God bless my precious CC... Jesus just welcomed him home. He is at peace!

My puppy was 14 years old. He was born on Feb. 14, 1994...Valentine's Day. Such a sweet dog who was so good with kids and people. He was a collie... beautiful collie. He was brown & white, with a touch of black. I named him CC Rider, not after the Elvis song (I didn't even know it existed at the time), but after a TV actor I loved when I got him, Rider Strong and after the white markings that looked like a white C around his little mouth. I called him CC instead of just C Rider. It just sounded cuter.

Gosh at the times we have had. He use to get free from his lot all the time when he was younger. It was a mess because we lived so close to the road and we were so worried about him getting hit by a car. I would be out at 1am chasing him through the community and boy was he hard to chase. He was the strongest dog. I've chased him through the snow, the rain, the heat, you name it. He was the cutest little puppy. So full of energy.

We moved him with us when we moved to the new house (my parents' new house) six years ago. It took us awhile but we finally got everything set up and brought him down. He had an even better place there and his lot was bigger. He was still pretty strong and was still good at breaking out even up til last year on July 5th when my lil bro and I chased him to the neighbors and then Billy carried him up the hill holding him like a little lamb. Precious memories.

I so wanted him to meet my child, but he wasn't up to it. Billy has been taking care of him quite a bit lately since I don't live there. The last few times I had went to see him and love on him I could tell it was getting hard for him to get around but he still had spunk. The last few days, he went down hill.

Billy came in yesterday and told us that he wasn't moving. We went and got him out of his little house and decided to give him a bath to cool him off and make him feel better. He just barely stood up the whole time. We then repositioned his house and things and let him walk around for awhile. He was so calm which is not like him at all. Later, we made him a bed with an old sleeping bag in the garage and he laid there for hours. We never left his side. He finally got up to walk around and I was so puzzled because I couldn't understand where he was getting his energy. He wanted to go to his little house so we took him back and took the sleeping bag. He kept acting like he wanted to be alone, which they say dogs do when they are about to pass.

I didn't come home until almost 1am this morning. I was so sad. I couldn't sleep and when I would doze off, I'd wake up and see his little pitiful face. I'd sit up in the bed and couldn't breathe. It was such a hard night. I was up every hour but for good at 6am. I called mom at 8am and he was still alive. She said he was slobbering and that they didn't think it would be long. They kept going out to see him and she said he kept trying to hide. So they eventually told him they loved him (I had told him last night and loved on him but I told him again over speaker phone this morning because I just couldn't watch it) and they left him to himself like he had wanted. It was strange because as weak as he was, last night and this morning, when someone would talk to him he would raise his head up. He was continuing to be that faithful companion. When they went back out a few hours later, he was gone.

We have all taken it pretty hard. I had never really thought about him passing. It's crazy because I have all these issues with death but it was like he was superdog and that he wouldn't be going anywhere. Mom kept telling us, especially after the arthritis in his hips started bothering him. Just hard to get through your mind I guess.

The one thing I will never forget about CC is his wagging tail. He wagged his little tail all the time... he never stopped. He was even wagging his tail last night when he was walking around the garage. And ... the peace that God is providing to my heart lets me know that he is wagging his tail in Heaven right now.

CC Rider... we love you so much and we miss you already. You have been such a good boy and the best friend we could have ever had. We will never forget all the memories we've shared and the love that you have given to us. We are so glad you are with Jesus now, playing as you did when you were a little pup. Much love precious puppy.

Love Always,
Alesha, Billy, Marsha, and Bill
Your Family

Ps. Please keep us in your Prayers.