The Day Old Joe Died

I was very little guy , about 5 yrs old, when Dad told us , Old Joe, Dad's old deer dog had died. My first experience in losing a friend by death. What do we do now??  Old Joe was old now, he had hunted for yrs for my Dad and needed a proper burial.  So outside the yard  few yards away was a old log hog pen with no top. I can see that old pen now.  The leaves had fallen for yrs and piled up to make a bed. The pen smelled like old winter leaves.  Just the place I thought Old Joe should be layed to rest.  No one would bother my friend again..  Dad dug a deep hole in the middle of the pen and layed Joe in it just as he lay when he died. The grave was covered that day with the fresh dirt and the leaves that had been there already.  I often visited Joe's grave until one day  we move from there and left Joe there for the ages.