My dog trainer of a mother has always carried the sentiment that "dog" is "god" spelled backwards. This will forever impact how I view the sweet creatures, who have always offered me incredible companionship, even if they have been one of the worst dogs I've owned.

Twelve years ago, after watching his breeder hit and kick him in front of us, my mom knew we needed to take Charlie, a chocolate colored Cocker Spaniel, home immediately. Upon returning home, it quickly became apparent that he wasn't completely housebroken, which was still a problem years later despite my mom's excellent training track record.

It's only been a week since our sweet, frustrating boy passed in his sleep while in the care of a friend as we were vacationing. Knowing that we will never get complete closure over his passing is heartbreaking.

We will always remember your fear of thunderstorms; you always wanting to lick us, despite the fact that your breath was one of the most horrific smells I've ever experienced. Your love of jumping up and down; how good you were at agility and the excitement you'd show when it came time to leave for class.

We will always remember how much you loved our cats, even if it took them a while to get used to your incessant licking. They eventually learned to love the obsessive morning ritual.

We will always remember all the times you jumped up onto the dinner table to eat our food or defecate. All the times you waited patiently under the table for my little sister to drop some of her dinner.

We will always remember how much you loved belly rubs and sitting on the bed with us during bedtime stories when we were little. The time your leash got stuck on a toddler bike and, startled, you ran away thinking that it was chasing you.

We will always remember how often we tripped over our furry brown "mop" that blended in so well with the kitchen floor. How dad called you, "a digestive system covered in fur"; you were extremely fond of food and spent much of your time trying to obtain as much as possible.

We will always remember your carrot munching and your great dislike of the cold. All the times during our teenage growth spurts where you woke us up early by jumping on our beds.

We will always remember your constant coughing and how good you were at taking your heart medication. How much we worried about your declining health in your last few months.

As I leave for college, it feels odd knowing that I won't be returning home to see you over breaks. Thanks for being a huge part of my life since kindergarten and a great companion for our dear Sunny.

You were never easy. Thank you for your unconditional love and patience. Rest peacefully my sweet boy.