#93 - nikita

my dog nikita is the smartest one i know. he can do all these different tricks, or at least used to. we got him on easter, 14 or 15 years ago from my mom's friend out in nanakuli. we went there to see her litter or 5 or so baby chihuahua-terriers. we were playing with them and they were so cute! i really liked the runt. after an hour or so of playing, my mom said "this one is yours!", giving us a cute little white puppy (not the runt). reina and i were so surprised and excited! we had never had a dog before and this one was so cute! he was a total puppy with so much energy. we didn't know much about taking care of him but we immediately loved everything about him. that night i slept with him on the floor of the bathroom. i'm sure he was scared so i cuddled him close to me. i named him after a character in a movie starring one of my favorite actors, river phoenix. he was the son of kgb agent parents and his name was nikita. i thought it was a great name and he seemed to like it too.

through the years he learned many tricks. he was a very well behaved dog, even though in those puppy years he was crazy and ran through the house a lot. he chewed things. he ate things. he ruined things. he ruined me, for the better. even though he was the one we had to feed, bathe, walk and take care of, he was the one who took care of us. when i had a problem or issue i would talk to niki. he always listened and no matter what he would give you kisses. he loved going places, especially maui, where he has been for the past several years. he and my grandpa spent a lot of time together. they would sit out in the yard under the cherry tree and just hang out. when my grandpa had a stroke he said niki acted strange. he knew what was happening i think. even so, niki was there for him. my grandpa got better and niki was there for my uncle and grandma as well. he was always there, waiting for you to come home, wagging his tail and waiting for butt scratches. he LOVED it.

we found out last year that he had a heart murmur, which is pretty common in chihuahuas apparently. they weren't too concerned about it and told us a couple things to look for: mostly getting tired quicker and short of breath. well it's come to that point. he kind of stopped eating, so the vet said to feed him anything that he WILL eat. the other day that was part of a manapua! yum. he's been short of breath and just acting different. my mom went over to maui to take him to the vet and they took an xray and gave him a shot. he's got congestive heart failure and i think some fluid in his lungs. the shot made him a little better but it's clear that he won't get too much better. the last time i was home and saw niki was february when i went home for a funeral. i've been saying bye to niki for a couple trips now but this time i knew it probably was the last. he's been getting deaf and blind for awhile and slowing down. i guess it happens when you are 90 or so. he was still very happy and loved his butt scratches. i did a lot of yard work and niki would just sit and watch me. my last project was painting this house for him. my grandparents bought this new recliner and it came in this big box. so i added some pizzazz to it. niki loved it and kept sitting by it. he's always so smiley in his pictures and i'm glad he's happy. he's made our family happier and when the time comes, as i know it will, we will only have pictures and memories (and the big box).

my mom talked to the vet about when to know to put him down and stuff like that. when it comes to the point where he's in too much pain or can't enjoy life, it's time to think about it. although he was having trouble breathing, he still seems to have life. he was wagging his tail. it's so hard not to be there to cuddle him again like i did that first night on the bathroom floor. he must know his time will come eventually. i really hope he goes in his sleep, i don't want my mom to have to make that decision ever. she's been through a lot of deaths in the past few months and this hopefully will be the last for awhile. he's had a great long life and so when the time comes, it comes. i've said my goodbye and gave him kisses. what more can you do?