The original canine writing assistant…

Has crossed the rainbow bridge.

My dearest Scooch passed away on March 2^nd. Below (left) is a photo of him from his last morning with us. While the grief is not as raw now, the house feels very different, an emptiness lingering. Our time as a two-dog household was shorter than we had imagined.

Scooch was my shadow, following me wherever I went around the house, which meant that he napped on the bed in our study/guest room while I wrote my first fantasy novel. When I switched to using a lap desk in the living room or family room, Scooch happily snored on my legs while I drafted and edited the rest of my novels. If I didn’t have my legs stretched out, he would sit beside me or at the other end of the couch. When I had been writing too long, he would paw at the mouse or the keyboard, reminding me to take a break and give him some attention and affection.

Scooch was 11 1/2 years old—my first dog—and my younger son had never known a life without our cuddly (and sometimes grumpy) schnauzer. Our entire family will miss him dearly, but during these past couple weeks, we have taken comfort in sharing stories of how much joy and love Scooch brought to our life.

We are also comforted by the next generation. Our schnauzer puppy, Murphy, is healthy and happy, and nearing his first birthday. Right now, he is a more cumbersome canine writing assistant. He likes to stand and lean hard against my chest, even while I’m trying to type. See photo below (right). Perhaps he will learn to be as constant a support as Scooch was. If not, these snuggles are pretty great, too.