Running around the house, Meeko was always filled with life. Meeko was my first dog, a black and white Japanese chin. He was short and covered in fur that shed everywhere. We always heard his little paws sliding across the wood floor. He was already nine, and we had him his whole life and most of mine. As time went on, he seemed to get sick. Coughing filled the rooms of our house. We thought he just had a cold, but the coughs got louder and unbearable to hear. Meeko being this sick just messed with our minds. I could tell he was suffering, but I just wanted him to be his happy self again. The news we got from the vet turned our lives upside down; “Your dog has a heart murmur disease, and he only has about one month to live.” My heart sank when I found out. I thought to myself, “Why him?” The next few months, he got worse and worse. He got skinnier and skinnier. His ribs and his spine poked out of his tiny frame. Deep down, I could tell the suffering was getting unbearable for even him. So six months later, which was way passed the date, we took him to get put to sleep. He started being sicker than ever, and we wanted his suffering to end. Devastation filled my house. He was loved by all of us so much. But, Meeko did live longer than we expected him to, and we were thankful for the extra time we had with him. He was a fighter. Through all the pain and suffering, Meeko hung on for life and didn’t give up. He hung on passed his expected date. Meeko showed that you need to be strong and always try your best even when there is little hope. I miss and love him, but his little paws still run around in my heart.