Fourteen years ago, Anne and I went to Pasadena Humane Society to see some of the construction our fundraising supported. While we were there, we chatted with Kevin, who was our adoption coordinator for our dog, Seamus.
Seamus had been part of our pack for about a year, and we were talking with Kevin about how much we loved him, what an incredible dog he was, and how happy and grateful we were to have met and adopted him.
I remember saying, “I don’t think I will ever have another dog who isn’t a pittie. He is so sweet, and affectionate, and so gentle, and …” I stopped because I saw a volunteer walking a puppy toward us. She was tiny and underweight, but she had the biggest smile. I knelt down to meet her, and she did a somersault into my lap, wagging her tail so fast I couldn’t see it.
“Well, they are just like this!” I concluded. Then I loved on that puppy until Anne gently told me it was time to let her walk into the shelter.
I was completely in love with her, that fast. She reached into my heart and never left. The next day, it was Anne’s birthday. We went down to the beach for a long walk, as is tradition. We were approaching the Manhattan Beach pier when I said, “I just need to confirm with you that we are not adding another dog to our pack, because I can’t stop thinking about that puppy.”
Anne told me that she didn’t pet her, because she knew that she’d fall in love, too, if she did. I don’t recall what we said to each other, but Anne called PHS and asked them to put us on a waiting list to adopt her.
A few days later, Marlowe came home with us, and she was my baby girl for over a decade. Even when she was an old lady, she was my little girl.
Just over a month ago, we found out Marlowe had lymphoma. It was so aggressive, it moved so quickly, we couldn’t stop it. We did everything we could for her, but we had to say goodbye to her last month.
I miss her so much, my heart hurts. It’s been a month, and I still look for her everywhere in the house. I’ll be okay, and then something will remind me of her and I am sobbing in a heap on the floor.
This is the first time in my life I have experienced this kind of grief, this kind of loss. When we lost Seamus, at least Marlowe was here for both of us while we grieved (and we were here for her, when she grieved). Now there’s just a big empty house and my broken heart.
I will miss her forever, my sweet little girl.
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I’m so sorry Wil. There’s nothing anyone can say except that we are all thinking of you. I have dealt with loss of humans as well as pets, and to tell you the truth? Grief is grief and your soul can’t tell the difference.
The best definition of moving through the process for me is the idea of a ball in a box with a button (Google it if you’re not familiar). At first grief is a huge ball in the box. Every movement hits the button and you are overwhelmed. As time passes the ball gets smaller and hits the button less often, but when it does it feels the same. Eventually the button almost never gets hit and you can actually believe that their memory CAN be a blessing. At first it’s seem impossible, but it’s true. Hugs!
So sorry for your loss. Losing a pet is never easy.
Our pittie named Peach was never supposed to live with me. My son adopted her because he was getting his own place. I personally never had a relationship with a pit bull up to that point. Their reputation had me stand offish. As life throws curveballs Peach ended up turning a couple nights into now four years. I thought the same about the tail wagging. Hers was so fast and she hugs you as if you are the most important person to ever live. I’m sad for your loss because they really do love with everything they have and that leaves a huge void when they go. Your loss reminds me not be as annoyed with Peaches neediness today!!! My condolences to your family.
The hardest part of loving a dog is saying goodbye.
Sorry for your loss. Pitties are the best. They crawl into your heart and stretch out, claiming every square inch, just like they do the couch.
I’m so sorry for your loss. She was family. She will always be a part of you.
My heart is breaking for you and your family. Sending all the love through the cosmos to you and Marlowe – love is the glue that binds you while you are apart. <3
I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost my Pittie girl, Bella, on Dec. 29, 2025. It’s been 4 long months without her. My heart aches for you.
🫂
I am so sorry to hear this. 😢 Ours pets are so special. They are our family. I have lost dogs, cats, horses. There are no replacement for their love, company, and companionship. My condolences.
There are never enough words to express the loss of a beloved furry family member. Sending love and empathy from my family to yours.
I’m so so sorry. I am saying the long goodbye to my sweet Cooper. I hate Cancer with a passion
Oh Wil! My condolences! We all love Marlowe too, from a distance, and we could always see how much she meant to you and Anne.
Marlowe was a very good girl. Thank you for sharing her with us so that we could love her too. My heart and thoughts are with you and your family, Wil.
Wil, I am so, so very sorry for you and Anne. I’ve gone through the same thing so many times (at one point, for two of them within a ten-week period), and it never gets easier. But the love they give us makes it all worth it. Please, bring another dog into your home and hearts soon – so many dogs are in need of homes, and you and Anne have a home in need of a dog. Hugs to you both.
I’m still so sorry for your loss, Wil. My cat, Alice, she had lymphoma last year, and we had to say goodbye to her on Valentine’s Day. She’d been almost 17, and I’d found her at six weeks old. She was my constant companion. Even more than a year later I wake wondering where she is. I’d say it gets easier, but that’s not something you need to hear. What I do know is Marlowe knew she was loved, and you gave her the best life she could have. All the love to you and Anne.
Wil, just know that anyone who follows you misses her too. Marlowe Mondays aren’t the same without her. Sending you and Anne big hugs.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I’ve enjoyed Marlowe Monday for a long time, and feel like I knew her. Hugs…..
I am so sorry. She was such a good dog and I’m so happy she found a wonderful, loving home.
Last August I suddenly lost my chocolate lab (he was almost 10). He was acting strange so my husband took him to the vet. Turns out it was cancer, something had burst, and he was bleeding internally. We lost him so fast. Even today I still look for him and I break down and cry. My heart still hurts. This grief has been a beast.
I feel every word of this with my whole heart. At least we know when it’s our turn, we’re gonna have a huge jiggly slobbering happy pack waiting to greet us.
I’m so sorry to hear that, Wil. My wife and I used to very much enjoy Marlowe Monday, before we quit Social Media. Marlowe was such a lovely girl, who made Anne and yourself happy, which was more than enough for any Dog, but she made all of us out here in interwebland happy as well and that just made her even more awesome. Having just lost our Cat-of-19-years, 2 weeks ago, we also very much sympathise with the “empty house and broken heart” you’re having to deal with right now. It’s horrible, to hate your own home, because every single thing in it, which was previously a source joy, now reminds you of who is now missing from your life. As you know though, from losing Seamus, it gets easier to bear (but you never forget). Chin up. She wouldn’t want you to be sad. And I hope you eventually feel you can offer another animal a loving home (it’s not replacing them! You can never replace them!), because you are clearly some of the best pet-parents out there and it would be a crime to deny that to some lucky pupper.
Lymphoma sucks. 😞
Hi Will. These times are so hard, and we never have enough time with them. I want to share a poem with you now. All the hugs, love, and healing energy are coming your way.
“Another Tail”
for a grieving friend
I’ve walked that road where silence falls,
Where empty bowls and beds recall
The gentle soul, the loving face,
Now, only memory in this place.
I know the ache, the hollow sound
Of paws no longer on the ground.
It’s not betrayal to love anew;
It’s what your dear one’d want for you.
For love like yours is rare and kind,
A gift no dog would leave behind.
They’d nudge you forward, soft and low:
“Another waits; you’re needed so.”
So, when you’re ready, take your heart,
Still aching, but not torn apart,
And share it with a friend in need;
A wag, a look, a hopeful plea.
It won’t replace, it won’t erase,
But joy can bloom in grief’s own place.
Another tail, another name,
Another heart to fan love’s flame.
Hugs to you both. I still miss our various greyhounds, including some of the fosters we didn’t keep (we flunked Fostering 101 not just once, but 3 times). I’ve had cats much longer, and miss many of them as well. At this late date in my life, I’m unlikely to acquire more pets, as I don’t want to risk leaving them stranded when it’s my turn to go. I still have three middle aged cats, and hope I outlast them, though not by too much.
I lost my heart dog 2 yrs ago next month. same, an aggressive cancer that took her in weeks. I was devastated. and 3 days later my husband got me a puppy I didn’t want and wasn’t ready for. and that puppy slowly healed my heart with every silly roll in the grass and every snuggle in bed at night.
it is a covenant we make when we choose to love a dog, that we are signing up for loss. but we do it because of all the love we get and are able to give while they are here.
love you wil.
When I got my dog, Jackson, I knew that he would eventually teach me about grief. When he made it clear that it was time for him to go, I was fine…until I walked down the stairs the day after and saw his food bowl and lost it. That was over 20 years ago and I have, from time to time, been aware that he was with me. What I learned is that grief comes as a wave and the wave comes less frequently with time. It’s been years since the last wave, but every once in a while I feel the wave, am sad in the moment and then I’m fine. I’m sorry for your loss.
Hugs.
I’m so, so sorry for the loss of your lovely pibble. Take some time to heal, do some volunteering or fundraising for the shelter, and wait for the Pupper/Doggo Distribution System to kick in.
Sweet, sweet Marlowe. I’m so sorry she’s gone. Love you and Anne. holding you both in my heart.
They always take a piece of our hearts with them.
Sending you and Anne so much love as you grieve losing Marlowe. It is one of the hardest things to navigate.
I lost my Bailey girl in 2014 (rather suddenly), and I know what you mean when you say you’re good, and then suddenly, you’re not. It does get better, but I don’t think we ever stop missing them.
Again, my heart is with both of you. I hope her memory brings you comfort.
So very sorry for your loss. They give us so much and ask for so very little in return. I lost my boy almost a year ago and I miss him so much. Thank you for sharing Marlowe with us. You were the best dog Dad to her. She only ever knew love. Big hugs.
I am so very sorry for your loss.
Peace and Love to you and yours.
Sending love and healing vibes to you and Anne in the loss of your sweet baby Marlowe 🐾❤️🩹🌈 you carry her whole lifetime of memories in your hearts
I am so sorry for your loss. It sounds like Marlowe was the best girl. Sending you and your family healing energy during this difficult time.
Regards,
Justin
I’ve lost my husband, my parents, and two of my three sisters… and I still grieve the loss of my pets along with them. Family is family.
My heart goes out to you. May her memory be a blessing.
Very sorry for your loss. 🥺🫂
My condolences, Wil. The hole that is left in our lives when we lose on of our furry companions is immense. I am going through something similar; we have cats, and one of our babies has a very aggressive breast cancer that is not treatable without an extreme loss of quality of life. We are preparing for the moment when we need to say goodbye, and it is not easy by any means.
Oh Wil and Anne, this is so heartbreaking. I’m so sorry for you both. Marlowe has been such a big party of yours and everyone that enjoyed Marlowe Mondays as well. I feared the worst when we didn’t see her every week. I grieve with you 😭😭😭. May her memory be a blessing
HUGS You always miss your pets. I hope it doesn’t stop you from getting another dog when the time is right.
I’m so sorry to hear this! Please know you are in our thoughts – losing a pet is the hardest thing.
So sorry for your loss.
As I read this, I am surrounded by three of my 4 fur babies and I have a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. I have gone through the same grief you are experiencing, and it does get easier. Not better but easier. You will be able to remember her without breaking down and only get misty eyed.
Oh Will, I am so very sorry. I understand; my Trigger was my soul Kittie & I expect Marlowe was your soul Pittie. The pain is so very real. I wish you, both, Peace, Comfort & Healing. Sending love from Virginia.
So sorry for your loss Wil & Anne. I’m so glad you’ve shared your furry family with us. I currently have 2 dogs and a cat. My cat is a senior and she’s dealing with more than one life threatening condition. Somehow she’s still here over a year later, but I know how it goes. Take care.
Hugs and strength to your family. Hail the traveler of the rainbow bridge.
I’m so very sorry for your loss. I will certainly miss Marlowe Mondays. We lost our heart dog, Jax, way back in 2015 due to a rare tumor growing against his pericardium. It sucked then and it still sucks now. No matter how long you get with dogs it’s never long enough.
Six weeks ago, our younger dog, Nox, ruptured a disc in his spine. He made it through surgery but has not regained the ability to walk. He started PT this week, and we are hoping for a miracle for our sweet boy, as he is only 5.
I knew, as soon as I saw the title and the first word in your post (I use an rss feed reader that doesn’t show me the photos) I knew it was Marlowe. I’m so sorry. My Julius has been gone for 12.5 years and I still miss him, so your title rang so true and without an ounce of hyperbole. Sending warmest thoughts to you and Anne. Thank you for sharing Marlowe with us all these years.
This is a beautiful tribute to your beautiful girl. And while there really are no words that will lessen your pain, I just want to send my condolences. Marlowe experienced true love in this world because of you and Anne and the rest of your pack. Bless you for that. And even though it’s just words, they come from the heart, I am very sorry for your family’s loss. I hope that your happy memories will bring you comfort and that you can all comfort each other through this immense loss.
My condolences on your loss. Hugs to you both. They fill our hearts and take a piece with them when they go.