We lost our dog Keiko this afternoon. She'd been sick for a while, but had been feeling better. Only ten years old. She stopped eating this morning and the look in her eyes - just not happy anymore. I helped move her from the sun to the shade after lunch and she put her head down and started panting very hard. My husband called the vet, but before we could take her in, she seemed to go to sleep. With a dog smile on her face.
Sad, but she got to die in her own back yard in the arms of somebody telling her sweet things and rubbing her head. My friend Joe says we would all be lucky to go like that.
We lost our dog Keiko this afternoon. She'd been sick for a while, but had been feeling better. Only ten years old. She stopped eating this morning and the look in her eyes - just not happy anymore. I helped move her from the sun to the shade after lunch and she put her head down and started panting very hard. My husband called the vet, but before we could take her in, she seemed to go to sleep. With a dog smile on her face.
Sad, but she got to die in her own back yard in the arms of somebody telling her sweet things and rubbing her head. My friend Joe says we would all be lucky to go like that.
I'll post a picture later.
Sorry to hear this!
1995 San Francisco San Jose
San Diego 2 shows
2003 Missoula
2005 Missoula
2006 Denver 2 shows with Tom Petty
Gorge 2 shows
2009 Utah
LA1
LA2
2012 Missoula : Meet and Greet : "Instant Classic show"
I'm so sorry, Enkidu. It always hurts to lose a friend like Keiko. She must have been a wonderful dog and had a good life with you all those years. Please post a picture of her when you can.
Thanks for all the kind words. She was a sweetheart of a dog. I forgot to mention she was a rescue and the people who left her at the shelter got rid of her because they said she "chewed their lawn furniture."
We lost our dog Keiko this afternoon. She'd been sick for a while, but had been feeling better. Only ten years old. She stopped eating this morning and the look in her eyes - just not happy anymore. I helped move her from the sun to the shade after lunch and she put her head down and started panting very hard. My husband called the vet, but before we could take her in, she seemed to go to sleep. With a dog smile on her face.
Sad, but she got to die in her own back yard in the arms of somebody telling her sweet things and rubbing her head. My friend Joe says we would all be lucky to go like that.
I'll post a picture later.
I lost my beloved 15 year old Chihuahua on Christmas Day...I know how you're feeling and I'm so sorry! :(
And so the lion fell in love with the lamb...,"
"What a stupid lamb."
"What a sick, masochistic lion."
The loss of a dog is one of the most difficult things to go through in your life...Enkidu and in_hiding_79, my thoughts are with you...how fortunate though that your dog was able to pass away in your arms on her terms - that's actually very beautiful...When our Pinkerton was in her last days, we begged her to go on her own and that it was OK for her to leave us...the day we decided to put her down after some very clear messages from her that she needed help to pass away, she actually died before vet gave her the second dose (he came to our house)...(so she partly got her way right to very end, fiesty little thing she was!)....
And in this very difficult time for you, focus on Keiko's life, not her death - it will be almost impossible to do this, but after about two weeks it gets easier...and also, allow yourself to feel everything you're feeling...don't say things like, "I can't believe I'm so sad...she was just a dog..." and if anyone says anything like that to you, you gotta know that they just don't understand that bond and they're the ones who are missing out...
When our dog died, I came on her and cried about her -- and the support I got from others was just incredible. Remember that you can come back and post about your pooch (and you in_hiding_709) whenever you want...The people here are great!!
We lost our dog Keiko this afternoon. She'd been sick for a while, but had been feeling better. Only ten years old. She stopped eating this morning and the look in her eyes - just not happy anymore. I helped move her from the sun to the shade after lunch and she put her head down and started panting very hard. My husband called the vet, but before we could take her in, she seemed to go to sleep. With a dog smile on her face.
Sad, but she got to die in her own back yard in the arms of somebody telling her sweet things and rubbing her head. My friend Joe says we would all be lucky to go like that.
I'll post a picture later.
SENROCK! would like to say:
"Enkidu....big hugs to you! I, as well as a couple others in this thread, totally feel your pain because we've been thru it. Its never easy to handle. EVER. The good from this is that she went to join our doggies with a SMILE on her face!!!! I cant say i've heard that in here before! I hope to see pics of Keiko in here soon because as long as this thread is here, all our doggies are still ALIVE in our hearts and spirits!!!"
I also lost my golden retriever in late 2007.He was awesome
We lost our dog Keiko this afternoon. She'd been sick for a while, but had been feeling better. Only ten years old. She stopped eating this morning and the look in her eyes - just not happy anymore. I helped move her from the sun to the shade after lunch and she put her head down and started panting very hard. My husband called the vet, but before we could take her in, she seemed to go to sleep. With a dog smile on her face.
Sad, but she got to die in her own back yard in the arms of somebody telling her sweet things and rubbing her head. My friend Joe says we would all be lucky to go like that.
I'll post a picture later.
I lost my beloved 15 year old Chihuahua on Christmas Day...I know how you're feeling and I'm so sorry! :(
AWWWWWWWWWW!!!! Thats real tough. I remember my dog Sonny use to help me open my presents
So sorry for your loss of Keiko. It isn't easy to lose those we love so much. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
~*LIVE~LOVE~LAUGH*~
*May the Peace of the Wilderness be with YOU*
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
— Unknown
So very sorry to hear about Keiko I've been through this in the past year and I know it's awful. At least Keiko got to "go" at home, with the people she loved. These words hit home with me:
If you ever love an animal, there are three days in your life you will always remember. The first is a day, blessed with happiness, when you bring home your new friend. You may have spent weeks deciding on a breed. You may have asked opinions of many friends or done research finding a breeder. Or, in a fleeting moment, you may have chosen that silly looking mutt at the shelter, simply because something in its eyes reached your heart. But when you bring that chosen pet home, and watch it explore…when you feel it brush against you for the first time, it instills a feeling of pure love you will carry with you through many years to come.
The second day will occur years later. It will be a day like any other. Routine and unexceptional. But, for a surprising instant, you will look at your longtime friend and see age where you once saw youth. You will see slow deliberate steps where you saw energy. You will see sleep where you once saw activity. You will begin to adjust your friend’s diet and you may add a pill to her food. And, you may feel a growing uneasy feeling until the third day arrives.
On this day, if your friend or your higher being has not decided for you, then you will be faced with making a decision of your own on behalf of your lifelong friend. Whichever way your friend leaves you, you will feel as alone as a single star in the dark night.
If you are wise, you will let the tears flow freely as they must. If you are typical, you will find that not many family and friends will be able to understand your grief. But, if you are true to the love of the pet you cherished through many joy-filled years, you may find that a soul, smaller in size than your own, seems to walk with you at times, during the lonely days to come. At those moments when you least expect anything out of the ordinary, you may feel something brush against your leg. And, looking down at the place where your dear friend used to lie… you will remember those three significant days. The memory will be painful. As time passes, the ache will come and go. You will reject it and embrace it and it may confuse you. If you reject it, it will depress you. If you embrace it, it will deepen you. Either way, it will still be an ache.
But, there will be a forth day when, along with the memory of your pet, and piercing through the heaviness in your heart, there will come a realization that belongs only to you. It will be as unique and strong as our relationship with the pet we have loved and lost. This realization takes the form of a Living Love, like the heavenly scent of a rose. This Love will remain and grow, and will be there for us to remember. It is a love we have earned. It’s the legacy our pets leave us when they go… and it’s a gift we keep with us as long as we live. And until we leave, perhaps to join our beloved pets, it is a Love we will always possess.
Hang in there and remember the good times.
If I had known then what I know now...
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
I don't know what I would have done without the message pit. You guys are so great. Someone sent me this, it could already be in this thread, but I thought it was super. I realize now my friend who sent it changed the "he" to "she." It's by Mary Oliver:
LITTLE DOGS RHAPSODY IN THE NIGHT
She puts her cheek against mine
and makes small, expressive sounds.
And when I'm awake, or awake enough
she turns upside down, her four paws
in the air
and her eyes dark and fervent.
Tell me you love me, she says.
Tell me again.
Could there be a sweeter arrangement?
Over and over
she gets to ask it.
I get to tell.
I don't know what I would have done without the message pit. You guys are so great.
Exactly how I felt when I lost this sweet little girl :
Damn, I still get choked up looking at this picture.
If I had known then what I know now...
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
The loss of a dog is one of the most difficult things to go through in your life...Enkidu and in_hiding_79, my thoughts are with you...how fortunate though that your dog was able to pass away in your arms on her terms - that's actually very beautiful...When our Pinkerton was in her last days, we begged her to go on her own and that it was OK for her to leave us...the day we decided to put her down after some very clear messages from her that she needed help to pass away, she actually died before vet gave her the second dose (he came to our house)...(so she partly got her way right to very end, fiesty little thing she was!)....
And in this very difficult time for you, focus on Keiko's life, not her death - it will be almost impossible to do this, but after about two weeks it gets easier...and also, allow yourself to feel everything you're feeling...don't say things like, "I can't believe I'm so sad...she was just a dog..." and if anyone says anything like that to you, you gotta know that they just don't understand that bond and they're the ones who are missing out...
When our dog died, I came on her and cried about her -- and the support I got from others was just incredible. Remember that you can come back and post about your pooch (and you in_hiding_709) whenever you want...The people here are great!!
Take care, OK?
Thank you very much, I just had a huge crying spell about an hour ago...my heart has a hole in it. I don't think it will EVER heal! :(
And so the lion fell in love with the lamb...,"
"What a stupid lamb."
"What a sick, masochistic lion."
Thank you very much, I just had a huge crying spell about an hour ago...my heart has a hole in it. I don't think it will EVER heal! :(
It will heal. We lost our Golden in 2008. I was a mess..........but now I'm at the point where I remember all the goofy stuff she used to do. I still miss her but I don't mourn anymore. It's more like I celebrate her memory.
We have a new dog and she helps a lot. It's the cycle of life.....
If I had known then what I know now...
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
I lost two of my dogs in a three month period, it was horrible, the only way I survived all that pain was to get Petey. He healed my heart and although I will always miss my other boys, Petey keeps me so busy and in the moment, that there is never time for tears. Grieving is a personal journey with no time table. Be good to yourself and take it one day at a time.
~*LIVE~LOVE~LAUGH*~
*May the Peace of the Wilderness be with YOU*
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
— Unknown
When you bring a pet into your life, you begin a journey - a journey
that will bring you more love and devotion than you have ever known,
yet also test your strength and courage.
If you allow, the journey will teach you many things, about life,
about yourself, and most of all, about love. You will come away
changed forever, for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its
mark. Along the way, you will learn much about savoring life's simple
pleasures - jumping in leaves, snoozing in the sun, the joys of
puddles, and even the satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears.
If you spend much time outside, you will be taught how to truly
experience every element, for no rock, leaf, or log will go
unexamined, no rustling bush will be overlooked, and even the very air
will be inhaled, pondered, and noted as being full of valuable
information. Your pace may be slower - except when heading home to the
food dish - but you will become a better naturalist, having been taught by an expert in the field.
Too many times we hike on automatic pilot, our goal being to complete
the trail rather than enjoy the journey. We miss the details - the
colorful mushrooms on the rotting log, the honeycomb in the old maple
snag, the hawk feather caught on a twig. Once we walk as a dog does,
we see a whole new world. We stop; we browse the landscape, we kick
over leaves, peek in tree holes, look up, down, all around. And we
learn what any dog knows: that nature has created a marvelously
complex world that is full of surprises, that each cycle of the
seasons bring ever changing wonders, each day an essence all its own.
Even from indoors you will find yourself more attuned to the world
around you. You will find yourself watching summer insects collecting
on a screen. (How bizarre they are! How many kinds there are!), or
noting the flick and flash of fireflies through the dark. You will
stop to observe the swirling dance of windblown leaves, or sniff the
air after a rain. It does not matter that there is no objective in
this; the point is in the doing, in not letting life's most important
details slip by.
You will find yourself doing silly things that your pet-less friends
might not understand: spending thirty minutes in the grocery aisle
looking for the cat food brand your feline must have, buying dog
birthday treats, or driving around the block an extra time because
your pet enjoys the ride. You will roll in the snow, wrestle with
chewy toys, bounce little rubber balls till your eyes cross, and even
run around the house trailing your bathrobe tie - with a cat in hot
pursuit - all in the name of love.
Your house will become muddier and hairier. You will wear less dark
clothing and buy more lint rollers. You may find dog biscuits in your
pocket or purse, and feel the need to explain that an old plastic
shopping bag adorns your living room rug because your cat loves the crinkly sound.
You will learn the true measure of love - the steadfast, undying kind
that says, "It doesn't matter where we are or what we do, or how life
treats us as long as we are together." Respect this always. It is the
most precious gift any living soul can give another. You will not find
it often among the human race.
And you will learn humility. The look in my dog's eyes often made me
feel ashamed. Such joy and love at my presence. She saw not some
flawed human who could be cross and stubborn, moody or rude, but only
her wonderful companion. Or maybe she saw those things and dismissed
them as mere human foibles, not worth considering, and so chose to love me anyway.
If you pay attention and learn well, when the journey is done, you
will be not just a better person, but the person your pet always knew
you to be - the one they were proud to call beloved friend.
I must caution you that this journey is not without pain. Like all
paths of true love, the pain is part of loving. For as surely as the
sun sets, one day your dear animal companion will follow a trail you
cannot yet go down.
And you will have to find the strength and love to let them go. A
pet's time on earth is far too short - especially for those that love
them. We borrow them, really, just for a while, and during these brief
years they are generous enough to give us all their love, every inch
of their spirit and heart, until one day there is nothing left.
The cat that only yesterday was a kitten is all too soon old and frail
and sleeping in the sun. The young pup of boundless energy wakes up
stiff and lame, the muzzle now gray. Deep down we somehow always
knew that journey would end. We knew that if we gave our hearts
they would be broken.
But give them we must for it is all they ask in return. When the time
comes, and the road curves ahead to a place we cannot see, we give one
final gift and let them run on ahead - young and whole once more.
"Godspeed, good friend," we say, until our journey comes full circle
and our paths cross again.
~*LIVE~LOVE~LAUGH*~
*May the Peace of the Wilderness be with YOU*
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
— Unknown
I still miss Pinker (it's been three years) and I have to confess, the hurt does not go away. But my other doggies get more hugs and cuddles when I feel that way...I know I did not end her life. I gave her the best life possible...(and she had quite the life, let me tell you)...dear sweet Pinker...
Petey's new Palisades Pack II We hope to do some backpacking this coming Summer.
~*LIVE~LOVE~LAUGH*~
*May the Peace of the Wilderness be with YOU*
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
— Unknown
So very sorry to hear about Keiko I've been through this in the past year and I know it's awful. At least Keiko got to "go" at home, with the people she loved. These words hit home with me:
If you ever love an animal, there are three days in your life you will always remember. The first is a day, blessed with happiness, when you bring home your new friend. You may have spent weeks deciding on a breed. You may have asked opinions of many friends or done research finding a breeder. Or, in a fleeting moment, you may have chosen that silly looking mutt at the shelter, simply because something in its eyes reached your heart. But when you bring that chosen pet home, and watch it explore…when you feel it brush against you for the first time, it instills a feeling of pure love you will carry with you through many years to come.
The second day will occur years later. It will be a day like any other. Routine and unexceptional. But, for a surprising instant, you will look at your longtime friend and see age where you once saw youth. You will see slow deliberate steps where you saw energy. You will see sleep where you once saw activity. You will begin to adjust your friend’s diet and you may add a pill to her food. And, you may feel a growing uneasy feeling until the third day arrives.
On this day, if your friend or your higher being has not decided for you, then you will be faced with making a decision of your own on behalf of your lifelong friend. Whichever way your friend leaves you, you will feel as alone as a single star in the dark night.
If you are wise, you will let the tears flow freely as they must. If you are typical, you will find that not many family and friends will be able to understand your grief. But, if you are true to the love of the pet you cherished through many joy-filled years, you may find that a soul, smaller in size than your own, seems to walk with you at times, during the lonely days to come. At those moments when you least expect anything out of the ordinary, you may feel something brush against your leg. And, looking down at the place where your dear friend used to lie… you will remember those three significant days. The memory will be painful. As time passes, the ache will come and go. You will reject it and embrace it and it may confuse you. If you reject it, it will depress you. If you embrace it, it will deepen you. Either way, it will still be an ache.
But, there will be a forth day when, along with the memory of your pet, and piercing through the heaviness in your heart, there will come a realization that belongs only to you. It will be as unique and strong as our relationship with the pet we have loved and lost. This realization takes the form of a Living Love, like the heavenly scent of a rose. This Love will remain and grow, and will be there for us to remember. It is a love we have earned. It’s the legacy our pets leave us when they go… and it’s a gift we keep with us as long as we live. And until we leave, perhaps to join our beloved pets, it is a Love we will always possess.
Hang in there and remember the good times.
This is one of the best things I have ever read about the loss of a pet. It really touched my heart.
Reading all these posts last night about the different dogs the some of you have lost was very moving to me. It made me think of all the different dogs that I've been lucky enough to have own me and how much I still miss them from time to time. We lost our dog Pete in February 2008. He was a sheltie and he was just great, so sweet and easygoing.
Pete always had to be wherever we were. My husband likes to restore old cars and several years ago he bought this Austin Healey Sprite to fix up. After he got it home he was taking pictures of it so he could have some "before" and "after" shots. When he finished he noticed that Pete was in every picture:
Pete would come around and visit Glenn whenever he was working on the car so we always said that Pete had really cool taste in cars.
before the two troublemakers I have now I had a Boxer named Kostya(After a Russian/Aussie Boxer Kostya Tszyu). He was my Mum's side kick. She'd walk him at least once a day, sometimes twice. And not just a little walk either. One time Mum fell and we had to go get her and she was a about 4 miles from home!!(She was 75 at the time) She'd fallen and broke her ankle and Kostya wouldn't let anyone near her. A women that came to help her had to stand at a distance and ring the ambulance. Thankfully Mum got her ring us as well and we got there before the Ambulance turned up and got him on his lead. Mum was diagnosed with alzheimers about ten years ago. About five years ago she started to forget where she was when she was out walking him. But he'd get her home everytime. Mum would let him off the lead but he'd always wait for her and never be out of eyeshot of her until they were home. He died about 4 years ago and was sadly missed. Mum has never been the same since.
Ok so i think i got this down now, here are some pics. They are older pics, have not loaded the new ones to the puter yet. I am proud to say that she was in the DEEP issue.
Post edited by PJ_ROCKS on
1995 San Francisco San Jose
San Diego 2 shows
2003 Missoula
2005 Missoula
2006 Denver 2 shows with Tom Petty
Gorge 2 shows
2009 Utah
LA1
LA2
2012 Missoula : Meet and Greet : "Instant Classic show"
That poem killed me....I'm crying like crazy, but it was beautiful! All these doggies are gorgeous and we are all lucky to have/had these special babies.....I love them all!
And so the lion fell in love with the lamb...,"
"What a stupid lamb."
"What a sick, masochistic lion."
We lost our dog Pete in February 2008. He was a sheltie and he was just great, so sweet and easygoing.
Pete always had to be wherever we were. My husband likes to restore old cars and several years ago he bought this Austin Healey Sprite to fix up. After he got it home he was taking pictures of it so he could have some "before" and "after" shots. When he finished he noticed that Pete was in every picture:
Pete would come around and visit Glenn whenever he was working on the car so we always said that Pete had really cool taste in cars.
AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!! Petey looked like a real Sweetey . There's nothing like a dog that always wants to be by your side. It's so quiet when they're not around :( .
If I had known then what I know now...
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
norm caught a lizard today....didn't need to see the still moving detached tail flipping around :shock:
Norm (the dog) is soooooooooo bad ass!
If I had known then what I know now...
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!! Petey looked like a real Sweetey . There's nothing like a dog that always wants to be by your side. It's so quiet when they're not around :( .
Gracie has decided that under the bed is a good place for a nap . She turns one on the 15th!
If I had known then what I know now...
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Comments
oh i am so sorry...and she was very lucky
Sorry to hear this!
1995 San Francisco
San Jose
San Diego 2 shows
2003 Missoula
2005 Missoula
2006 Denver 2 shows with Tom Petty
Gorge 2 shows
2009 Utah
LA1
LA2
2012 Missoula : Meet and Greet : "Instant Classic show"
2013 Portland
Spokane
2018 Missoula
I lost my beloved 15 year old Chihuahua on Christmas Day...I know how you're feeling and I'm so sorry! :(
"What a stupid lamb."
"What a sick, masochistic lion."
And in this very difficult time for you, focus on Keiko's life, not her death - it will be almost impossible to do this, but after about two weeks it gets easier...and also, allow yourself to feel everything you're feeling...don't say things like, "I can't believe I'm so sad...she was just a dog..." and if anyone says anything like that to you, you gotta know that they just don't understand that bond and they're the ones who are missing out...
When our dog died, I came on her and cried about her -- and the support I got from others was just incredible. Remember that you can come back and post about your pooch (and you in_hiding_709) whenever you want...The people here are great!!
Take care, OK?
SENROCK! would like to say:
"Enkidu....big hugs to you! I, as well as a couple others in this thread, totally feel your pain because we've been thru it. Its never easy to handle. EVER. The good from this is that she went to join our doggies with a SMILE on her face!!!! I cant say i've heard that in here before! I hope to see pics of Keiko in here soon because as long as this thread is here, all our doggies are still ALIVE in our hearts and spirits!!!"
I also lost my golden retriever in late 2007.He was awesome
AWWWWWWWWWW!!!! Thats real tough. I remember my dog Sonny use to help me open my presents
*May the Peace of the Wilderness be with YOU*
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
— Unknown
If you ever love an animal, there are three days in your life you will always remember. The first is a day, blessed with happiness, when you bring home your new friend. You may have spent weeks deciding on a breed. You may have asked opinions of many friends or done research finding a breeder. Or, in a fleeting moment, you may have chosen that silly looking mutt at the shelter, simply because something in its eyes reached your heart. But when you bring that chosen pet home, and watch it explore…when you feel it brush against you for the first time, it instills a feeling of pure love you will carry with you through many years to come.
The second day will occur years later. It will be a day like any other. Routine and unexceptional. But, for a surprising instant, you will look at your longtime friend and see age where you once saw youth. You will see slow deliberate steps where you saw energy. You will see sleep where you once saw activity. You will begin to adjust your friend’s diet and you may add a pill to her food. And, you may feel a growing uneasy feeling until the third day arrives.
On this day, if your friend or your higher being has not decided for you, then you will be faced with making a decision of your own on behalf of your lifelong friend. Whichever way your friend leaves you, you will feel as alone as a single star in the dark night.
If you are wise, you will let the tears flow freely as they must. If you are typical, you will find that not many family and friends will be able to understand your grief. But, if you are true to the love of the pet you cherished through many joy-filled years, you may find that a soul, smaller in size than your own, seems to walk with you at times, during the lonely days to come. At those moments when you least expect anything out of the ordinary, you may feel something brush against your leg. And, looking down at the place where your dear friend used to lie… you will remember those three significant days. The memory will be painful. As time passes, the ache will come and go. You will reject it and embrace it and it may confuse you. If you reject it, it will depress you. If you embrace it, it will deepen you. Either way, it will still be an ache.
But, there will be a forth day when, along with the memory of your pet, and piercing through the heaviness in your heart, there will come a realization that belongs only to you. It will be as unique and strong as our relationship with the pet we have loved and lost. This realization takes the form of a Living Love, like the heavenly scent of a rose. This Love will remain and grow, and will be there for us to remember. It is a love we have earned. It’s the legacy our pets leave us when they go… and it’s a gift we keep with us as long as we live. And until we leave, perhaps to join our beloved pets, it is a Love we will always possess.
Hang in there and remember the good times.
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
LITTLE DOGS RHAPSODY IN THE NIGHT
She puts her cheek against mine
and makes small, expressive sounds.
And when I'm awake, or awake enough
she turns upside down, her four paws
in the air
and her eyes dark and fervent.
Tell me you love me, she says.
Tell me again.
Could there be a sweeter arrangement?
Over and over
she gets to ask it.
I get to tell.
Exactly how I felt when I lost this sweet little girl
Damn, I still get choked up looking at this picture.
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Thank you very much, I just had a huge crying spell about an hour ago...my heart has a hole in it. I don't think it will EVER heal! :(
"What a stupid lamb."
"What a sick, masochistic lion."
It will heal. We lost our Golden in 2008. I was a mess..........but now I'm at the point where I remember all the goofy stuff she used to do. I still miss her but I don't mourn anymore. It's more like I celebrate her memory.
We have a new dog and she helps a lot. It's the cycle of life.....
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
*May the Peace of the Wilderness be with YOU*
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
— Unknown
When you bring a pet into your life, you begin a journey - a journey
that will bring you more love and devotion than you have ever known,
yet also test your strength and courage.
If you allow, the journey will teach you many things, about life,
about yourself, and most of all, about love. You will come away
changed forever, for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its
mark. Along the way, you will learn much about savoring life's simple
pleasures - jumping in leaves, snoozing in the sun, the joys of
puddles, and even the satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears.
If you spend much time outside, you will be taught how to truly
experience every element, for no rock, leaf, or log will go
unexamined, no rustling bush will be overlooked, and even the very air
will be inhaled, pondered, and noted as being full of valuable
information. Your pace may be slower - except when heading home to the
food dish - but you will become a better naturalist, having been taught by an expert in the field.
Too many times we hike on automatic pilot, our goal being to complete
the trail rather than enjoy the journey. We miss the details - the
colorful mushrooms on the rotting log, the honeycomb in the old maple
snag, the hawk feather caught on a twig. Once we walk as a dog does,
we see a whole new world. We stop; we browse the landscape, we kick
over leaves, peek in tree holes, look up, down, all around. And we
learn what any dog knows: that nature has created a marvelously
complex world that is full of surprises, that each cycle of the
seasons bring ever changing wonders, each day an essence all its own.
Even from indoors you will find yourself more attuned to the world
around you. You will find yourself watching summer insects collecting
on a screen. (How bizarre they are! How many kinds there are!), or
noting the flick and flash of fireflies through the dark. You will
stop to observe the swirling dance of windblown leaves, or sniff the
air after a rain. It does not matter that there is no objective in
this; the point is in the doing, in not letting life's most important
details slip by.
You will find yourself doing silly things that your pet-less friends
might not understand: spending thirty minutes in the grocery aisle
looking for the cat food brand your feline must have, buying dog
birthday treats, or driving around the block an extra time because
your pet enjoys the ride. You will roll in the snow, wrestle with
chewy toys, bounce little rubber balls till your eyes cross, and even
run around the house trailing your bathrobe tie - with a cat in hot
pursuit - all in the name of love.
Your house will become muddier and hairier. You will wear less dark
clothing and buy more lint rollers. You may find dog biscuits in your
pocket or purse, and feel the need to explain that an old plastic
shopping bag adorns your living room rug because your cat loves the crinkly sound.
You will learn the true measure of love - the steadfast, undying kind
that says, "It doesn't matter where we are or what we do, or how life
treats us as long as we are together." Respect this always. It is the
most precious gift any living soul can give another. You will not find
it often among the human race.
And you will learn humility. The look in my dog's eyes often made me
feel ashamed. Such joy and love at my presence. She saw not some
flawed human who could be cross and stubborn, moody or rude, but only
her wonderful companion. Or maybe she saw those things and dismissed
them as mere human foibles, not worth considering, and so chose to love me anyway.
If you pay attention and learn well, when the journey is done, you
will be not just a better person, but the person your pet always knew
you to be - the one they were proud to call beloved friend.
I must caution you that this journey is not without pain. Like all
paths of true love, the pain is part of loving. For as surely as the
sun sets, one day your dear animal companion will follow a trail you
cannot yet go down.
And you will have to find the strength and love to let them go. A
pet's time on earth is far too short - especially for those that love
them. We borrow them, really, just for a while, and during these brief
years they are generous enough to give us all their love, every inch
of their spirit and heart, until one day there is nothing left.
The cat that only yesterday was a kitten is all too soon old and frail
and sleeping in the sun. The young pup of boundless energy wakes up
stiff and lame, the muzzle now gray. Deep down we somehow always
knew that journey would end. We knew that if we gave our hearts
they would be broken.
But give them we must for it is all they ask in return. When the time
comes, and the road curves ahead to a place we cannot see, we give one
final gift and let them run on ahead - young and whole once more.
"Godspeed, good friend," we say, until our journey comes full circle
and our paths cross again.
*May the Peace of the Wilderness be with YOU*
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
— Unknown
I still miss Pinker (it's been three years) and I have to confess, the hurt does not go away. But my other doggies get more hugs and cuddles when I feel that way...I know I did not end her life. I gave her the best life possible...(and she had quite the life, let me tell you)...dear sweet Pinker...
*May the Peace of the Wilderness be with YOU*
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
— Unknown
Reading all these posts last night about the different dogs the some of you have lost was very moving to me. It made me think of all the different dogs that I've been lucky enough to have own me and how much I still miss them from time to time. We lost our dog Pete in February 2008. He was a sheltie and he was just great, so sweet and easygoing.
Pete always had to be wherever we were. My husband likes to restore old cars and several years ago he bought this Austin Healey Sprite to fix up. After he got it home he was taking pictures of it so he could have some "before" and "after" shots. When he finished he noticed that Pete was in every picture:
Pete would come around and visit Glenn whenever he was working on the car so we always said that Pete had really cool taste in cars.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3 ... 1089798192
1995 San Francisco
San Jose
San Diego 2 shows
2003 Missoula
2005 Missoula
2006 Denver 2 shows with Tom Petty
Gorge 2 shows
2009 Utah
LA1
LA2
2012 Missoula : Meet and Greet : "Instant Classic show"
2013 Portland
Spokane
2018 Missoula
"What a stupid lamb."
"What a sick, masochistic lion."
AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!! Petey looked like a real Sweetey
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Norm (the dog) is soooooooooo bad ass!
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
norm does that but it's the couch....