RIP Wiley

Our family endured a great loss last week, as we unfortunately had to put our beloved dog Wiley of 8 years, to rest. It was much earlier than any of us had expected. We aren't sure why Wiley bit our niece (thank God she is okay), but there is no excuse. Aggression in a dog has always been a deal breaker; especially when children are involved. It doesn't deserve a second chance. Wiley behaved uncharacteristically, but despite his good track record, we knew we couldn't risk keeping him. The boys were told he went to a good home, because I don't think their precious little souls could take hearing we had to put Wiley down. The boys took it hard, especially Jack who has known and loved him his entire life. Cash doesn't quite understand, as he cried when I had to remind him that Wiley wasn't coming back yesterday. But each day gets easier, and I'm sure we will be at peace soon. We had always trusted Wiley, which leads us to believe he was maybe suffering from something unknown to us. We'll never know. As we continue to grieve, we are reminded by all of the joyful memories, the loyal companionship, and the feeling of protection Wiley gave. Because he was a good dog and a dear member of our family. Despite his inexcusable behavior, we will always love him and miss him.

I wanted to record some of the happy memories of Wiley, to remind us of how much he enriched the last 8 years of our lives...

-Like the time he pooped into the heater vent when he was a puppy. Not very funny at the time. ;)
-He loved chasing squirrels, going on walks, lounging in the sun, and swimming.
-He was 80 lbs of pure muscle.
-One of my least favorite days ever was when a skunk sprayed Wiley in the face.
-His fair skin needed SPF or he would burn.
-He loved all of his extended family and their dogs.
-He tried hard to be a lap dog.