Of Dogs and Angels
I have had the privilege of sharing my life with two different dogs during two different eras of my adult life. It doesn’t feel right to say I owned these dogs, for reasons that should be obvious to anyone who looks a beloved dog in the eyes and sees clearly another sentient being looking back at you with an expression that might be quizzical, adoring, or might reflect wisdom beyond our understanding. In any case it is clear the dog is its own person, so to speak, with its own motivations, thoughts, feelings, needs, and desires. The dogs owned themselves without doubt, and I have been fortunate to be their caretakers as well as being the recipient of their generous attention and care.
The first dog I brought into my life was a young, female Rottweiler I adopted from the animal shelter. Looking back I can see that a Rottweiler was a perfect dog for the somewhat insecure young, gay man I was, as her sturdy build and characteristic markings complemented the masculine image I was eager to project. When we walked down the sidewalk together, people often crossed the street in fear. You would never mistake me for a frightened sissy with such a fearsome beast under my control. She was as gentle a being as I’ve ever encountered, however, and she always greeted visitors as if they were long-lost friends. She had a deep-throated warning bark that sounded so fierce, my brother nearly jumped out of his skin one night when he came creeping into my house late in the dark. But even when neighbor children teased her relentlessly through the screen door at the front of the house, she refrained from harming them when one day the door opened suddenly, releasing her upon the screaming, scattering mob. The smallest child fell as he ran in terror, and his sister turned and screamed in anticipation of bloody slaughter, but the dog stopped just short of touching him, standing over him triumphantly, letting him and the rest of them know the teasing would henceforth cease. I named her Svasti, a Sanskrit word that means “happiness” and “good fortune.”
Svasti stood by me as silent witness to the ravages HIV infection inflicted on my body in the early 90s before the advent of the miraculous drug cocktails. In those days I didn’t believe dogs should share one’s bed or other furniture, so she slept dutifully by my bedside, and her quiet breathing was a soothing comfort to me on many dark nights when I slept alone. After she was gone, I found myself listening in the dark for the sound of her breathing, and I realized how that sound had helped me for years relax into sleep. After a particularly gruesome episode of simultaneous vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps in my legs, arms, and abdomen, her warm brown eyes looked into my face with an expression of concern and compassion, and she gently licked my face offering the only comfort she could.
Her own desires were simple. She loved to eat, especially scraps my butcher friend brought her, and she loved to go for walks and for rides in the car. I didn’t dare say the word “walk” around her, because she would start to jump with excitement, so I started to spell it instead. After a while she caught on even to this trick, and I could swear she read my mind. When she saw me packing my gym bag she would quietly head for the back door, knowing it was time for her to go outside. Her favorite game was tug-of-war that she would initiate by holding her big, knotted rope up to me or to another dog. I actually witnessed her teach another dog to play the game, repeatedly offering the rope until the dog got the idea. When the dreaded day came that I had to make a decision about ending her life to spare her suffering, I swore I never wanted another being dependant on me again.
Technically, I’ve kept my vow, as the dog that now shares my life came to my home as an emotional support animal for my roommate, who suffers from debilitating depression and other psychiatric disorders. I helped my roommate select this dog from the hundreds we saw at the animal shelter. We knew we wanted a small dog, as our apartment cannot accommodate a large one, and we needed to find a dog disinclined to bark, as our apartment is located over a clinic where a hypnotherapist and other holistic health practitioners require a quiet environment to treat patients during the daytime. I easily could have missed this dog, he was so calm and quiet amid the insane din of the shelter, but when I caught sight of his attentive terrier face and striking black-and-white Shih Tzu markings, I paused by the cage to get a better look. He looked up directly into my eyes, and I put my hand through the bars. Without hesitation he laid his head in my hand and quietly projected his plea to take him home.
My roommate named him Lincoln after the hunky character in the television series “Prison Break.” He earned the name by slipping out of the apartment three times in the first week we had him. I don’t believe he was running away from us at all, but he is mightily curious, as are all intelligent beings, and he still loves to wander and explore. Having entered my daddy years more than a decade ago, I find I’m perfectly comfortable walking a small, cute dog around the neighborhood. Gone is the young man’s need to project an image. I’ve grown into the man I admired when I was young. A young friend from Saudi Arabia visited me last year, and I was reminded of the belief among some Muslims that an angel will not enter a house where a dog lives. My devout Saudi friend was duly horrified when Lincoln greeting him with a welcoming lick on the shin, and I chuckled as he ran to the bathroom to wash himself. But after my friend left, I contemplated the notion that the mere presence of a dog would prevent an angel from entering the apartment. When I looked into Lincoln’s bright, inquisitive eyes with this conundrum spinning around in my head it occurred to me that an angel was already living in my home in the form of this sweet, playful being whose very presence evokes love from all who see or especially touch him, and the love he draws from people returns to them mysteriously amplified, leaving each with a smile and a warm glow in their hearts.
You may dismiss this as the befuddled musings of a man no longer young but not yet elderly who bothers not a bit anymore to worry about gaps in his memory or other evidence of the steady march toward old age. But if you are so fortunate as to share your life with a dog, I invite you to look into his or her eyes with a fresh gaze, putting aside assumptions about a dog’s relative intelligence or the supposed behavioral influences of its wolf pedigree. I did this myself, and I found a surprise. When Lincoln gazes steadily at me with no apparent motive, silently watching me, I see an ancient, wise being who inhabits a small body but whose actual size is unknown and unknowable. When I caress him and tell him I love him, I realize I do this at least as much for my sake as for his. In fact, it is easy to imagine that an angel has come to live with me in this unassuming form to love and watch over me. When he seems to ignore commands, I see the will of a being that decides when and when not to play the master-dog game. He is incredibly patient, much more than I am, yet he insists on inviting me to play now and then because he knows it’s good for me to get up from my desk and move around some. The more I just sit with him, really seeing the being before me, the more affectionate he becomes, expressing his love in the subtle, silent ways of a being who senses and feels much more keenly than I do. Sometimes he reaches for me with a paw, lightly touching me to get my attention. Sometimes he puts his face close to mine and playfully nips my nose and rubs his head against my cheek. Sometimes he just curls up near me quietly sleeping until I get up, and then he’s ready to play or go for a walk, or just to let me ruffle his silky fur and scratch under his chin.
I heard about a guy who is selling insurance policies to evangelical Christians, guaranteeing their pets will be cared for after they ascend to heaven in the Rapture, which they expect any moment now. Animals, according to these Christians, do not possess souls, and so they cannot go to heaven. I find the whole notion of possessing a soul rather bizarre, but I keep revisiting the peculiar Muslim belief about dogs and angels. Of course, an angel will not enter a home where a dog lives, because that home doesn’t need another one. Svasti and Lincoln are two angels I’ve known as much as my limited intelligence permits, and I’m grateful to them for watching over me as no mere human could.
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Comments
Have had the good fortune to have been given a number of "angels" in my life that came with 4 legs,...Lovely remembrance,...Thanks,.....
that was really nice.....and I feel the same way about my "children."
After reading your blog, I realized there was a pile of kleenex along side of my computer. I have had German Shepherd Dogs all of my adult life and raised all six of them from puppies. Their devotion to their human masters is undescribable, espescially when dealing with HIV (I've been POZ for 28 years), they know you have an affliction and seem to know your limitations and work it with accordingly.
Every one of my girls had their own unique personalities and always had a zest for life in their own ways. My last girl was Shiloh, a solid white plush coat which I was blessed to have for 11 1/2 years and had to put her down to cancer. She was trained in 4 languages and hand commands and like you mentioned, knew the word 'walk' and would get excited and drag her leash to me every time I said it. She also learned the spelling of it and I managed to shorten it to 'dub', short for 'w' inwhich she caught on to in the last two years of her precious life. When the day came to put her down, I was in tears and sobbing like a baby as my vet of 35 years was trying to console me. They knew of my devotion to my pets as they were my family.
Having a pet in your life especially when you have a disease or an affliction gives you a sense of importance and taking your mind off of yourself to give love back unconditionally like they do to you.
I currently do not have any pets and miss owning one. I will someday own another German Shepherd and get that feeling of being loved unconditionally once again. Until then, I muttle through life one day at a time with that day being my short term goal.
Thank you Mr. Schindler for your kinds words of unconditional love in your story which has rekindled my desire to live that life and love I so dearly miss.
May your God bless,
tommy2t
I've never had a pet (dog) of my own. Don't make a lot of money to afford to a big enough place to keep one let alone to do justice to cover maintenance costs. But I hear you about the force of their appeal. I've shared houses with guys who have pets. If I stay long enough, it's impossible not to develop a relationship with the pet, especially if it is a dog. Often, it fell to me to feed and offer water, to let the dog out and in, even to walk the dog because the roomie became so busy.
DEFINITELY!! a dog is sentient, with its own personality, quirks and agenda.
It is interesting to watch a dog who belongs to someone else, but who looks to me to take care of it some of the time, decide to bond with me. After a while, it will come when I call, might even obey me when I give commands--but the dog makes it clear there are limits to my authority. And NEVER can I compete with the primary person. No matter how many walks we go on, how attentive I am to its needs, I am wholly ignored once the primary person enters the room. You can't knock a dog for loyalty and devotion.
I can only say a simple Thank You for sharing. Dogs are truly our best friends, they dont complain or get mad (well dont hold a grudge :) anyway ) As far as not having a soul read the "Rainbow Bridge" I believe all our guys are waiting to escort us through the golden gates. Thanks Again
YOU HAVE REDUCED ME TO TEARS . I'VE HAD DOGS SINCE..BUT I STILL MISS LUNA..GOD SHE WAS HUMAN LOVE YA
A truly beautiful thing to read!
Having had dogs all my lif, except for recent years, I concur completely.
May I add one thing? A dog has the inate sense to "know" when something is wrong, and will share their love, and unquestioning loyalty "no matter what". There is a saying about certain breeds of dogs that "you don't own them, they own you" ( specifically about bassett hounds.....trust me on this one). Having been "owned" by two, separately, I cannot tell you how gratifying it was, nor how the companionship and loyalty, and love they gave far exceeded, sometimes, that given by humans.
I was touched by your post. I have always been a dog lover and have share my life with two male dogs for the last 12 years. One of them is blind, but in good health. It's difficult for him to find his way around my place, but always seem to know my whereabouts when I am around. His loyalty, devotion unlimited love and companionship has been spiritually more beneficial to me than any therapy session, religious healer, lover and even friends I have ever had . He's perceptive enough to realize when I am down and goes out of his way to cheer me up any way he can. He's always been there for me in good times as well as bad ones and despite my flaws. I love animals, but dogs are indeed, Men's best friends! Some people could learn a lot from dogs when it comes to interpersonal relationships. Dogs rule!
I firmy believe that the rescue dog chooses you, not the other way around. They are sent by Heaven to provide comfort and encouragement. Throughout my 24 years with HIV, I have been comforted by a number of K9 angels, and currently have 3 rescue dogs and 2 rescue cats. They are truly my support system, and the loves of my life.
Thanks so much for your blog. My partner and I have "owned" two pomeranians (both adopted) and I can echo everything you said about yours. Now I have to go and wash the tears from my face!
Mellow, my yellow lab mix, is lying on top of my bare feet as I write these words. My bumper sticker says "Proud Owner of a Rescue Dog." I justify the word "owner" with the philosophy that I own her physical body but her spirit belongs to her and her alone. She's five now. Her white muzzle began about a year ago, but she's still an active athlete who can run and swim for hours. Mellow's incredible ability to love inspires me daily. She's a fixture of the neighborhood and my constant companion.
One incredibly difficult weekend I broke up with my boyfriend. He asked to say goodbye to Mellow and I saw him crying as he hugged her. The image burned indelibly in my mind. I swear that Mellow was telling me later that week that something was wrong. So I repaired the damage and asked him if we could try again. That was four years ago. We're a family, the three of us. Our favorite date is a Saturday picnic at the dog park. Thank you, Mellow.
I am honored to be part of the ancient and symbiotic bond of canine and human.
I took an oath when my first husband passed unexpectedly.
That oath was to make sure our dogs (both Labs) wanted for nothing. The old dog, Breaker, made 17 years and 8 months before I put him down. He was a black lab who had acquired a vocabulary of 300 words and 150 hand gestures.
On Christmas Eve, 2003, we went out the front door and started down the 3 steps from the porch to the sidewalk. Thor, the younger chocolate lab, bounded to the gate and sat, assuming his pre-walk position. Breaker went down to the bottom step but somehow managed to stumble from the bottom step to the sidewalk. He sat down. He tried to get up but could not seem to make it up on the back legs.
I feared the worst, that his walking days were over and he would need to be put down immediately. Fortunately, helping him stand up was all that was needed. He could walk all right, just could not seem to get himself up off his butt once it hit the sidewalk. I opened the gate and we started the walk down the block, around the corner and up to the park a block away. At the park, the ritual continued as always. Thor would bring the tennis ball to me or any of our friends at the park, fetching again and again. Breaker would sniff his 3 favorite trees, then take care of business and come lay down at my feet. After our requisite hour of socializing and tennis ball throwing, I tried to get Breaker to stand up on his own. NO luck. I stood him up and we walked to our vet, 3 blocks away.
The vet, on hearing my description of events, took an x-ray. He shared with me that it did not appear that Breaker was in any pain, just that bad step had managed to damage a tendon in his hips. For $XXX, surgery could be done that would probably allow Breaker to stand on his own again. The vet asked if the risk of anesthesia and recovery would be worth what would probably be a year's extension on Breaker's walking this plane of existence. I thanked the vet and we walked home.
As it was Christmas, I had a few days off. I made the decision that I would take Breaker and Thor to every spot that Breaker had ever peed before the final moment. In the subsequent 2 days, we revisited nearly 20 dog parks, beaches and mountain areas around San Diego. Breaker got to enjoy his favorite snacks from seafood to broccoli to pate. After visiting the last spot, we drove to what had become his second home in the desert near Joshua Tree. I had called the vet up there and advised why I was bringing Breaker. The vet was helpful in that she came out to the truck where Breaker was in the back seat. She gave him the relaxation injection and the injection that would stop his function. Then she got behind the wheel of the truck and drove me up to my buddy's place. I dug the grave and laid Breaker in, then covered him with his favorite blanket and filled in the grave.
No one can define the unconditional love and universal acceptance of a dog. NO ONE SHOULD EVER SAY THAT DOGS DO NOT HAVE A SOUL! When I go to the great beyond, I anticipate being greeted by Breaker and Thor and Loki. They will be there to show me the way around.
Now that I have gotten the tears to stop, thank you to all of you for sharing. I too have been very fortunate to have the friendship of many dogs. My last dog (Prissy) was a poodle that my husband had when we met.
She let me know her position right away, he is my daddy and I am not going anywhere :-) After a talk with her explaining that I would never get rid of her we were the best of friends. She was 10 yrs old when he died of congestive heart failure. She put aside her own grief to comfort me as I layed on his side of the bed wraped in his bath robe crying.
One week later she started to become distant and not interested in walking or eating. I took her to our vet and the vet could only say that she was grieving to death. A creature with no soul does not grieve. How anyone could ever believe that animals do not posess souls is beyond me. I tried everything I could to bring her back but her loss was far greater than mine since she had been with him as a pup. All I could do was answer her pleas for her daddy. I took her to the vet for the shot, stayed with her the whole time and just before her last breath she looked at me with what I can only describe as a smile and a look of thanks in her eyes. It was every bit as hard as saying goodbye to my parents when they died, every bit as hard as saying goodbye to my husband, every bit as hard as saying goodbye to every human in my life who has passed. If she didn't have a soul I wouldn't be crying again right now. I miss you little girl and I look forward to seeing you when it is my time.
Surely only hell would be the place without dogs. And not meaning to be trite, but wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all live up to be the person our dogs think we are. Who of us doesn't remember the old commercial where the puppies are licking the little boy as he laughs with an expression of pure joy? A dog asks next to nothing compared to what they offer. If you are able please consider rescuing an animal at the local SPCA. All of my dogs have come to me as "rehomes" from abusive situations. And it wouldn't be possible to have asked for more loving companions despite what they had endured for the first few years of their lives. Dogs are simply amazing. We are the ones that should be learning from them.
Hi William..! Do you have a profile here and if so, what is your profile name.? I just feel the need to chat with you and become friends. This is without a doubt, one of the most beautifully written article about dogs I've ever read.! Very touching and so truth. If one goes thru life without having the blessing of having a pet in their life they miss a lot.
Thank you so much for writing this.!
All my best.!
Carlos (daddychuck)
Beautifully put my friend, I currently have 3 beagles from the shelter (was up to 5 at one point!) but they are the true angels of this world. Their unconditional love, the laughter they bring to my life, It's worth every chewed up shoe, torn apart garbage bag, hole under the fence. My life would be so empty without them. Thanks so much for sharing!
wow. that was really really sweet, and anyone who has had a canine friend or was even a "dog person" without one, can fully understand everything you've said. thanks for sharing.
I share my life with four tiny Chihuahuas. Each of them brings something different into my life and each other's. I do not call my self their owner but rather their guardian. They are not property, they are companions. I think if we could alter man's perception of these wonderful beings in so far as they re not property to be owned like furniture, or be exploited or mistreated by us. They are here on this earth to walk beside us and share their lives with us. The more we come to realize this maybe we can put an end to the senseless cruelty that is very often committed.
As the proud partner of GOLDIE, I knew this had to be posted for all the men here to enjoy.
A PET'S TEN COMMANDMENTS.........
1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.
3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.
4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.
5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.
6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.
7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.
8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.
9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.
10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.
~Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good care of them.
Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God's critters
~Now please pass this on to other pet owners. We do not have to wait for Heaven, to be surrounded by hope, love, and joyfulness. It is here on earth and has two, four or more legs!
Ken
Thank you.
So true... my dog is my best friend and living alone she has been a great company to me.... she always recieves me full of happiness and waving her tail like there's no other day..... no matter if i had a bad day at work, no matter if im back home with a treasur chest (thats what my walmart bags full of groceries are to her LOL) or if i come back home empty handed... she is always there looking for me, waiting for me, making me company if i get sick.
THat makes me realize that i have to work so i can be the person that my dog things i am.... :)
dogs are amazing.... they become our family.....
:) i have my little family and that makes me smile
PS Dogs rock!!!!
My significant other came with a black lab, Layla. Without a doubt, she was HIS dog. I was her Friend. She shared her affection with us both, but he was her real love. We weren't allowed to sit together on the couch. She had to be between us. I usually got the back end, and her head was on his lap.
Layla owned us for 19 years, almost to the day. The joy she brought to us both can't be measured. She was rarely alone throughout her life, and never alone in her last few years. She knew our love for her, and we knew hers for us. Her schedule was our schedule. At 4:15, every day, she stood at the back door, waiting for us to catch on, and let her out for her daily swim. She stood at the edge of the pool, waiting for one of us to nod, and "release" her to take one of her amazing dives into the water. Once in, every leaf, every twig floating on the water, had to be removed and placed on the side of the pool. (She was our afternoon skimmer.) She would then go to the bottom of the pool, and retrieve anything on the bottom, placing it on the pile she had started before.
Always the perfect house guest, she traveled with us. When she had scoped out the new place, she would settle on the rug, and make herself at home, after she had properly thanked her host.
The perfect guard dog, she would raise a ruckus when someone came around the house or to the door. If we greeted them as friends, she accepted the interloper with grace, greeting them, and then sitting next to us, just as a precaution. She never threatened. Just let them know who she REALLY cared about. Salesmen were a different issue. She would sit next to us as we talked to them through the door. Not many got to complete their pitch if we weren't interested. They politely left, quickly.
I faced prostate cancer, then bladder cancer, then chemo. (I'm just a little older than my significant other....30 years to be exact.) Through that, Layla was my constant companion. She read my mind, knew my mood, and responded appropriately. If I was down, her happy face came on, and she tried her best (successfully) to get me active, involved, and out of my funk. When it was rest time, she was as close to me as possible, often with her head on my shoulder while I rested. On good days, she was ready to play and participate in whatever I wanted to do. She could read my mind, my mood, and my energy level, and never failed to respond.
When it came time for the end, she was cradled with tears, met her end quickly, with complete peace and an expression of love on her face. Obviously, we will never forget the happiness and love she shared with us. The next dog, when the healing is complete, will not be a replacement. She will be an addition to our loving experience of having a companion that gives unconditional love, much greater than we can ever give her.
beautiful
Touching stories, all. I have two cats, bobcat and boots, and would love to add two rescue mini dachs to our family. Reading all your stories was beautiful, thx for sharing!
Thank you so much for the great offering about dogs and angels. It makes perfect sense that an angel won't enter the home where a dog lives because they truely are angels and have been for me all of my life. Over the past 27 years the time my partner and I have been together we have been blessed with the most incredible angels. We found one on the street, starving. He was a pure bred schnauzer. We named him Buster Brown and after his name we'd say ask me again and I'll knock you down. He loved to roam and when we made that decision for him we burried him out in the woods whewre his spirit could roam happily forever.
Then we adopted a spaniel terrer froma girl who got her as a pup she called her Shadow then she met this man who didin't like sdhadow. The girl gave shadow up and when we adported here it was the the best thing we ever did. We renamed her Princess because she was truely royality. We loved he for 17 years.
Then almost 4 and a half years ago we adopted a puppy from the animal shelter. He is a shepherd, chow-chow lab. What a devil he was until he grew up now I know he is an angel who watches out for us. He can hear a pin drop at 50 ft and the opening of the frig from a mile, Not really but. But to look into his eyes is to see heaven. We love him and he loves us not because we love him but because he wants to.
Dear William...thank you for sharing your well-written, personal, heartfelt story. We've always been told that angels look like people with wings and fly around where we can't see them. I think angels walk among us every day. They have four legs, floppy ears, wagging tail, with a heart and soul made of gold who share their life with us until they cross over the Rainbow Bridge. Thanks for reminding me of my two favorite angels who provided me with years of unconditional love, Rosie and Bianca, who now wait for me in Heaven. Blessings.
I was very moved by your story. Zack, my black & white Cocker Spaniel, came into my life a few months after my 40th birthday. My partner & I went to a local puppy store. My partner wanted a buff color Cocker, but when I saw Zack in a caged kiddie pool with other B/W cockers, I fell in love. Our eyes met and we both knew it was meant to be. My partner agreed and Zack became our "son". Already paper trained, we worked on climbing up & down stairs, seelping in the cage, and obedience school. Zack graduated, and I still have his "degree". Zack was smart, funny, lovable, and protective. He was a great source of comfort when my partner was going through chemo and radiation for lymphoma. when my partner passed away, it hot Zack & I hard.
After Zack & I moved to an apartment, he made a lot of friends (both human and doggie). In July 2009, Zack started having difficulty breathing, eating and drinking. He was diagnosed with an incurable cancer in his throat. That night, he was uncomfortable and I couldn't stand to see him suffer, so at 2 am, I called the 24 hour clinic where he had been diagnosed earlier that day and had him put down. It broke my heart, but I held him in my arms until his last breath. He was 11 1/2. I miss him and his way of expressing his love, support, and just his way of snuggling up against me. He's my angel and he's with his other daddy until it's my turn to see them both again.
having grown up with a dog who lived to be 21+ years(terrier/something or other) you realise that dogs are probably the most socially accepted animal in the world. I've been to homes where the owners wouldn't allow children but welcomed dogs! They socialize with us, walk with us, laugh(Bark!) with us and short of an opposable thumb and an internet account, they are always with us. I don't have a dog now because my work schedule means I wouldn't be able to walk him twice a day plus I live in an apartment-and I couldn't bear to have someone else walk my dog or leave one alone all day either.
Luckily I have cats. And though I love dogs-I have had some of the sublime, achingly beautiful moments of my life just watching my sleeping cats curl up in the sun while dreaming. Surely the "If you want a friend, feed any animal" quote comes to mind. Animals are one of the few ways we connect with nature and the deeper, primal part of ourselves. Its no wonder dogs dovetail so well with that instinct.
My partner had 2 dogs when we met.
Ashley was a regal besinge mix the queen of the house and Sadie was a mini collie and, but she thought she was 6 feet tall. Ashley had a stroke and we thought Sadie was going to pine away, but just about 6 months before that I had been adopted by Dora who is a Springer / Aussie cattle dog mix, she was a little terror. When Ashley had her stroke she had continuing seizures and Sadie would alert to them, she would alert to my seizures too. I did not want another dog our lives were falling apart and I was so sick from CMV solid organ.
We lost our jobs and home and landed in an old place in Asheville NC. It was bad with mould and broken windows. There were some old walnut trees in the yard.
The most AMAZING thing I think I have ever seen was that Dora (all of 8 months old) got one of the walnuts and cracked the shell and brought the nut meat in and put it on the pillow that Ashley was on..pushing it to her mouth to try to get her to eat it. Ashley had lost her sense of smell with the stroke and would not eat anything. We tried for a few weeks spending money we could not really afford for seizure meds nothing helped and we had to put her down.
Sadie missed her buddy a lot, but Dora sort of filled the gap and she lived for several more years.
Then Sadie came down with liver cancer. Bill took her to the vet because she was not eating and the bad news came. Bill wanted to bring her home for a last day. Sadie went out on the porch and looked over her yard walked slowly around the fence line, kissed Dora and each of us and knew it was time. We took Dora with us and held her while the vet did the shots.
Dora cried and sobbed for days (im crying now) she was heart broken, we really thought we were going to lose my Aide. She is amazing she talks, i mean in understandable english words, and understands much. She alerted to a stranger one day at the dr office, turned out the lady had ovarian cancer, she has alerted to a heart attack.
And if she does not like someone I know she is right. Mostly tho she does not make friends she makes fans everywhere she goes. When we were looking for a house, we found this abandoned place in rural caswell nc, Dora picked this place out for the 2 acre yard, we asked her if she liked this one (at each place), yes she jumps up and woofs.
Bunnies and squirrels to chase. Room to run.
Well we took Sadies old folks food to the shelter and Bill spotted a lab collie mix named Rasha who was locked in a cage with 4 dingoes. She made a connection and Bill said I want her, then the announcement said no more adoptions. We made arrangements to come back in the morning..we got there and she had been sent to the store front in a mall to be adopted. We got there and some other folks had her on a lease and they were startin paper work.
She spotted us when we came in and pulled lose of the lease and came bounding over to Bill. She would not answer to rasha so we tried about a dozen names and hit on Ashley so she is A2. We have a Collie Marema mix I adopted a couple of years ago. She had been badly abused, starved so badly her fur was falling out and her eyes are affected. She has gained 40 pounds and is a 70 lb lap puppy now, we also were adopted by a wiemeriner mix pup last spring..So we have a house full of furry love
Lincoln was selected as “Pet of the Week” by PAWS/LA, an organization that helps people with disabilities maintain their supportive pets. Check out his profile here: http://www.pawsla.org/lincoln/
Lincoln also has a Facebook profile. Become his friend: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000509435396&ref=ts.
such beautiful stories from everyone... i've been so lucky to share my life with all my dogs, and they will be with me always... men have come and gone for me, but my dogs have always been there for me!