OUR FRIEND HAS LEFT US

Just re-read this thread from stem to stern. I'm glad I did. Lots of friends and love here. And re-read some of the links Bflynet collected when Miss Cleo left us.

Took Miss Bella for a short, leash-free walk partway through. She was a very good girl. Paid attention, didn't go onto the street, came back in to continue snoozing. It is past midnight after all.

We miss Mr. B. I've had to put a big pillow at the front door because it's too empty up there when I look over. For the year and a half after Miss Cleo died, he slept there - waiting.

Miss Bella will need a companion dog since I am NOT going to get her a baby. She still loves babies more than anything. Still using the pee pads occasionally but never messes in the house. I think that her bladder being the size of a thimble will always be a factor in our lives. I am not going to crate her. That is a just no way thing for a dog with her background.

She's taken up building crop circles in bed. Arranging her duvet, her sheepskin and anything else loose in the bed into a nice circle and then tucking herself into the centre. If the humans are awake too late, she will arrange her crop circle so she can cover her eyes and sleep.

The house is too quiet with only one dog, even a dog who sounds like a bubble machine when she's dreaming.

Love from here, however you work it out. Nothing new from me, but repetition can bring paws.

Miss Bella sounds like a really good little girl, especially walking with you after midnight..

She will love her companion who ever that is cause she loves her "parents".

I bought a plant called "Missy" before missy died for some reason, it's still alive... I smile when I see it. If you haven't planted something, go do it if you have, go visit it. Yeah, yeah... that be me.

Hugs.

I reconnected with my x business partner and she sent me a photo of her and relatively recent new dog. She is dear to me in many ways and vice versa, despite this and that.

There she is, hair white now, slim like she wanted to be, with a major doberman, at the beach.

I remember her first dobie, red dog tossed off a truck on a california highway, she lugged him to her truck, long ago now.

That woman knows dogs. I have mourned two of them.

So very sorry you have lost your friend. Time heals all wounds. You will be together again one day.

This will eventually come out, so I will get it over with.

Our Bella was ill in the spring, but made a good recovery, although she remained gaunt. We fed her up and took her out. About ten days ago, she was ill again. She soldiered on, but she lost a lot of weight, and showed less and less interest in eating. We did ou best, but then she began, over the last few days, a desire to crawl off under the evergreen, or to get through the fence. She wanted to just lie down, and be left alone. She stopped eating a couple of days ago, and showed no interest in food, not even pork chops or chicken.

Yesterday--Friday--she died, at about noon. It is unexpected because she was only about ten, certainly not more than eleven years old. It's tough.

Set, I'm sad for you and Bethie. I know how painful this is.

So sorry.

Thank you for your kindness.

So sorry for your loss. My heartfelt sympathies go out to you both.

Thanks Darlin' . . .

very sorry to hear...

I am so sorry. She always knew you loved (still do) her. Always.

I hate to read these things about our fuzzy buddies. SOrry fer the loss man.

Thank you to everyone for your kind remarks.

Sorry for your loss.

It is the first time in over 20 years that this house has not had a dog living in it. Far far too quiet. I keep expecting to hear the tip tip tipping of tiny feet rushing down the stairs when I go into the kitchen. Bella was always a bit of a frail girl, her start in life as a puppy mill mother did her no favours.

We never did get her a companion dog. She was very choosy about dogs she loved - she preferred much larger dogs as her best pals and liked having us as her people on her very own. Fair enough - in the puppy mill she was one of a very big group, with no humans to be hers.

She was an extraordinarily happy and loving dog. I have received messages from neighbours who credit her for teaching their small children to appreciate and love dogs. Her last really huge adventure was less than a month ago, when we joined a neighbour and her dog in a walk to the Danforth with their brand new baby (he turned a month this week). We continued to have walks with her into this week and she continued to charm everyone she met.

I am so happy we could give her several happy years. She deserved to be massively loved - she truly gave more than she took.

Bella and her best friend Agnes (guardian of the new baby) last summer,
waiting for their best human friend very very patiently







Bella was famous locally as a great bug-hunter. She was very very very patient.



she would stay on the sidewalk for great periods of time, waiting for the right bug to appear and then pounce

someone recently told me this was part of her papillon ancestry - she was hunting poultry - that was her size

Losing a good dog is one of the saddest things I know of.

You are so right edgarb.

I am so very sorry for your loss.

this remained true to her final days
Bella loved babies and babies loved Bella