Mia (background) and Barkley on one of their many adventures

Barkley’s best friend, Mia, was put to sleep today. She had been having trouble walking last week, and slowly got worse, to the point where she could hardly move. Several trips to the vet eventually revealed a tumor near her spine.

Mia has been part of our lives for over 6 years. It is hard to imagine a future without her now. And I wonder about Barkley. How long will he look around to try and find her when we’re over at their house? How long will he be able to smell her scent in the grass? I’m sure he’ll be sad. She was his favorite playmate, the alpha of their doggy duo. She will certainly be missed.