It is with immense heartbreak that I share that Sookie has crossed the rainbow bridge. Anyone who had the gift of meeting Sookie can attest that she was so much more than a dog. She was the sweetest and most pure soul somehow in a dog’s body. 

She was found abandoned in the spring of 2020 in rough shape - she had many rotten teeth, ear & eye infections, mammary tumours, and was unspayed. At the KWSP Humane Society, she was treated for these and cared for by a loving foster family. She was the first foster animal for that family and they gave her so much love and attention as she recovered and prepared to begin a happy life. The vets at the humane society estimated her age to be around 10 years old, indicating that she was likely used for breeding given her age & mom bod. 

I had always dreamed of having an adorable white fluffy dog, and trying to adopt a dog in those early days of the pandemic was competitive. I was refreshing the local rescue adoption pages many times a day for weeks and applied for a few to no luck but it was all the universe keeping me open for Sookie. I met her on July 4th, 2020 and she came home with me that same day. I remember being so scared when I brought her home and being left alone to care for her. However, the bond was instant. After 2 days, Sookie waited at the door when I left, already knowing that I was her mom and protector. 

Her name comes from Melissa McCarthy’s character in Gilmore Girls, the ultimate girls girl and sidekick. Sookie was technically a dog, but she preferred the company of her human friends more than she enjoyed the attention of other dogs. She loved the weekly bachelor / bachelorette / dancing with the stars / leafs game viewing nights she helped co-host where she got to cuddle her friends and sneak snacks from the ottoman. It was a medically documented fact that she was the sweetest girl - her cardiologist documented it in her report as such. She also melted the hearts and was the exception for a few family members who had always said they were not dog people but loved her so much.

She loved to walk through uptown Waterloo, checking out the local dog friendly small businesses (she is the face of the dog cookie dough at Crumby Cookie Dough!), explore market events, sneak a lick at unexpecting strangers’ calves, and be followed by toddler neighbours. She was the ultimate HomeSense shopping companion, getting attention from fellow shoppers and her presence in the cart keeping me from buying too much so there is still enough left in the budget for treats. She did not enjoy dog toys, she got my affliction for sports / balls and would just watch it roll by, nearly identical to a young Mara on the soccer field. She loved to dive face first into fresh snow, roll around in an ikea bag, stick her head in any bag that someone brought over to investigate, and just be close by her favourite humans. She had so many outfits and put up with countless photo shoots. 

In 2025, I purchased her a house with her own yard so she could roll in the snow for as long as she wanted without me having to stand outside with her freezing. She spent so much of Winter 2026 rolling in the snow. She also shocked me by disappearing one day in the house. At our old house, she had stopped climbing the steep wooden stairs years ago after having a few falls. However, in our new house, the flight was split in 2 and carpeted and even though she had developed cataracts, she had learned the house layout and took it upon herself to show off that she was able to climb the stairs no sweat. She had also learned that I kept treats in my desk and could be found most days (even weekends), sitting so patiently beside my desk waiting for me to start working and reward her with a treat. 

2025 also brought the addition of her sister, Honey. I had always dreamed of multiple dogs once I discovered my passion of being a dog mom but also worried that Sookie would hate having another dog permanently in her house. Much like Sookie, Honey is a cocker spaniel type and spent her early years used for breeding and had been noted as having issues going down stairs, being the most gentle, and never barking. I don’t know if Sookie was happy that Honey came along, but she was not upset by it. She peacefully shared her snoozing spots in the house where the would often be spooning during the work days. And oh my goodness does Honey love and adore Sookie. The way her tail would wag when Sookie was being carried towards her. 

In 2025, Sookie also experienced a sudden deterioration of her heart, suspected to be from a heart string snapping and we began a full suite of medication to keep her heart going. I was told that vet medicine had come a very long way and these heart medications were doing nearly miracle work of helping many dogs live with congestive heart disease. And they definitely worked their magic, her sudden symptoms were resolved and I was hopeful to have another year or so. I do want to thank Maven Pet for existing to help this neurotic dog mom (with a BMath in stats for health) monitor Sookie’s heart health for the past few months. 

In the last couple of weeks, Sookie had been off and experiencing various symptoms that were potentially pancreatitis or side effects of her heart condition. I must admit that I was getting angry at the world for being told that the heart medications were magic and most dogs die of other causes when it wasn’t feeling that way. Unfortunately, science did prove me wrong. We learned that Sookie had a very large mass in her belly that was pushing all of her organs and what I knew in my heart was real - Sookie’s time was out. 

In addition to the inventors of the Maven pet tracker, I want to thank everyone at Parkdale Animal Hospital for always taking the best care of Sookie and dealing with the many many many calls & emails I have sent with concerns about Sookie over the year. I want to thank everyone who loved her. I want to thank everyone in my life for their patience & understanding these past couple weeks when I have been bad at texting back and not doing things I said I would. 

And to Sookie, thank you for being the very best friend and companion. I accomplished so much these past few years with you by my side and motivated to give you the best life. If love was enough, you would’ve lived forever. The pain of your loss is unbearable and I know that I will never forget you and your sassy snorts and constant licks. I love you boo bear.

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