Maxine

[CLICK TO RETURN TRIBUTES]

A Tribute To Maxine

From the moment we laid eyes on each other it was love. But I guess that wasn't too unusual, because Maxine loved everyone and everyone loved her ...everyone but cats that is. She had more human friends than some people do.

We shared an amazing bond. A few months after Maxine came home from Boxer Rescue, I became extremely ill. She somehow knew I wasn't well and her attitude became extremely protective and nurturing. For over a year, she laid in bed with me and nudged me to move, licked my face and gave me worried looks (as only a Boxer can) she wouldn't leave my side and took on the burden of mothering me and nursing me back to health, 8 years later, it was I laying by her side, telling her it was ok to go. She died April 2002 and I will never be the same again.

The love and joy she freely gave was unending and unconditional - for all who knew her, she was loved and will forever be remembered and incredibly missed.

For a Boxer, she was on the "large" side, she wasn't fat, just big and broad-boned. Her markings were average, but her gas was not.

She was a complete bed hog and through the years I eventually got used to sleeping on the edge. We'd start out in the middle of the bed, but every time I moved one inch, she'd take up the slack until by morning, I was practically on the floor. She snored like a power tool and farted loudly, I miss her so much.

She loved people, especially children. My 7 year old God Daughter would spend hours playing dress-up with Maxine. Once, I came into the bedroom and she had Maxine tucked into bed with a tiara and earrings, pearls and a pair of sunglasses on. Maxine looked up at me and proudly smiled - with her crooked little snaggle-toothed smile and her tongue just barely poking out - she was in her own special dog heaven. Anything and everything was OK with Maxine. She loved life and woke up happy every single day, I really can't remember her ever being cranky.

The only really bad thing she ever did was to steal chocolate. I couldn't keep any in the house. Period. Otherwise perfectly behaved - chocolate had some mysterious, irresistible and overpowering control over her. I first discovered this obsession when I volunteered to make Easter baskets for a charity auction. I ran out of Easter grass, so I dashed out to get more, leaving my always-perfectly-behaved angel alone in the house with 40 pounds of candy on the dining room table. I simply couldn't believe my eyes when I got back. How anything or anyone could have consumed the VOLUME of sweets that she did was frankly a miracle. I completely freaked out and rushed her to the doctor - but other than world-class gas, she was just fine, although she did poop glitter for a while. 

I have an extremely demanding career - but as a business owner, I had the privilege of constructing my life around having a dog. I moved my business into a dog-friendly space and Maxine came to the office every day.

She was friends with everyone - even the UPS man, giving each and every person at the office their own special quality time. There's a dog park near the building, and she'd choose someone different every time it was "time" to go out - as if not to play favorites.

It's difficult not to anthropomorphize because she was so expressive, animated and involved. Not the brightest bulb on the chain, she made up for brains with a BIG goofy, charming and bubbly personality and endless devotion and affection.

She traveled, played, rejoiced, laughed and lived the dog-equivalent of a "Rock Star" life, complete with adoring fans and a life-time back-stage pass.

If indeed greatest thing you'll ever know is to love, and be loved in return, Maxine defined her own special nirvana. We love and miss you forever.