It would be Cocoa's, my beautiful chocolate Labrador's, birthday today. The last one that I thought she would ever get to have. Unfortunately she has been incredibly ill and didn't make it and had to be put down last Friday.

She would have been 9 today, 63 in dog years, and I have had her since she was a pup. I still remember the day we got her. My brother and I got into the car having no clue where we were going. "On a magical mystery tour" according to my mum. But about 2 hours later we were back home with the most beautiful puppy you have ever seen. Everything about her was perfect. She sat on my mums lap, staring at me the whole time and I fell in love with her instantly.

She was a huge part of our lives. She was the brightest but she had the most lovely nature. She never barked. In fact I didn't even know she could bark until someone bought me one of those big balloons for my birthday one year and oh boy she didn't like that! I had to keep it upstairs in my bedroom away from her. All she wanted was to be loved and as she got older and grew, she wasn't quite aware of how big she was getting and would still try to scramble up onto your lap, crushing you with her elbows in the process. She didn't really like to sit on the floor, she liked to be high up with everybody else and would either sit on your lap, try and get on the table or the little poof that we had in the corner.

We moved house in the summer holiday before we started year 7 and I hated it. I had only lived in one house for my entire life and I hate change. It was then made 100 times worse because I found out that we would be renting and our landlord wouldn't allow dogs. Cocoa then went to live with my Nanna and Granddad in Lincolnshire and I didn't see her as much after that. Only really on birthdays or if we went to visit. I didn't sleep at all on our first night at the new house. I cried my eyes out just wanting to go downstairs and cuddle Cocoa.

She was my best friend for many years. I was bullied a lot in primary school and no matter how bad my day was, she made it better. These battered and blurry old photos are all I have left of her. I will miss her forever and I can't get over how suddenly it all came about.

Take care you daft old dog.

Ciara x