I had to say goodbye to an old friend this week. Our sweet, loyal dog Toby, who was almost 15, was quite sick and had stopped eating and drinking. He was struggling with breathing and just wanted to sleep.

We took a trip to the vet and discovered he had a large mass on his shoulder and his lungs were peppered with scores of little tumors. But at the time he was still eating, drinking and moving around. Four days later, things had deteriorated to the point where he was no longer eating and had lost four pounds. We made the heartbreaking decision to let him go, to let him be at peace.

Toby has been a big part of our family for more than a dozen years. He’s a rescue dog and we were enchanted by his sweet disposition and obvious affection for our family. A flat-coated retriever, he had a beautiful black, flowing coat and a long, well-defined muzzle. We found him at the animal shelter in Fort Dodge. He was a little bigger than I had hoped, but our son Daniel (who was about 3 at the time), fell in love with him. He could just get his arms wrapped around Toby’s neck for a hug.

Toby didn’t mind that at all. In fact through the years, he was a backyard playmate, an ace fetcher and later in the day, a cuddly pillow for the kids. Even the grandchildren found a sense of peace curling up next to this gentle soul.

When we brought Toby home from the shelter, he latched on to my husband Larry the entire way. He sat in Larry’s lap with his head resting on the shoulder of his new master. Several times we heard him heave a great sigh of what I can only imagine was relief and happiness at finding a new family.

As Toby grew, he nearly doubled in size — 45 pounds to more than 80 as he reached adulthood. I should of known when I saw the size of his feet that he wasn’t going stay small for long. And his long, feathery tail never stopped wagging. He was a happy fellow when his people were around. That tail could also be a dangerous weapon. It could clear a coffee table with a quick swoosh. Knick knacks didn’t last very long at our house — at least on low shelves or tables.

Daniel and Toby were fast friends and entered the 4-H dog obedience program together. Toby worked very hard to learn what Daniel was teaching him. Of course, he was highly motivated by treats and praise, so he quickly picked up the routines. Even in later years, Toby could shake hands, twirl in a circle, lay his head in your lap on command, and walk at heel.

That dog loved to play Frisbee. Larry and Daniel spent hours tossing the disc around the backyard, with Toby racing to the edge of the property and occasionally leaping into the air to catch a high toss. Of course, he didn’t always want to bring the disc back right away because it was kind of fun to chew as well. We went through a lot of Frisbees. After a hectic round of fetch, Toby loved to have a drink from the garden hose.

Even at the ripe old age of 14, he still loved to romp around in the snow, bounding through the drifts and chasing our other two dogs around in circles. The three pack mates were good friends and were protective of each other.

Our other two dogs, Buster and Barney, are a bit lost. They are staying very close when we are home — close to each other and close to their people.  They know something is different and I’m sure they wonder where their old friend has gone.

It’s amazing how a pet can become such an important part of a family. They don’t judge. They don’t talk back. They are always glad to see you and always there when you need a pick-me-up. They offer up unconditional love, asking only for companionship, some scratches behind the ears and maybe an occasional treat.

We have a wonderful photo of Toby that we plan to hang in the hallway with the other family pictures. Even though he’s gone now, he’ll always be a part of our family and will always be in our hearts.