OUR FRIEND HAS LEFT US

oh crap. Losing a pet after that long has to be one of the hardest things to go through. Im sorry that you have to experience this.
Consider this the biggest virtual hug I can muster.

A little time past now..
how is Bailey doing?

Thanks for asking ossobuco.

Bailey is coming around. Still sleeping pressed against the front door ... but he's eating his kibble again and really enjoying his evening walks. I've started him on an ... <turns to look> Active Longevity mini kibble as his snack. The stuff seems to work ... he's positively spring-loaded at times. Clearly misses his pal. He was overjoyed when we ran into Magic and his human last night. He needs doggie pal time for sure.

Resting by the door..

I got it ossoB, I did.

~~~


here's another favourite photo of the fearsome twosome. I think of this as their Bonnie and Clyde photo ... Bailey trying to hotwire the car while Cleo grins at the rest of the gang (in this case the real-life gang was A2kers saying adios as we all left Madison, Wisconsin)




and a fun pic of two ladies who loved to laugh ... Cleo and her Oma - mrs hamburgboy

I remember the second photo well.

And the first is a kick.

You know, you could post thirty photos and I'd/we'd love it. Don't be spare.

Glad Bailey is feeling better. How are the humans doing?

Coming to check as well. Love the picture of Bonnie and Clyde! So cute! Sweet pups.

My friend MAB says it looks like Cleo's flipping the bird at pursuing coppers

Lovely photos ehBeth. Please post more if you can. Funny about your feeding Bailey Active Longevity mini kibble as his snack. After our male Lab, Harvey, died at the beginning of January, we started feeding our bitch, Megan, on Iams for overweight and senior dogs, changed her snacks to carrots and apples, and watched her go turbo charged on the new diet! She's thriving, and for a ten-year-old Lab, is incredibly youthful. Losing Harvey at twelve years of age made us remember that Labradors don't usually have a long life-span!

Have you any plans to get a companion for Bailey? We've tentatively thought of it, but hard to imagine it - might feel that we're trying to replace Harvey?

Hi vonny.

I've been contemplating what to do when I was back at one dog for about 4 years. I knew that having two dogs about the same age had potential to be problematic. Should have staged the ages better but I wasn't turning away Cleo when she was brought to my attention. The thought that she wouldn't have had the past decade is horrible.

I've been looking at dog rescue sites pretty intensely for the past week. Put the word out to the grocery delivery guy today. Walter has a houseful of rescue animals - dogs/cats/rabbits/birds - and seems to always hear about more.

Not replacing Cleo. That isn't possible. She was the female alpha bitch in our neighbourhood in her prime - I don't think we'll meet the likes of her again.

However I think we could take on another youngish (no puppies need apply) dog who needs love and attention.

I'm hoping it will be like Bailey and Cleo ... someone will approach me and say ... were you thinking about another dog because I've heard about ...

Hi ehBeth,

As you say, having two dogs of similar ages is problematic! We've always had two dogs, a male and a female, but usually managed an age gap of several years between them. However, when we adopted Megan from Labrador Rescue at four and a half months, Harvey was barely two, leaving us with the same problem as you - two senior dogs. Harvey died so suddenly that it caught us unprepared. Started looking at dog rescue sites, but then I had my BCC diagnosed - had to wait for the operation - and now for results - but hope soon to start looking again.

No way we could ever replace Harvey, but the house feels empty with only one set of legs padding around! A puppy? Well, we say no, but fate has a funny way of letting dogs find you - none of ours has ever been simply a case of shopping around for a particular age or sex. The dogs have just sort of 'happened'. Have to ask questions of ourselves like 'are we up to taking on a young dog', or 'are we willing to face the heartache of taking on an older dog and going through another bereavement'. So many questions and decisions to take. All worth it in the end though! Always is.

I've been asking myself that same question since my dog died a few months ago. I can't ever replace the one I lost, but I miss not having a dog in the house.
I don't want to get an older dog. But puppies require a lot of time, and attention, and training, and patience, and energy. I'd like to think I'm still up to it, but I'm honestly not sure.

I recently did see a puppy who melted my heart, so I might be finding out soon--I keep thinking about going back to get him. I'm trying to be sensible about whether I'm up to it, but sometimes the heart rules the head.

All my dogs have been surprises of one kind or another. I had lived in my then new home town in california for a year or two and had been noticing corgis around and about; first, one that lived for a while across the street, that I called Sparky because it barked at cars that went by. The owner left him in the yard when he was at work. And then one of our clients had one named Sunny, who was sunny. So I had heart melts for corgis but wasn't dog-looking right then.

One Sunday my business partner called early in the day to tell me the Humane Society had a corgi in its Sunday ad. I mulled. I called Monday morning, and they said come right away, and something about his being there a month already. He had been found waltzing down the big highway. So we went at our lunch break and of course I fell for him and filled out the papers. Went back after work to pick him up, a leash at the ready. It was pouring rain, the parking lot all puddles. He was happy to jump in the car. I was happy to have a dog at my side. All happy ever after.

Each scetches a notch in our heart, none can ever be replaced.

I often wonder why Dogs live such short lives yet, really they are so old aren't they, I mean Missy was 17 x 7 in human years, what an inning......

We still have two, one diabetic and one recovered cancer boy, but we brace ourselves for that day now which we sincerely hope is at least 4 years away.

There will always be a "new kid on the block" rescued, always has been always will be because we are "rescuing" another little might not replacing.

If it's a puppy FF, go get it, it will make you laugh anyway through all the naughty times...

And Bonny and Clyde What characters love the photos Eh-Beth, like Vonny would love to see more.

Wondering how Beth and Set are going?

I did go back to get him. About an hour or two after I wrote that post. I have no will power at all. Sometimes ya gotta listen to your heart.

And he's already made me laugh. He's 3 months old, absolutely adorable, very alert, inquisitive, playful, affectionate, and just about everything a puppy that age should be, including being a non-stop ball of energy. He finally knocked himself out after joyfully playing with his new toys and he's asleep in his crate, hopefully for the night.

As soon as I got him home, any hesitations I had about getting a puppy, and this puppy in particular, seemed to vanish. He is such a sweetie pie. I am already completely smitten.

Of course, I may change my mind if he starts peeing on the rug, eating the furniture, barking all night, and destroying my shoes.

Tomorrow I'll probably take him over to my Vet to get him checked-out health-wise. He seems very bouncy and healthy and bright-eyed, but I'm already feeling like a nervous new mom and worrying every time he gives a little cough--which he just did. He's not really coughing much, it's just a single cough, and the one I just heard was only the second one since we got home 6 hours ago. I don't think that's really anything to be alarmed about, but I'll be happier if I hear that from my Vet.

Anyway, I feel like a new and wonderful furry friend has just entered my life, and it does help to ease the pain, and fill the void, I've experienced since the loss of my dog in January.

I'm glad I went back and got him.

Not too bad most of the time, but yesterday was a bad day. I was thinking about the girl dog constantly, and often in that way where one has forgotten she's no longer there.