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It's the part you put out of your head when you go to pick out your new puppy. The love of a puppy, the smell of his puppy breath, his soft fur, the way he whines when he's alone, how he's barely bigger than your hand...all the reasons why most of us choose to get a pet even though we know the pain we'll eventually face.

Molly has had 14 wonderful years with my family. She is truly a family dog: having lived with my parents, my sister and myself at different times through her life. She's turned out to be a remarkably tough, lil old lady. Which for some reason is so different then I thought she'd be based on how she was as a puppy. She was the smallest of three Boston terriers in our family and they all took care of Molly. She was a mild tempered but needy pup. She loved to snuggle up in a blanket (still does) and the only time she really ever got fired up was when she saw a big, bouncy ball (Man, did she pop some balls in her day and ruined many otherwise good games of kick ball).

Molly was diagnosed with spinal degeneration eight years ago and a heart problem two years ago. She's had cataracts that make her just about completely blind for over eight years. She has many cysts or tumors on her small frame. We feed her as much as the bigger dogs (and she usually eats it) yet she can't gain an ounce.

She wanders about all day long asking to go in and out of the house repetitively, yet usually not going to the bathroom. She'll stand in a corner and stare forever unless you prompt her and she starts pacing again. She can't hear very well. Lately her incontinence has gotten worse and she urinates a lot (her kidneys could be failing). Because of her frailty she no longer sleeps in bed with my sister like she used to love, but she seems content in her doggy bed with fleece blanket.

Rhonda talked to me the other night about having her put to sleep. We always said we would take care of her as long as we felt she was living a quality life and it seems as though she'd be happier in heaven with Buddy.

I still haven't gotten over losing Buddy five years ago, but it is comforting to know that this time we have to make this dreaded decision...they'll be together. I remember when Rhonda brought Buddy home and he was buried in their back yard. Nobody told Molly of course, but she sensed it immediately. She went to where he was buried and she paced. She circled the area, she marked all around where he was buried and then kicked up dirt all around. She knew who was there and she was making it clear that nobody was to mess with that space. She was having her own funeral of sorts for her big brother, protector and best friend till the end.