Last Thursday, we were 99.9 percent sure our 16-year-old dog, Dot, was dying. She refused food, stood wobbly like a newborn fawn and remained listless most of the weekend — staring off hazy-eyed into a far away world we couldn’t see. Her condition came on the heels of some hellish Valentine’s Day carpet pooping-misadventures and weeks of strange behavior, so this “end” seemed par for the course. My husband and I have been on enough doggie hospice patrols in our life to know what it looks like when a beloved pet’s rainbow bridge-crossing is imminent. We were at peace with this crossing, and honestly, relieved that we would be released from the purgatory of senior dog caregiving. It’s been exhausting, 24-7 and unpredictable, like having a new puppy, but without the yummy breath and warm snuggles.

We were so sure, we called the adulting kids and let them Facetime with Dot — to say goodbye to the family dog who had been their four-legged sibling since they were in the third and first grades. There were tears. Our son left work early to bid her adieu. We shared funny pictures of her on our family group text and gave her some extra love and attention. We told friends and family this was it. Dot was a gone-er. Sniff. But it was for the best.

The next day, she was back — like a freaking, canine wrecking ball. Gone were the death stares and trembling legs. Dot had her eyes on a different future. She drank more water, she demanded food. Climb the stairs to “change the clothes” with Father? Not a problem. Too skinny? So what. Frail? Forget about it. Dot gave that colorful bridge in the distance a middle dew claw and decided she still had some living to do. We were so wrong! The most wrongest and most worstest death-predicting doggie owners ever!

Now we’re back to more poop accidents and pee pee pads and special food preparation and worst, doggie diapers. I do more daily laundry than I did when there were teenagers in the house. All because this sweet dog is not ready to go yet. And I have to respect that. Dot is on her own schedule, and we cannot influence, predict or control that. Rainbow bridge-crossings elicit colorful moments, challenges and experiences — good ones and bad, really bad, ones. But it’s not to be predicted or calculated. That’s in somebody else’s paws.