all souls' day: a memorial for jock, 1893

OUR DOG JOCK
A rollicksome frolicsome rare old cock
As ever did nothing was our dog Jock;
A gleesome, fleasome, affectionate beast,
As slow at a fight, as swift at a feast;
A wit among dogs, when his life 'gan fail,
One couldn't but see the old wag in his tale,
When his years grew long and his eyes grew dim,
And his course of bark could not strengthen him.
Never more now shall our knees be pressed
By his dear old chops in their slobbery rest,
Nor our mirth be stirred at his solemn looks,
As wise, and as dull, as divinity books.
Our old friend 's dead, but we all well know
He 's gone to the Kennels where the good dogs go,
Where the cooks be not, but the beef-bones be,
And his old head never need turn for a flea.
Attributed to "Payn" (possibly James Payn), in Leonard, R. M. (Robert Maynard). The Dog In British Poetry. London: D. Nutt, 1893. p. 193.

a puppy is sent a letter in heaven

Found on Bored Panda, but in this season of love, giving, and memories, I want to make sure all of you get to see this.

"I would be your ears when you go completely deaf for 15 years if that was all that was wrong. . ."
Kolohe was a woolly-coated husky puppy who arrived in Stephanie's life the very week she got married.  Though she was nervous about the responsibility at first, Stephanie quickly found Kolohe to be one of the very best parts of her new life.  Whether being a scamp, soaking up tears with fluffy husky fur, or romping in the dog park, he brought Stephanie all kinds of unexpected comfort and joy.  But very sadly, Kolohe developed a degenerative brain disease and rapidly declined.  Stephanie and her husband had to let him go at all of 9 months.
Right about now you're saying, "Why are you putting me through this anguish!?"  Here's why:  The letter Stephanie wrote to Kolohe in heaven is heartfelt and full of beauty, and so is the woodland arrangement against which, in the last photos, he lies.  They loved to walk in the woods together; boughs, bark and twigs are piled up in lavish tribute against Kolohe's fur, as if the trees themselves had bent down to pick him up and give him a ride to the stars.

Sad? Yes.  But also full of gratitude and grace - some of the best things our pets inspire in us all, and they do it daily.  See this lovely tribute here.