The Trouble with Hello is Goodbye

By Gina Tabonares-Reilly

My husband Bob found this scrappy mixed-Shepherd with big paws next to a

neighborhood trash bin near the Naval Hospital in Agana. Bob thought this black-coated

canine would bring nothing but trouble, that’s why he named him Trouble.

Bob was then new to the island, and Trouble found Bob at the right time. They hit it off.

They shared everything but fought for the best part of the living room couch. When

things got hectic at Bob’s work, Trouble patiently waited until he got home late at night.

Bob would bring him a burger for dinner and Trouble would bring Bob any stuff he could

find in the neighborhood like slippers and underwear.

When I first met Trouble, his loud bark and size intimidated me. I hesitated to touch

him. But after a few months, he became a momma’s boy.

He followed me everywhere inside the house. He loved our attention like a big baby. His favorite spot was in the

kitchen in front of the refrigerator. He kept an eye on whoever would open the fridge. So we often joked that if we have some treasure, the best place to hide would be inside the

fridge.

He ate everything. Every dinner time, he would sit close to the table so he could tap our legs with his paw and get our attention for some scraps. With visitors, it was subtle. He would look at them with pitiful eyes that could compel anyone to hand him food. Bob called it the “hypnotizing look.”

He acted like a big brother to Bailey, Kahlua, Minnie, and Collette. He did not like

Shadow, the second male dog of the pack. He was jealous to see another dog getting

our attention.

We wanted to keep him but letting him go was the most humane thing we could to end his misery. When he left us on Jan. 18, he left a void.

For 15 years, he never gave us any trouble. He never made a mess inside the house.

During his last months, he started limping. We thought it was arthritis due to aging. We

were not aware that he was already suffering from bone cancer. Despite his condition,

Trouble never made an accident inside the house. He still managed to do his business

in the yard although it was a struggle to walk with a cancer-stricken shoulder.

His last night with us was unforgettable to me. I knew he was in great pain. He was

constantly whimpering. I decided to keep him company and provide him comfort on his

futon bed. I did not mind lying on a bed full of dog’s hair. He would stop crying whenever

I rubbed his aching shoulders.

We had no clue it would be his last night with us. When we brought him to the

veterinary clinic the following day, we found out his bone cancer had progressed. It was

heart-breaking. We wanted to keep him but letting him go was the most humane thing

we could to end his misery. When he left us on Jan. 18, he left a void. We are still in

pain. Every day, I would talk to him in the corner where we placed his beautiful urn and

picture. Trouble was pure joy. He was never troublesome. The only hard part of having

him was when we had to say goodbye.