and pointed to a field of animals and he was in the passenger seat when I said, hey Picasso, look at the horses...wow..he leaped over me and right out the window he went to chase them...My heart stopped, the car stopped and the door flew open. There he was, on the road looking dazed and confused. He got back in the car, st in his seat, and didn't move all the way home! He was just fine, scared to death, but fine. He never tried that trick again. He was content to bark at them through the window after that day. He went to jail twice for going to the school across the street to play with the kids, so he did some time. :-)

It wasn't until we moved to South Carolina that I ever saw him potty. He had no choice here. We lived in an apartment, and he had to be walked on a leash and he was so embarrassed, it was a couple of days before he would poop while on the leash. He did it in the house. He finally got tired of being punished, that he finally did it outside from then on. Then we met Mike! The best daddy ever! Picasso wasn't to sure of him in the beginning, but he realized how loving Mike was, and became as attached to Mike as I did.

On Picasso's last day, he got to do what he loved the most...He got to go for a ride with daddy!

I will miss him everyday. He was always there for me, when there was no one else. He knew all my secrets and fears. He was there to share all my joys and sorrows. He loved me unconditionally. He was my bestest friend and I will never forget how much love and laughter he brought to my life. I miss you Picasso and I love you so very much~~~~momma