I Forgot Hobbes

I am writing a new novel about a young woman trying to overcome her mother's alcoholism, have a book published, open her heart to a man she needs to forgive, and face the challenge of caring for her niece when her addict sister appears, then disappears. It's a comedy. Just kidding.
Actually, my protagonist is a little fighter and the antagonist is a little clumsy, so putting them together makes for some entertaining twists in all the drama churning around them.
And there is a little dog. A brown curly-haired mutt named Hobbes. I'm on page 200-something and last night I realized (as I drove by myself to P/T conferences listening to Journey's greatest hits) that I had forgotten Hobbes in the last two chapters. I hit the steering wheel. "Hobbes. Oops."
But I had to ask myself (after the experience of being assigned to cut certain characters because of their unneededness... is that a word?) is Hobbes so unimportant that I should cut him?

My answer is... no. I need Hobbes. He is somewhat of a catalyst in several scenes, so he stays. I am so glad. I will be happy to go back and retrieve him. Though he may not be so. I left him on an Oregon beach. He loves chasing those darn seagulls.