under the pines
Most of our trips to Roundrock are for fun and games and foolishness, but sometimes we have grimmer tasks.
On Monday my wife and I buried her dog, Queequeg, under the pines in our forest. Queequeg was nearly 15 years old, which put him in his golden years but wasn’t exceedingly old for a small dog. Queequeg was a Pomeranian. He’d been getting slower and would breathe heavily after he climbed the stairs and such, but he didn’t show any overt signs of infirmity. On the night he died, he had been chasing his ball and accepting treats and wagging his tail only an hour before. And then he laid down and went to sleep and didn’t wake. It seemed to be a painless death.
I’ve buried two other dogs (and a rabbit) out in my forest. The dirt under the pines is good, with no rocks, so that’s where we put Queequeg. I stopped at the hardware store in town and got a Beware of Dog sign that I placed over his head after I put him in the hole I dug. I can’t throw dirt on my dogs’ faces. We also put his two favorite toys and a dog biscuit with him. After that I partially filled the hole and then placed a large stone in it. My hope is that this will thwart any scavengers. Then I finished filling the hole and placed a flat sandstone rock atop it. I intend to return to etch his initial in the stone. My wife dug up some daffodils from our dog Max’s grave and planted them beside the new one.
Queequeg was named not for the tattooed harpooner in Moby-Dick but another Pomeranian that appeared in an episode of The X Files years ago. Although Flike is four times his size, Queequeg was always the alpha between them.
In the early mornings we had a routine. I would go downstairs to fetch my tea, and Queequeg would greet me. I would let him outside, and when he came in, he got a treat. He tried to modify this by skipping the going outside part, and sometimes he got his way. It’s odd going downstairs now in the early morning and not seeing him asleep by the door.
Tags: Queequeg
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Lucky Rabbit's Foot 
March 2, 2023 at 5:03 am
Hugs. So sorry for your loss. I lost my dog 3 weeks ago, at the age of 12 he was a labrador!
He was a retired guide dog!
My house feels so empty without him in it!
xoxo
March 2, 2023 at 5:18 am
I’m sorry to hear about Queequeg. I did assume you named the wee Pomeranian based on the name. I’m sure, if I asked Cynthia, she could tell me about the X-Files episode in which the Original Q appeared.
I grew up around larger dogs: great Danes and mastiffs. But as I got older, I came to really like smaller dogs. I’m not surprised to hear that Queequeg was the alpha. They have a lot of personality and chutzpah!
March 2, 2023 at 11:08 am
We have three dogs in our trees. It’s a special place because those buried there have made a difference in our lives as only pets can do. I know it’s the same for you.
March 2, 2023 at 12:47 pm
I am so sorry for your loss. Queequeg sounds like he was a very sweet and delightful furry companion.
March 2, 2023 at 3:27 pm
These losses are always so profound. Pups slip into our lives, love us as if there’s not tomorrow, and sometimes there isn’t. It always seems to happen when we least expect it. I think Queequeg passing in his sleep is beautiful. We all want that – even us humans. I’m sorry for your loss.