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Writer's pictureAshley Garrett

Memories of Gatsby

I’ve received a lot of support and advice from instagram friends and I believe something that has stuck with me most is how important it is to write things down. Not just because it’s cathartic, but because memories will fade over time. On the one hand, I need the emotions and memories to become a little fuzzy because the weight is overbearing right now. On the other hand, we never want to consider that memories of our best friend will fade.



The same person who advised me to write as much as I can also suggested that I write letters to Gatsby. I think that’s a good idea. I might publicly post them, I might not. I do like the thought of it living somewhere online forever since writing them on paper could result in being ruined. I’ve already started panicking about his ashes. They will be so important to me when I get them and I have fears of them being knocked over or destroyed in a fire or stolen or lost. Anything physically tangible seems so fragile. Including humans and dogs.


For this post, I wanted to mention some memories I have of him. Honestly, it’s amazing how much I forget to remember already. Like if you asked me to share specific memories of him, it would be tough. It’s hard to make memories with a dog who doesn’t spend much time in the same room as you, but I’ll try to remember by taking my time with writing.




Gatsby was vocal. It was embarrassing to walk him sometimes because he barked at everyone and everything. If I saw people with dogs, we’d head the other way. He wasn’t timid and vocal. He was barking to take charge and possessive over me vocal. For a tiny dog, he would scare people in drive thrus because they’d open the window and see a chihuahua head sticking out and barking at them.


Gatsby knew he needed to go outside to use the bathroom, but he liked to pee on the corners of furniture and on bags sometimes.


Gatsby liked pup cups and ice cream. Most of the time his eyes would get big and bug out a little while he was licking.



Gatsby had pretty teeth.


Gatsby was timid with his sister, Lexi. They got along fine and never fought, but she made it clear when she wanted food and took the lead. He let her go first always.


I worked 3rd shift at Animal Kingdom Lodge for a few months. It probably wasn’t technically allowed, but I used to take my break at the very end of my shift since the night was so slow anyway. I’d go home to get Gatsby because I had missed him so much on a 10 hour shift and we’d drive back to Animal Kingdom Lodge so I could clock out.


I remember seeing Gatsby in the shelter and forever being stunned that I got to adopt him. The shelters don’t get many small dogs in, so they’re hard to come by anyway and he was only a year old, which is a good age too.


I remember actually trying to take Gatsby on a short run once and getting so frustrated because he had to stop every 2 feet to smell stuff or pee.


I remember traveling home to NC with Gatsby and Lexi once and we stayed overnight in a hotel. Gatsby was very situationally sensitive because I vividly remember how uneasy he was in the hotel room.


Gatsby used to stay at Best Friends Pet Care at Walt Disney World when I’d go out of town or had a long day at work. They said he was well behaved, but used the bathroom in his kennel a lot. Every time I picked him up, he would melt into my arms and almost immediately fall asleep like he hadn’t slept in days and was so happy to have me back.


Gatsby also used to stay with my friend, Maria and her family, whom he loved very much. He was much more comfortable there than in a kennel and he got very close with Maria’s husband, Mike. I really do think Gatsby was just a man’s man who preferred men to be friends with.


I’ll forever associate Gatsby with my runDisney and race days. Every time I ran a race, especially distance like a half or full marathon, I’d always dread going home. I knew that before I could sit, shower, heal my chafing wounds, I had to walk Gatsby. I did it and I’d do it 500 times over if given the opportunity.



Gatsby hated going out in the rain and wouldn’t do it. His sister Lexi is the same, but she’s also terrified of thunderstorms. Gatsby wasn’t. He was calm despite thunder and lightening.


I never heard or smelled Gatsby fart. Wish that was the same for my other dogs.


Gatsby drank water very dainty. I could always tell who was at the water bowl just by listening. Gracie is a big dog so obviously she aggressively and loudly sloshes water around. Lexi is pretty quiet, but always rapid like she’s dying of thirst. Gatsby’s water drinking noises were soft and steady. Like yeah, I’m thirsty but even if you took this bowl away… no big deal.


Gatsby liked being in other rooms UNLESS he was forced to. If the door was open, he’d definitely be in another room. But if I accidentally shut him in my bedroom, he would bark and bark and bark. So I’d go open the door, But then he’d just stand there or frustratingly retreat under the bed so I couldn’t get him. And then I’d close the door again because “fine, stay in there!” And then he’d bark again.


I liked taking Gatsby places and leaving him in the car for a minute while I went and got something because he’d be propped up on the side of the car staring out the window watching me walk towards him.



Gatsby hated water and baths.


I can’t remember a time that Gatsby growled at me.


Gatsby and Lexi never played with toys. I did my best to try to “train” them to play, but it just never worked out. I bought toys for Gatsby and they were never used.



Sometimes Gatsby would get so excited to go for walks, he would pull on his collar and choke himself on the walk. These last few months we haven’t used a leash because I was living such a weird schedule. Basically every time I let him out was extremely off hours with no one around so he just went out with me without a leash. I knew he wouldn’t run away ever though. Gatsby also loved to go out, whether it was a walk or just to pee. When I’d walk to the front door, that would get his attention and he would bark and spin.


Speaking of bark and spin, that was his trademark for welcoming me home. Boy, oh boy do I wish I had video of it. Anytime I’d walk in the door, he’d come walking out from wherever he was to meet me and he’d bark and jump and do little half spins. I never doubted his love for me BECAUSE of the way he greeted me. So what he didn’t like to be on my lap? He was excited every time I came home.



Gatsby, more than any other dog I’ve ever seen, loved to lay on the floor on blankets, towels, my clothes, pillows, etc. These past few months, he also started jumping UP into a taller box that was full of stuff and then laying on top of it like he was cozy and king of the castle. I can’t hoard the box forever (or can I?), so I’ll probably take a picture of it soon if that sounds silly, I don’t care.


One time I caught Gatsby standing up against the toilet and drinking from it! Didn’t think I had to worry about that with small dogs.


Gatsby could never make up his mind on if he was afraid to jump off my bed or not. There was a 50% chance that he’d have no problems doing it on his own and then a 50% chance that he would bark and spin at the edge of the bed until I lifted him down like an elevator.



Gatsby went to one of my races once. My ex brought him to the Winter Park 4th of July 5k. He seemed scared around that many people, but wow I loved finishing and seeing him there.



Gatsby didn’t like when I touched his ears or his paws.


Gatsby didn’t like wearing clothes. We tried once and never again.



Gatsby could 100% tell when I was using my camera or taking pictures because he always looked away or ran off. Hmm. Maybe that’s also why I don’t have more pics.


Towards the end, Gatsby had hookworms. We were treating him for that and he HATED the liquid medicine that I had to shoot into the back of his mouth. Gatsby also got better about taking medicine at the end. He was always smart and knew when there was a pill, even if I tried to hide it in peanut butter. So for most of his life, flea medicine and heart worm medicine was tough to give. His heart medicine became easy when I started wrapping it in a piece of Kraft singles cheese. Not the whole slice obviously. It became ritual for me to give him that and Lexi unmedicated cheese before dinner for the past month. He got excited about it and would walk right over to me when I opened the fridge. I can’t believe that only lasted for a month or so.


Gatsby really liked laying in the sun, so I hope he gets to do that now.



Gatsby was pretty good at telling when I was upset and responding to that. Despite not being cuddly, he usually came a little closer when I was crying. I wish he were here now to help.


Sometimes Gatsby would lick my sweat or shower water off my body. It was annoying and gross at the time, but... I miss it.


Thanks for being here, Gatsby. You're missed so much. Over the rainbow bridge is so much further away than the other room.


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