11/22/2025
With a broken heart, I have to share that we lost Paisley last night. She had been struggling with seizures, most likely due to a brain tumor. She had one at about 11:00 PM that she just couldn't recover from. I am thankful for our small animal vet whose plan of care gave us a really great last month with our beloved Paisley. And the emergency vet who helped us let her go with dignity.
A eulogy for my Farm Dog, Paisley Anne:
Paisley came into my life as a skinny little 6 week old stray puppy. I was driving down a rural highway behind an 18 wheeler and saw this little pup go somersaulting across the road. I thought she had been hit. I pulled my truck over, fearing the worst. To my surprise, she had not a scratch on her. She jumped into my arms and started licking me. By the time I walked back to the truck, she was named and mine.
Paisley matched me step for step on this farm for 11 years. She was a true working dog in every sense. Regardless of the weather or time, she was coming with me for livestock checks, chores, etc. She was bossy about it, as she was with everything else in life. The relationship with a working dog is different, they become a trusted partner. An equal. Someone who shares the load with you. Someone to depend on when you're bone tired and you know they are too but you don't dare leave each other or let them outwork you....you're a team.
She was a fearless protector. She even hung into it with a coyote on one occasion. I used to joke she would stand toe to toe with the devil himself if he looked at her the wrong way.
But for all her grit, she was kind. She loved to sit on a porch swing all snuggled up and rock back and forth. She would kiss the face of any person she thought would let her get away with it. She was a calming force for children recovering from trauma. She was the perfect partner to teach mindfulness with...she grounded so many with her soft fur. She was patient with kiddos who pulled an ear or a tail and quick to forgive.
She was an athlete. Chasing donkeys, moving horses, jumping 4 foot fences like she had springs in her legs even as she aged. She took the task of chasing falling pinecones very seriously.
The truth is, though she challenged me in so many ways, she was the perfect farm dog. One I was proud to claim and work alongside.
My farm and my heart are better for loving her and I will miss her the rest of my days.
