Missing our Family Companion

“A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his.” 
-John Grogan, Marley & Me 

Unfortunately, it started off as a pretty sad morning at the Bump household. Our sweet pup, Brenham, passed away early this morning. He was just about 10 years old, but he didn’t seem to show his age much. He would still run to greet us at the back gate, race me to the shed, and could still make the high jump onto the trampoline, or his trampoline, I should say. Last Wednesday, we suddenly saw him going downhill. He lost his balance and coordination. He became very “clingy” and needed a lot of loving from us. My dad kept him company the first couple of nights on the floor in Brenham’s room. The vet had reason to believe he would recover after a few days, thinking it was vestibular disease. After a couple days we saw he was only getting worse. We made him comfortable in his room and would spend as much time as we could petting him and trying to get him to take food and water. We knew he didn’t have much longer, but it still doesn’t make it any less sad when we woke up this morning to find that he passed. L Anyhow, I wanted to write a little something for us to remember him and celebrate what he meant to our family.

                Family pets really do become part of the family. When they leave us, the family just isn’t the same. We’re missing him so much already. I keep walking to the backdoor to look out into the backyard, and it just makes me start crying. I suppose I need to stop doing that for a few days! It was already beginning to feel different with him being kept in the house these past several days. Yesterday, I was going to go out into the hammock to read, but I couldn’t manage to get out there because I knew it wouldn’t feel right without him resting his head on the edge of the hammock while I pet him and read my book. A few days ago I walked outside and came up to the back gate, and I waited… and then I started tearing up. I was so used to him greeting me at the gate, jumping up against the fence before I could even open the gate, and putting his head just above the top of the fence with his ears back and eyes closed, tail calmly wagging, expectantly waiting for me to pet him. He was such a sweet pup.

I remember the day my oldest brother, Ryan, brought him home to us. He was coming home from College Station and he made a stop in Brenham, TX when he came across a puppy he couldn’t resist taking home. Ry pulled into the driveway in his black chevy and rolled down his window and I screamed “PUPPY!” My parents were a bit shocked… haha, as for me and my brother Stephen, we couldn’t have been more excited! I remember Ryan being upset about the fact that right before he pulled in the driveway, the pup got sick on his front seat! Haha We asked what his name was and Ryan said, “Brenham!” Perfect. He met our golden retriever Sandi, and not after long of her having to put up with his puppy-pestering ways, they became the best of friends. He didn’t start out as the world’s best dog though. The movie “Marley & Me” comes to mind when we were trying to train him. See Ryan's shoes and stuffed animal he's cuddling with to the left? Yep, those were in pieces a few days later. He was also quite the escape artist, often finding himself in trouble. We would come home and he would be in the backyard looking totally innocent. The only evidence of his outings was the discoveries of his stolen souvenirs. He would manage to make it into the backyards of neighbors, even houses down the street… and we would come across kid’s toys, other dog’s toys, and miscellaneous items from other people’s backyards. It was quite hilarious, but it wasn’t a good habit! He was super attached Ryan. He would get so excited when he heard Ryan’s truck driving up the street. He also would get so sad when he would leave. Several times Brenham would jump the fence and chase after Ryan’s truck down the street and Ryan would have to bring him back. How sweet is that? It’s hard to tell a dog he’s in trouble for escaping when you can tell how sad he was that his owner was leaving.

There was a time our family went to play with the dogs in the field behind our house. Stephen decided to run up the hill and the dogs raced him. Somehow Steve tripped and sat on little Brenham (there was only a very brief time during that dog’s life that he was ever considered small). Poor puppy ran all the way back home, into the backyard, and into his dog house, yelping. He ended up being fine, possibly sat crookedly from then on, but years later we look back and laugh because it’s something that would happen with goofy Stephen. Brenham was easy for me to make fun of. He was just a funny dog, and plus… I guess it’s a sibling thing to make fun of each others' pets. My brothers have always made fun of my cats for being spoiled and a little on the heavy side, I like to use the word “fluffy.” I made fun of Brenham for looking so… “unique.” I called him a fat seal, well because… he pretty much had no neck! He was very stalky and rather heavy, and his body was just one solid round form with a head. Haha so I would call him a seal. He was a black lab mix, with some blue healer in him and who knows what else! But really, he looked part pig, part bear, and part seal! He would even make funny noises that to me sounded “seal-like.” It was cute. J

 He loved jumping on the trampoline with us and wouldn’t allow us to jump without him. He claimed ownership of the trampoline pretty much since was big enough to jump up there. I remember attempting to climb up on it, and before I had one leg up, here comes Brenham… hurdles right over me onto the tramp and waits excitingly for me to play. He loved to fetch, was a pro at catching squirrels, and even won a few matches with some raccoons and opossums. He even got him and Ryan sprayed by a skunk! Yes, haha, a skunk! So funny. It was freezing outside and my mom made Ryan stay outside with Brenham to bathe in some formula she made from a recipe she found online. She later discovered it was only intended for dogs, and hence why Ryan’s skin was burning! Ha! Speaking of his encounters with other animals, I can’t even count how many birds he’s caught. I remember eating dinner once and looking outside at Brenham. He was asleep in the shade by the garden. A moment later I look up and all I see is a poof a feathers, as Brenham carries a little bird in his mouth, that is still flapping one wing for it’s dear life. I run outside and yell at him, “no, Brenham! Let go! Drop!” And he just runs up to me wagging his tail as wildly as he possibly could. Ok, I get it. I’m not Ryan, Stephen, or my dad, who otherwise would have said, “good job, buddy!” Haha. He was so proud of himself, despite me being upset. He eventually dropped it, and I managed to use a piece of wood to pick up the bird and put him over the fence. I think he ended up being okay. But bravo to hunter Brenham!

I loved looking outback at him, because he was always in a funny position. Usually frozen in a upside-down position. He was so funny to watch sleep and dream, he must have had some intense dreams catching those squirrels. He was gentle with the cats, mainly because he saw how mean and territorial they can be when he would come inside haha but he never tried to bother them. I thought it was so sweet how the cats acted when he was set up in his room. They knew something was wrong and they looked so concerned. Angel didn’t even sleep in my room with me and Jenny kept walking by his room and would sit by the doorstep looking at him. It wasn’t her usual “gross, the dog’s in the house again” look, but it was more of a “what’s going on, is he okay?” look. It reminds me of when Sandi was sick- I would catch Jenny in the room with her. So sweet. Now they know he’s gone, they’re acting weird and confused. L The whole balance of the Bump house is just thrown off. It’s not the same without Brenham. I love the pictures of Brenham in the snow. I remember Ryan calling me last February, asking, “Is it snowing in San Antonio yet!?” I waited up all night waiting for it to snow, after all, I had waited my whole life to see snow in this city! When it started snowing, Ryan said, “Go outside and send me pics of Brenham in the snow!” Haha I sent him so many pictures. Brenham was so hyper. He was running around in it, licking it, sliding on the cement! He ran up to me and knocked me down and we rolled around in the snow! Haha he got my hair so wet and muddy, I didn’t even care though. It was so much fun! After I stood up, he was still so excited and jumped up on me, paws on my shoulders and danced with me J.

He loved to race us. But, he didn’t always race nicely… haha. He had a habit of knocking our feet from under us. That happened to me just about a month ago. I was going to the shed to get some more gas for the mower, and I raced him. I took maybe 5 steps and he knocked me down, nearly bit the dirt. I laughed--didn’t surprise me at all! I learned not to take him for walks unless I knew I wanted a real good work out. With him, you didn’t walk him. He walked you! Haha he was always in a rush to get somewhere but you could never figure out where! It was like he was trying to smell out every scent and solve a million mysteries with that nose of his. Speaking of his nose, he would often have dirt on his nose because he had this funny thing of burying his food and digging it up later to eat it. I guess the dirt adds flavor? HA

Brenham was an amazing guard dog. After Sandi died, it was up to him to step up and be on guard. He did a wonderful job. He let us know anytime anything was up in the neighborhood, and kept us safe. Whether it was kids up to no-good, or the time someone tried to break into our garage, he knew how to protect us and our home. My mom told me that when she got home to find a police officer parked out front after our alarm going off, he said “Your dog let me know that no one got in that backyard.” He even protected me from the boys… haha. One guy I brought home he nearly ate when he simply leaped in my direction in an effort to avoid a mud pile. Haha no harm done, just a very scared guy and my family laughing their heads off. And then I had another one over that was pushing me on the swings. Brenham sat and starred at us… and the moment I let out a scream for being spun so fast he placed himself between us and barked like crazy in his face, backing him away from me haha. Again no harm done, just a tad funny. He was so protective, and apparently he didn’t approve! Haha Ryan must have trained him well with those protective brother skills of his. After his puppy years, he also became so obedient. I loved how I often would forgetfully leave the back gate open (oops sorry Dad) and I would run to the gate and Brenham would just be sitting just inside the backyard wagging his tail, as if he was saying “see look at me, I’m such a good dog.”

My mom definitely spoiled him. She would often bring him inside and give him treats. I guess I can’t blame her. He would give you the most pitiful, innocent look. You couldn’t help but love on him and give him treats, which didn’t do much for his figure! HA! My dad refused to be the one to baby him and give him treats, I guess to keep him tough and a good watch dog. My dad spent quite a bit of time with that pup, seeking out the problems in the neighborhood that would get him so worked up, working outside in the back with him, and playing with him. I’m sure my dad has lots of memories that I don’t even know of yet, since us Bump kids have often been away for college, jobs, etc. Back when Ryan lived here, Brenham would come inside and immediately jump on Ryan’s bed and just lay there wagging his tail with his head down between his front legs. He would give us this look like “please don’t make me get off.” It was so cute. Ry would even let him sleep there with him. Stephen comes home every so often on the weekends and he had been taking Brenham for rides in his truck. He didn’t have to do much to get him to go with him. He opened the door and he jumped right in. It made me laugh… One time I passed Stephen on the street and asked him who was with him, “Brenham!” he said, as if I was asking a ridiculous question. Haha he looked a person sitting in the passenger seat. We all were so proud of him when Ryan and his family came in town a couple months ago. Brenham was so gentle around my little niece and nephew as they played on the trampoline.

                Right before his health started going downhill last week, I went for a run and I remember hearing his bark on the other side of the neighborhood. It made me smile… I could pick out his bark among all the rest and know where he was, my home, and he was guarding it. I came home and greeted him at the back gate and pet him. I had no idea that would be the last time I heard his bark, or pet him there at the gate L Brenham, we love you so much, and you will be so so so missed. You were Ryan’s best friend, and a very special part of our family for ten memorable years--- a true companion to us all. It’s sweet how much pets can become part of our lives, and have such a special place in our hearts. I know Ryan will never forget Brenham, and neither will the rest of us. I’m thankful to have had him to make us laugh, to play with, to comfort us when we were sad… and to keep our family safe. How much I wish I could go outside and hear his funny seal-like grumble/howl, waiting for me to pet him while he sits at my feet wagging his tail, giving just the most pitiful, sweetest look. We’ll miss his hugs, dances, races, his company that brought us joy and comfort… We’ll miss seeing him rolling around in the grass and looking goofy laying upside-down. We’ll miss him sitting in his plastic chair outback as if he were human, and chasing squirrels and catching birds. We’ll miss his greetings at the gate and being hurdled on the trampoline. And most of all, l think I’ll miss his bark—the bark that we were familiar with and knew was always protecting us. My mom and I were walking to the car this afternoon and heard his bowl make a “cling” noise. We both stopped in our tracks and fought tears. “Stupid birds…” we wished it was him. It’s going to be hard and it won’t ever quite be the same without him. We’re thankful for these 10 years. I don’t think I even covered half the memories with him, but I thought it’d be a good start to remembering him and the wonderful wonderful times. 

Whenever we hear “Brenham,” we won’t think of Brenham, TX… We’ll think of you.

 Love you buddy… We miss you~

“Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day. It is amazing how much love and laughter they bring into our lives and even how much closer we become with each other because of them." 
-John Grogan, Marley & Me