magic

2022

On Wednesday, February 23, we had to say goodbye to our sweet Magic. After going in to the vet to start arthritis meds, his bloodwork showed he was anemic. An ultrasound found he had masses on his liver and spleen. We were shattered when this routine visit turned into a diagnosis of days to weeks, as the blood-filled masses could rupture at any moment. On the plus side, it didn’t spread to his lungs, so he was a candidate for surgery. There was a small possibility it could help, but not cure. We wanted to give him every chance we could. He made it to surgery day, but declined before it was his turn. I think that was his way of saying it was time. We take comfort in knowing he did not suffer and was a happy boy until the very end. Even though it was a very short time after his diagnosis, we tried to make every day special and all about Magic's favorite things.
It’s impossible to put into words how very loved he was, and how much he meant to us. He was our first dog, and we couldn’t have asked for a more gentle soul. Here’s a little more about Magic and what made him so special:
Magic joined our family in November on Friday the 13th, 2015. He was roughly 3 years old or so, according to his vet records. He had 2 families before us, so I’ll always wonder what he was like as a puppy. He quickly became my shadow, my best bud, my mid-day walker pal, my sidekick 🐕‍🦺
He was unlike any other dog. Magic was the most polite treat eater, delicately taking whatever treat you offered him without using his teeth. His jet black fur was velvety soft. Only downside was the fact that our floors are black, and he blended right in. He needed a reflective vest, since he matched the color a little too well and liked to lay right next to my chair while I worked.
Our weekend routine always involved a Magic adventure, exploring the city and beyond in all the dog-friendly spots. Any store or restaurant that allowed dogs in, Magic went and charmed the customers and staff. We also got to know many other chow chows in the DMV and had a blast meeting up with the other dogs and their humans for walks and some fun events (sunset cruise was one memorable evening!). He came on weekend getaways to WV, VA, MD, and road-tripped to NY to visit family. When we stayed at an Airbnb in Charlottesville, the staircase to the bedroom was too steep for Magic and he was so sad he couldn’t join….so we all slept on the couch downstairs and he snuggled right in between us as a thank you 🐾
He happily obliged in costumes- channeling Drake as chompagne puppy, a hot dog/lobster roll with Quinn, a contest-winning baseball get-up, chick magnet, ruffuree, reindeer, etc.
🍾🌭🦞🧢⚾️🐥🧲🦌
When the temperatures rose, he was known to frog dog and cool his loins. He ended up sleeping on the floor, half to cool off, and half to avoid confronting a cat who regularly took over his beds. He also did not care for the water, but we tried anyway 😂. Magic much preferred cold and snow, what we referred to as Magic Dog weather ❄️🥶
Magic had tippy tapper toes when he was excited to go out for a walk, and if he went to the dog park, he’d run laps, but cut the corners since he worked smarter, not harder. His shorter legs put him at a little bit of a disadvantage. He used his chin to measure things like the bed, couch, or another dog to see if he could jump up. Nothing like a little snoot and chocolate eyes staring into the bed wanting to hop in and greet you 🐻
Magic was probably one of the worst walkers of all time. As a stubborn chow-mix, he would direct US where to walk, and if we tried to go a different way, he would stand still and look the other way until we complied. As @pawpawpetclub would say, Magic loved going on sniffaris, checking the scents of every single tree box. He did exactly one 5k race with me in his younger years, where he sprinted for a mile then was ready to slow stroll for the remaining miles. We took a training class, just for fun, to see if we could improve his walking speed. He learned some new tricks, but to no avail. He loved the classes because it involved lots of treats! On the plus side, his slow saunters allowed us to meet many neighbors, and Magic made friends with everyone he met.
In January 2020, Magic herniated a disc and needed a serious surgery. He was in so much pain and had a lengthy recovery. We are so grateful he healed well, and was given another 2 great years with us (not to mention COVID quarantine allowed us so much time together at home). He NEVER barked until recovering from surgery, when he couldn’t do the stairs to get to where we were without supervision. Steve ended up sleeping on the couch next to Magic’s pen for two months to keep him company (there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for this dog!). Being away from his humans was the only thing that made him whine, or do the “pre-bark bark”, a sort of warning sound before he’d get a real bark out to let us know he must join us and be carried down the stairs. That became even more apparent when Quinn was born. He was so protective of his new little brother, and couldn’t stand to be separated. They were quite a pair; Magic patiently allowing Quinn to “pet” him, and Quinn sharing all his meals under the high chair for Magic.
I know he’s running free, pooping on spike plants, finding all the chicken bones, and rolling in the grass with Lucky and Griffey.