Last week I had to say goodbye to my #1, best pal, dear friend, companion, daughter, sidekick, and shadow. She was my constant for over 14 years.
Olive was almost a year old when she came into my life and passed peacefully at age 15. She was living on borrowed time – diagnosed with urethral cancer almost 4 years ago, prognosis was 6-12 months. I credit her longevity and quality of life to a variety of Chinese herbs/supplements prescribed by an amazing holistic vet.
Olive was known for being the softest dog – even the vet who came to the house for her final moments commented on her silky soft fur, which felt appropriate as part of her send-off.
She came with the name Yum Yum, origin unknown. She was the perfect dog – attentive, good with dogs, good with kids, super cute and loving, trainable, and the perfect size (around 35-40 lbs). Her only flaws were her frequent barking and her puppy energy that was nearly impossible to tame well into her adulthood. Even multiple rounds of vigorous exercise (biking, long walks, playing fetch, high-speed chases at the dog park) a day barely tuckered her out.
Throughout her life, she loved attention, giving kisses, snoozing, chasing squirrels (and even caught a few 
), chewing on bones, eating peanut butter (she took after her dad, of course), baking in the sun, being mischievous yet unassuming, performing tricks, barking at everyone, scarfing down treats, staring me down, being chased, getting pets and scratches, rolling in grass, sitting in *her* patio chair, and licking my forehead. When she was young, she loved cuddling and would curl up under the sheets for the night. She was an amazing walking companion and even learned to jump puddles on our walks.
Olive was a top-dog personality, made her boundaries known, and spoke her mind. She had serious, communicative eyes and used her strong stare to convey a message.
I first started boarding dogs when she was around 7 yrs, and she was the best host and playmate – wrestling, playing, and cuddling with all her pals. She didn’t run and play much in her senior years, but she enjoyed having a small pack and, of course, being the boss.
In her final years, she valued personal space, more time with her dad, greenies, frequent potty breaks outside, routine, and longer naps. Her barking (aka yelling at me) increased – It was frustrating but I was also grateful that she was still speaking her mind! Despite cancer and the typical senior dog decline, she remained resilient, strong, sassy, sweet, and loving. She continued to give smooches and remained skilled at catching treats in the air.
Olive lived a full life and had many adventures. In her prime, she was often the fastest dog at the dog park, leading a trail of dogs trying to catch her as she dashed and darted across the park. She went on hikes, ran through woods, fields, and creeks, went out for ice cream, wore various Halloween costumes, scored treats in drive-thrus, tagged along on road trips, went kayaking, swam in lakes and ponds, attended a handful of training and agility classes, went camping, played with dozens of other dogs, and happily hung her head out of car windows while her perfect ears flapped in the wind. She once won the Best Pet Trick contest at the local Humane Society’s fundraiser for jumping into my arms and also jumping onto my back, and our photo made it in the local paper. The next year, she was the 2nd fastest dog on The Lure course – her time was 9.2 seconds, and 1st place was 9.0. She was also deemed Best Dressed at our local (now closed) ice cream shop’s doggy day.
Olive had many human and canine friends. People have described her as sweet, soft, sneaky, gentle, mischievous, and having a peaceful nature. She’s been called the bestest dog, a calm presence, a good friend and loving companion, and very smart and sweet.
Olive passed away peacefully at home, in the company of her dad Bryan. Her dog brother Peanut and cat brother Chavo were also nearby.
“Olive was such a sweetheart, I will always remember her. Rest in Peace Olive.” – Kiersten K