17 years of age.
'Dog' was a labrador-cross. We don't know what she was exactly, even the Vet
couldn't tell us. We were told she had Rottweiller in her, and a few other breeds.
She was one of a kind. The most gentlest dog around. Her personality was wonderful.
The reason we called her 'dog' was because my husband at the time, found her on
the side of the road, near where he worked. (We think she was about 3 years old,
and she had just had a litter of puppies. She still had milk. We advertised that
we had found her, but no-one showed. We felt that she was dumped.) Anyway, because
she was somebody's pet at one stage, and we didn't know her name, we decided to call
her 'dog' as that is what she was. (hubby's idea...lol)
Dog and Cara got along famously, Cara being the boss. Dog followed her around and
learnt funny little things off Cara. All Dog wanted to do was please us. She needed
to be loved and she was.
We couldn't understand how people could dump such a wonderful, kind, gentle dog.
In August 1998, my hubby left me and we had to choose our 'children'. I had my two
Great Danes. I had to leave Dog with hubby. That was so hard and I missed her
like crazy. I was told that he would bring her around for me to see,
but it never happened.
I had already lost my little Cara by this time.
Just before Christmas, 2000, my ex rang me and told me that Dog had passed away
in her sleep. She had cancer. He told me that she didn't suffer.
All the time while talking to him on the phone, I was crying. I would have liked to
have said goodbye to her and been there for her.
' Dog, I loved you. You were so special. I remember when you first came to us,
you were sleeping in the laundry and you must have got cold. You pulled all my
linen out of the cupboard that I used as a linen closet and slept in there.
You left some in there so it would be comfortable for you. I knew that I had to
change things around then, as you made that linen cupboard your bed. You were so
cute lying in there. We even took one of the small doors off for you. That became
your piece of furniture. I didn't mind doing that for you.
I'm sorry things turned out the way they did between your 'dad' and me
and I couldn't be with you anymore, but please understand that I have never
stopped loving you and you were and are, always in my thoughts.
Have fun in doggie heaven, and we will be together again one day.'
" I Love You. "
"Here is a teddy - angel for you, Dog."
Barney was found walking along the side of the road, late one night.
Upon closer inspection, we found a huge hole in the top of his leg.
Caused through a fight with another dog or by being hit by a car.
We knew he needed medical treatment, so I held him in the back seat of
the car and we bought him home. The next day we took him to the vet.
The vet told us that he was about four or five years old. We had problems
with finding his owners. Then we realised that this dog had been dumped.
People are so cruel and thoughtless when it comes to animals. They want them as
puppies and they are not prepared for long term dogs.
My Daughter Tracy, decided she wanted to keep him, so he became her dog,
and she named him Barney. Barney was a good boy, so loving and eager to please.
He had been trained with his previous owners, so we had no problems with him.
Barney used to either sleep on Tracy's bed with her, or on the floor. He used to
snore and keep Tracy awake. lol.
Barney started having problems with arthritis in his back, and it was getting
to the stage where we couldn't pat him. Even with his walking and running around
with the other dogs, he was yelping and in pain. I knew that I had to make things
better for him and it was a very big decision and one I didn't really want to do.
We get so attached to our pets, and it's hard to let them go. But there comes
a time when you know this has to be done for the pet.
I have some poems on my Danes page that are so touching when we have to
make those difficult decisions to put our loved pets to rest.
I took Barney up to a friends sanctuary, where this friends vet gave Barney
that final injection. I was crying the whole time, and holding him and talking to him.
He had a strong heart, it was just his arthritis that was letting him down.
He was buried along side Cara at the sanctuary and I know they are both at peace,
neither suffering anymore and waiting till I can join them and be with them again.
' Barney, from Tracy and I, we love you and we are always thinking of you'
"Here is a teddy - angel for you, Barney."
