Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

[quote=punch it in;990868]Maybe if your dog would learn how to slide......[/quote]
THAT actually Lol'd me........

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

[YT]vDa0z0gEvI4&[/YT]

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

Been debating this post ever since the thread opened because what I wanted to write is pretty self indulgent. Not sure if anyone really wants to read my life story when it comes to dogs but what the hell, if I start to to bore you, feel free to move on...

I have always had dogs in my life. My parents got a dog when I was three and I have never been without since. Growing up, though I cared for them very much, I never had the deep love and respect for the dogs of my youth that I have had for the dogs in my adult years. They were very much family dogs or had clearly formed a connection with one of my parents. Regardless, Lady, Raisan and Trinka were sweet, wonderful animals that created in me the ability to see my own refection in the dark, soulful eyes of a dog. Lady, in particular, was by far the cleverest dog I have ever known. So, with a thanks to my childhood dogs, I bring you ...

[I][B]The Dogs In My (Adult) Life.[/B][/I]

[B]OTIS:[/B] Sweet, gentle, handsome black lab, I got him from a breeder. He was "MY DOG". The best friend I ever had. I got him my last year of law school and he saw me through graduation, the bar exam, my aimless wanderings of young adulthood as I searched for a career and a wife. In those times when I felt deeply lonely or confused about the future, Otis was hanging with me. Absolutely no judgment, just "Hey, Erik wanna go for a walk? Bring a beer for you and bone for me ... It's all good." I could write a novel with stories about him: "Otis and Andre the Indignant Cat", "Otis and the Killer Bunny", "Otis and the Lug Nut", "Otis, the Sleeping Bag and Jenny the Triplet". Calm, obedient ... Otis was truly a saint among dogs and a companion, human or canine, for all to emulate.

Further, he was the best, bar none, wingman I have ever had. He had an amazing talent which was completely untrained. All I had to do was walk into a park, beach, you name it, and have someone toss a ball. No matter who threw it, Otis took it to [I]the most[/I] attractive single blonde in the area. I kid you not. Never once to a woman who was married or attached. If two cute blondes were in the area or even standing right next to each other, he [I]always[/I] took it to the one I thought was prettier. He got me more tail than I could shake a stick at.

He lived to be 13 and 9 months. In his last couple of years, he occasionally got a bad limp. I would take him to the vet, they would take an x-ray, give him a steriod shot and the limp went away. One Friday, expecting nothing more than an x-ray and the cost of a shot, the vet came back and said "There's a growth in his leg that wasn't there last time." It was cancer. It was huge. He was in incredible pain. Operating on him at his age would be pointless and cruel. Letting him suffer, the same. I was stunned. It was Friday night, my wife and I decided to try and keep him comfortable with meds for the weekend and bring him in the following Monday. It was Superbowl weekend (Ravens v. Giants) and all our friends and family came by to watch the game and say goodbye. He was mostly out of it, but everyone spoiled him with steak and treats. Monday morning came, he refused to eat. I knew it was time. Regardless, it hurt. A lot. Still does. Later, I figured it out, in the ~14 years I owned him, I woke up in a different room from Otis a total of not quite 6 months.

For those of you familiar with the story of the Rainbow Bridge, I know my best friend is there and, when I arrive, much as I love the others I will write about, Otis, my boon companion and best pal, will be the first I seek out.

[B]TRAJAN:[/B] Another sweet, gentle black lab from the same breeder as Otis. He was a massive lab. 100 lbs without any fat. A head that had classic labrador lines and looked like it was carved from granite. Strong as an ox and gentle as a lamb. He was also deeply empathetic, he knew when someone in his family needed him - whether to play or just some "fuzz therapy". When I was undergoing major surgery, my wife said he came into the bed every night (which he didn't normally do) and would curl up next to her as if to say, "Yeah, I miss him too ... but don't worry, he'll be back to keep you warm just like this." In all ways, he was the definition of a "Good Dog".

Just as Otis was the first dog that was "My Dog", Trajan was the first dog that was "My Family's Dog". My wife and I got him three months after we started dating (Otis was eight) and, in the same way Otis walked me through the transition from young single guy to married man with a career, Trajan was with me and my wife as we transitioned from young couple starting out to married folks with a family. As I will write later, we had other dogs while Trajan was with us. Some times I felt guilty in that he must have wondered "Why do you keep getting others? Aren't I enough?". Regardless, Trajan was the constant in our family photos of the 2000's - no kid, one kid, two kid, small kid, big kid, head o' hair Erik, bald Erik, skinny wife, pregnant wife, other dogs, first house, second house ... and in them all - Trajan. Powerful, sleek and solid, seemingly unchanging ... the touchstone for our young and growing family.

Trajan was a water dog through and through. He loved the beach and loved to swim. He was a powerful swimmer too. He could swim in hurricane type waves, I know b/c he he did it when we were out tossing the float on the Outer Banks without realizing the beach was closed when Dennis came around in '99. It was truly amazing to watch him swim. I would hold the end of a rope and he would tow me through the OBX surf with ease for hours. In his prime, he would swim all day in the roughest surf, sleep the sleep of kings then come back and be ready to go all day again.

He was a wonder with our kids. 'Nuff said.

Trajan lived to be 14 and six months. Incredible longevity for a dog his size - I choose to believe it is b/c his powerful heart was not going to stop until it had given every ounce of love and strength it had. Over the last two years, he became creaky and needed to be carried to go outside or upstairs (by me, b/c my wife couldn't lift him). He needed help standing to pee or poop. While I may have grumbled a bit at the inconvenience, I didn't begrudge him - he gave my family, and me, so much just by existing with nary a complaint, that he deserved all the care he needed. We worried he was in pain but the vet assured us he was not - just very creaky and in need of care and assistance. Thoughout his life he had epitomized the constancy of love through unselfish giving - how could we not pay him back in kind?

He died peacefully, much as he lived. One night (my wife's birthday) his great, warm, caring heart, gave out. He died in his sleep with my wife curled next to him. She felt his heart stop. He had simply run out of love and the massive, beautiful animal we cared so much about was gone. My family, the one I love so deeply and which this animal had helped create, had lost something irreplaceable. I still sometimes catch myself looking for Trajan in our family photos.

(To be continued ...)

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

...........nice stuff Joe.
Made me a little misty eyed.

[QUOTE=JoeRedskin;991098]Been debating this post ever since the thread opened because what I wanted to write is pretty self indulgent. Not sure if anyone really wants to read my life story when it comes to dogs but what the hell, if I start to to bore you, feel free to move on...

I have always had dogs in my life. My parents got a dog when I was three and I have never been without since. Growing up, though I cared for them very much, I never had the deep love and respect for the dogs of my youth that I have had for the dogs in my adult years. They were very much family dogs or had clearly formed a connection with one of my parents. Regardless, Lady, Raisan and Trinka were sweet, wonderful animals that created in me the ability to see my own refection in the dark, soulful eyes of a dog. Lady, in particular, was by far the cleverest dog I have ever known. So, with a thanks to my childhood dogs, I bring you ...

[I][B]The Dogs In My (Adult) Life.[/B][/I]

[B]OTIS:[/B] Sweet, gentle, handsome black lab, I got him from a breeder. He was "MY DOG". The best friend I ever had. I got him my last year of law school and he saw me through graduation, the bar exam, my aimless wanderings of young adulthood as I searched for a career and a wife. In those times when I felt deeply lonely or confused about the future, Otis was hanging with me. Absolutely no judgment, just "Hey, Erik wanna go for a walk? Bring a beer for you and bone for me ... It's all good." I could write a novel with stories about him: "Otis and Andre the Indignant Cat", "Otis and the Killer Bunny", "Otis and the Lug Nut", "Otis, the Sleeping Bag and Jenny the Triplet". Calm, obedient ... Otis was truly a saint among dogs and a companion, human or canine, for all to emulate.

Further, he was the best, bar none, wingman I have ever had. He had an amazing talent which was completely untrained. All I had to do was walk into a park, beach, you name it, and have someone toss a ball. No matter who threw it, Otis took it to [I]the most[/I] attractive single blonde in the area. I kid you not. Never once to a woman who was married or attached. If two cute blondes were in the area or even standing right next to each other, he [I]always[/I] took it to the one I thought was prettier. He got me more tail than I could shake a stick at.

He lived to be 13 and 9 months. In his last couple of years, he occasionally got a bad limp. I would take him to the vet, they would take an x-ray, give him a steriod shot and the limp went away. One Friday, expecting nothing more than an x-ray and the cost of a shot, the vet came back and said "There's a growth in his leg that wasn't there last time." It was cancer. It was huge. He was in incredible pain. Operating on him at his age would be pointless and cruel. Letting him suffer, the same. I was stunned. It was Friday night, my wife and I decided to try and keep him comfortable with meds for the weekend and bring him in the following Monday. It was Superbowl weekend (Ravens v. Giants) and all our friends and family came by to watch the game and say goodbye. He was mostly out of it, but everyone spoiled him with steak and treats. Monday morning came, he refused to eat. I knew it was time. Regardless, it hurt. A lot. Still does. Later, I figured it out, in the ~14 years I owned him, I woke up in a different room from Otis a total of not quite 6 months.

For those of you familiar with the story of the Rainbow Bridge, I know my best friend is there and, when I arrive, much as I love the others I will write about, Otis, my boon companion and best pal, will be the first I seek out.

[B]TRAJAN:[/B] Another sweet, gentle black lab from the same breeder as Otis. He was a massive lab. 100 lbs without any fat. A head that had classic labrador lines and looked like it was carved from granite. Strong as an ox and gentle as a lamb. He was also deeply empathetic, he knew when someone in his family needed him - whether to play or just some "fuzz therapy". When I was undergoing major surgery, my wife said he came into the bed every night (which he didn't normally do) and would curl up next to her as if to say, "Yeah, I miss him too ... but don't worry, he'll be back to keep you warm just like this." In all ways, he was the definition of a "Good Dog".

Just as Otis was the first dog that was "My Dog", Trajan was the first dog that was "My Family's Dog". My wife and I got him three months after we started dating (Otis was eight) and, in the same way Otis walked me through the transition from young single guy to married man with a career, Trajan was with me and my wife as we transitioned from young couple starting out to married folks with a family. As I will write later, we had other dogs while Trajan was with us. Some times I felt guilty in that he must have wondered "Why do you keep getting others? Aren't I enough?". Regardless, Trajan was the constant in our family photos of the 2000's - no kid, one kid, two kid, small kid, big kid, head o' hair Erik, bald Erik, skinny wife, pregnant wife, other dogs, first house, second house ... and in them all - Trajan. Powerful, sleek and solid, seemingly unchanging ... the touchstone for our young and growing family.

Trajan was a water dog through and through. He loved the beach and loved to swim. He was a powerful swimmer too. He could swim in hurricane type waves, I know b/c he he did it when we were out tossing the float on the Outer Banks without realizing the beach was closed when Dennis came around in '99. It was truly amazing to watch him swim. I would hold the end of a rope and he would tow me through the OBX surf with ease for hours. In his prime, he would swim all day in the roughest surf, sleep the sleep of kings then come back and be ready to go all day again.

He was a wonder with our kids. 'Nuff said.

Trajan lived to be 14 and six months. Incredible longevity for a dog his size - I choose to believe it is b/c his powerful heart was not going to stop until it had given every ounce of love and strength it had. Over the last two years, he became creaky and needed to be carried to go outside or upstairs (by me, b/c my wife couldn't lift him). He needed help standing to pee or poop. While I may have grumbled a bit at the inconvenience, I didn't begrudge him - he gave my family, and me, so much just by existing with nary a complaint, that he deserved all the care he needed. We worried he was in pain but the vet assured us he was not - just very creaky and in need of care and assistance. Thoughout his life he had epitomized the constancy of love through unselfish giving - how could we not pay him back in kind?

He died peacefully, much as he lived. One night (my wife's birthday) his great, warm, caring heart, gave out. He died in his sleep with my wife curled next to him. She felt his heart stop. He had simply run out of love and the massive, beautiful animal we cared so much about was gone. My family, the one I love so deeply and which this animal had helped create, had lost something irreplaceable. I still sometimes catch myself looking for Trajan in our family photos.

(To be continued ...)[/QUOTE]

Sorry about Otis and Trajan. When you cross the rainbow bridge please give Trajan as much love as you give Otis. Im afraid his "why am i not enough complex" might come back. Lol.
By the way, your story is exactly why i opened this thread. Thanks for sharing.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

Punch, what's the update on your pooch?

[QUOTE=The Goat;991253]Punch, what's the update on your pooch?[/QUOTE]

She is better than new. Still not sure what the hell happened exactly. Its like someone poisoned her. She is a tough little cookie though. Thanks Goat.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

Check that snacks (particularly chocolates) aren't going missing.

Good news on the pup!

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

I've always been a dog fan. Not much of a cat lover. But call me weird or whatever, but fish are the coolest. Plus side is you don't have to walk them or take them out and its just amazing seen them interact in their own little world. Plus they are very tranquil and peaceful to look at.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

[quote=CultBrennan59;991401]I've always been a dog fan. Not much of a cat lover. But call me weird or whatever, but fish are the coolest. Plus side is you don't have to walk them or take them out and its just amazing seen them interact in their own little world. Plus they are very tranquil and peaceful to look at.[/quote]

And when they grow too big for the tank you can eat them for dinner.

Actually at one time when we did alot of fishing we would buy baby spots and ells and raise them in a large salt water tank.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

[quote=firstdown;991404]And when they grow too big for the tank you can eat them for dinner.

Actually at one time when we did alot of fishing we would buy baby spots and ells and raise them in a large salt water tank. Those fish must have been sluts because they multiplied like a woman on well fair.[/quote]

Spots and ells?

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

well fair?

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

[quote=CultBrennan59;991407]Spots and ells?[/quote]

Actually its eel very good bait for fishing the type we used would grow about 1 1/2 feet.
[IMG]http://www.taunton-angling.co.uk/images/Eel.jpg[/IMG]

Spot are a small fish very good bait and also not bad to eat.

[IMG]http://www.daybreakfishing.com/images/bait/spot.jpg[/IMG]

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

[quote=Mattyk;991410]well fair?[/quote]

its actually welfare but I deleted that.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

[quote=firstdown;991413]its actually welfare but I deleted that.[/quote]

prolly a smert moov

[QUOTE=Mattyk;991414]prolly a smert moov[/QUOTE]

Lol

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

[quote=firstdown;991412][IMG]http://www.daybreakfishing.com/images/bait/spot.jpg[/IMG][/quote]Love Spots. Catch them practically any time on most NC Beaches I go to, and easy to clean.

Thanks
She will eat anything but unless she went to 7-11 no way she got candy. Shes a little thing ya know. All i know is im getting kisses every chance i can. Like i said i know we all gotta go but i only had her for a year.

[QUOTE=Mattyk;991414]prolly a smert moov[/QUOTE]

Lmao

[QUOTE=CultBrennan59;991401]I've always been a dog fan. Not much of a cat lover. But call me weird or whatever, but fish are the coolest. Plus side is you don't have to walk them or take them out and its just amazing seen them interact in their own little world. Plus they are very tranquil and peaceful to look at.[/QUOTE]

When my dog took a turn for the worse i was driving an hour away to get fish meds for my daughters goldfish. It worked on one of them. I have learned alot about fish over the last couple years with just a ten gallon tank. I would love to have a bigger tank with some really cool fish, but i dont have the time for it. When i was at the animal hospital and a nervous wreck the only thing that kept me sane was their massive fish tank - had all sorts of cool - what looked like - moving coral plants? It was really cool. I have allergies to hamsters, mice- bunnies, etc and my wife is allergic to cats and dogs with fur, So poodles, shih tzus and fish are the limit in my house.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

I've had cats, fish, dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits, great pets... all of 'em.

We have zero pets these days, my wife is too allergic and neither of use like the idea of animals in our house anyway. We have plenty of friends and family to get our pet fixes from.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

[quote=punch it in;991490]When my dog took a turn for the worse i was driving an hour away to get fish meds for my daughters goldfish. It worked on one of them. I have learned alot about fish over the last couple years with just a ten gallon tank. I would love to have a bigger tank with some really cool fish, but i dont have the time for it. When i was at the animal hospital and a nervous wreck the only thing that kept me sane was their massive fish tank - had all sorts of cool - what looked like - moving coral plants? It was really cool. I have allergies to hamsters, mice- bunnies, etc and my wife is allergic to cats and dogs with fur, So poodles, shih tzus and fish are the limit in my house.[/quote]

Well just know, if you ever do get into fish; Freshwater=cheap. Saltwater=Expensive as hell/but more beautiful.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

[quote=Mattyk;991498]I've had cats, fish, dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits, great pets... all of 'em.

We have zero pets these days, my wife is too allergic and neither of use like the idea of animals in our house anyway. [B]We have plenty of friends and family to get our pet fixes from[/B].[/quote]

LMAO. I could go so many places with this statement.

[QUOTE=firstdown;991653]LMAO. I could go so many places with this statement.[/QUOTE]

Thats just wrong......and illegal in most states.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

For you dog lovers.

[url=http://www.oleballnchain.com/]OleBallnChain > OleBallnChain Home Page[/url]

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

[quote=Alvin Walton;993396]For you dog lovers.

[url=http://www.oleballnchain.com/]OleBallnChain > OleBallnChain Home Page[/url][/quote]

Man, Lady (from JR's earlier post - still waiting on the sequel Bro') could have used that BIG TIME. That beagle wanted out of the yard so bad she would dig any way she could to get out.

I had another skittish dog who would jump, or climb anyway she could who that would have been great for as well.

I miss my dogs.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

Continuing on with the dogs of my life ...

[B]ABBY[/B]: Abby (short for Abigail) was a four year old yellow lab we adopted. She was also the anti-Otis.

After Otis died in early February, I was in no mood to get another dog. In March, however, my wife heard of an older “rescue dog” that was in need of a home. My wife pretty much used emotional blackmail to force me to agree to taking the dog. When we got her, she was incredibly hyper and destructive with bad epilepsy to top it all off. I simply didn’t want the dog. At all. I was deeply hurt by my wife for forcing me “replace” Otis so quickly with this animal. Damn, I hated that dog.

Then a strange thing happened. She grew on me. Like mold.

At first, Abby didn't seem to know how to react to us. We were people who treated dogs like family, not like property. Clearly, her prior owners did not do that. Don't get me wrong, I think her prior owners tried do right by her but she was their first dog ever and she was a handful. They just didn't get that dogs aren't wind up toys. Soon enough, however, Abby adapted to being a [I]part of [/I]a family rather than being [I]owned by [/I]a family. She calmed down a little, became less destructive and just wanted to be around us.

Abby lived to be with people. She loved them - big people, short people, any people. She particularly loved HER people. Every day she let us know that we were her favorite playmates. She drank beer, was convinced she had thumbs, and was the most vicious "tug" player I have ever known. Sometimes I think she hated to sleep b/c it meant she would have to wait to play with us.

I say she was hyper (and she was) but she was also sweet and, around our new son, gentle. She never stopped being destructive and hyper. Also, her epileptic siezures caused more than one trip to the vet at strange hours. There were a few seizures where we thought she wasn't going to pull through. She did and each time, after a bit of rest, she was back to her regular self. One look from her and it was clear she was saying - "Sorry about that folks - did I miss anything? Okay then - are we playing yet?"

Yes, she was the anti-Otis, but that was okay. It was, in fact, good. Abby lived to play and played to live. Every day, she demonstrated that it is God's desire for us to enjoy life and eke every moment of fun from every breath we take. To me, in a very real way, she was the embodiment and physical manifestation of God's "Joy". Damn, I loved that dog.

Then she got sick. Really sick. Cancer sick.

In November/December 2005, we took her in to have some tests done on a cyst that wouldn't go away. They came back bad - very bad. She had a type of cancer that, by the time it was detected, was already throughout her system. With drugs and love we kept her alive through Christmas and into the New Year. She died a quiet peaceful death in January, 2006. We had her for only two years. We miss her deeply and love her still.

[B]BRONWYN[/B]: Another yellow lab from the same breeder from whom we had gotten Otis and Trajan. It was as if Abby picked her for us. She, too, lived to play and played to live. Not as hyper or destructive as Abby, but just as enthusiastic about a game of tug and a romp in the field.

Unfortunately, she was also dumb as a post. I would sit in my chair and pretend to throw a ball for her while actually letting it fall behind my back into the chair. She would search for a it, give up and bring me another toy. Wash, rinse, repeat until I had about five to ten toys behind me and she would get this deeply perplexed look on her face “Dad … you threw all the toys into outer space … what are we going to do now???” Not the dumbest dog I have ever owned (that honor goes to another that will be described later) but probably not many pegs above vegetation. Again, however, she was a sweet, sweet animal.

She was my son’s dog from the moment she padded into the house. Trajan was slowing down at this point and a high energy puppy, while fun in short bursts, was tiresome to him for any extended play. For a four year old boy? A playful puppy was the definition of joy. My son tied a rope around his waist and ran around so she would chase him, or he would chase her if the mood struck them. Sometimes the chaser/chasee role would switch four or five times in the space of a ten minutes. It was chaotic fun to watch and inevitably ended with the two of them collapsing in a hug filled with dog kisses for my son. She loved to stick her paws into the bathtub when he was taking a bath and play “Hey Aidan, watch me eat the water!”. This amused him to no end. Theirs was a special relationship between a boy and his dog. He bonded with her on a deep level. ... It should have lasted for years.

One of Bronwyn’s really bad habits was that she was a bolter. Open a door and, if you weren’t vigilant, she was out it in a flash. She loved to be outside. We tried to be careful and cure her of the habit but, short of stiff arming her, it was a habit she just wouldn’t break. When you live in a row house 100 or so feet from a main drag this is a problem.

When Bronwyn was nine months old, I just wasn’t paying attention. I was thinking about something else and didn’t realize she was right there. Open door, out sprints dog – straight for the field where she and Aidan would race and chase. I called and ran after her. She thought we were playing, she kept running. Right across a main street. Right into the path of an oncoming car. I saw it coming. I know it was going to happen and I knew I was going to watch her die. I saw it hit her. I was helpless. Front right bumper. Full on body shot. Nothing the driver could have done. The car’s tire ended up on her hind leg.

She wasn’t dead. Bloody and damaged I carried her to the house. We got her to the vet somehow. She had a broken back, fractured skull, broken femur and all the ligaments and tendons in her ankle were shredded (the foot was being held on only by the skin).

Bronnie made a full recovery. They had to put a metal band on the femur but that was it. We kept her in a crate for six weeks to keep her as motionless as possible and give her back vertebrae a chance to heal. We carefully changed the bandages on her leg. Eventually, her back healed fine - lumpy, but fine. Additionally, the scar tissue in her ankle hardened and essentially fused the ankle so it wasn’t flexible. After the six weeks, Bronnie was given a clean bill of health and was racing and chasing with Aidan again. She ran with a gimp and lost a second or two off her 40 time, but she didn't seem to notice at all. Amazing. We couldn’t believe it. We called her the miracle dog.

Until the miracle ran out. About six months later, after we came home from our Christmas (2007) family visits, our neighbor - who had been watching her for us - told us Bronwyn was acting a bit off. That was a Wednesday night. We took her to the vet the next day and they told us it was pancreatitis. They were wrong. It ended up being [url=http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_imha.html]IMHA[/url] – an auto immune disease that caused her own body to attack her system. We gave her a blood transfusion. It didn’t take. We gave her a second. It didn’t take.

On Friday, my wife and I were leaving to check on her. As I was putting on my shoes, my four year old son walked up to me and, in a voice a son reserves for the Dad who fixes everything, Aidan whispered to me “Dad … please don’t let Bronwyn die.” It was the most powerless I have ever felt in my life. God and I still have conversations about that one.

On Saturday, four days after Christmas, jaundiced so bad that the whites of her eyes were orange, her brain so fried by the disease she could not recogize us - or anything, we put her down. She died in my wife's and my arms as we cried our unheard goodbye. She was 16 months old. It was a horrible, horrible end to a beautiful, amazing dog.

My son cried, a lot, and uttered one of those deeply insightful lines that pain sometimes brings – “Dad, I feel blue to down to my bones.” I comforted him the best I could.

The next night, my wife was giving Aidan a bath and started crying thinking about Bronwyn Bath times. In an attempt to be comforting, but, instead, sending my wife into paroxysms of sobbing, my son looked at her and said “Don’t worry Mom. As long as Bronwyn is alive in our hearts and in our minds, she hasn’t really died.”

We miss you Bronwyn. Aidan is keeping you alive and will continue to do so until you meet him at the Rainbow Bridge.

(to be continued ...)

^^^^ok now the Bronwyn story caused tears. I cant believe he survived the car accident. That was an emotional rollercoaster. I was up, down, up and down again. I think your sons reaction at bath time bought me up again. I cant imagine there was any relation to the auto immune disease?

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

We couldn't believe she survived the car accident either. It is burned in my memory - if I close my eyes and concentrate I can see the whole f'ing thing in slow motion. I think if she had been younger, she wouldn't have been strong enough and it would have killed her. On the other hand, if she had been much older, she would not have been able to grow into the healing. We also had an amazing vet who, unfortunately, moved away shortly after her recovery.

As for the IMHA, no clue what causes it. My wife did a lot of research after the fact to try and understand. I still don't know. To me, it's just one of those crappy things that occasionally happen to frail mortal things.

Yeah. Bronnie's death was tough. Just to note, with Trajan's death in 2010 - my son has had three dogs die on him in the span five years. All of whom he knew and was aware of when they died. When otherwise depressed or gloomy, he still occasionally cries about Bronwyn.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

FYI - For those unfamiliar with the Rainbow Bridge poem:

[quote]Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.... [/quote]


It's corny, simplistic and steeped in sentimentalism, but, to me, there is an underlying truth to it. Whatever lies beyond, even if it is nothing, these animals brought me there and, come what may, they will go forward (or come to an end) with and in me ...

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

I plead to the mods.....PLEASE ban JR if he posts to this thread again.
I have no more tears to cry......

[QUOTE=Hog1;993469]I plead to the mods.....PLEASE ban JR if he posts to this thread again.
I have no more tears to cry......[/QUOTE]

Lol. Seriously though if you are an animal lover its tough stuff to read.

JR, years ago in my college days in Miami - i had moved into a friends apartment (across a very busy road from my old apartment) with my dog Shea. I took her out for a walk one nite and locked myself out. This was before cell phones so i decided to walk her back to the old apt and call the landlord to come unlock the door. We are standing in the middle of the road and she wiggles her way out of her leash. I remember standing there thinking "please dont move". She moved. I looked up and of course some type of limo is next in line - i see Shea disappear in front of it and i hear a yelp. The car slammed on its brakes and i walked around the other side. I remember thinking "please let her be obviously dead because i cant handle a half dead /maimed/ dying dog. To my surprise only her front left leg had gotten trapped under the wheel. Not a scratch on the rest of her body. I yelled - back up slowly! He did and Shea got up and took off. I couldnt believe it. I ran back to the old apt and the door was open (nice miami nite). My roomates are all sitting there and im like "did Shea come in here"? Yeah shes upstairs. She came back to a familiar place - rite upstairs to our old room and was lying at the foot of the bed where she always slept. I followed the blood trail. Took her to a 24 hour vet at 1 am. No smartphones to find one - i dont speak spanish. It was very hard to find one and i remember driving around thinking my ****ing dog is going to bleed to death.
Anyway - i found one. The vet told me - she will be fine but she will have arthritis in that leg when she is older. It set in pretty bad when she turned about 8 or 9. By the time she was 12 the leg was really causing her pain and ultimately was what ended her time here. I will never forget how surprised i was when i came around and saw her "intact" though.
Edit: that is really sad about your son , but i think in someway it helps him to understand life and death - that being said i hope he has a dog that lives twenty years with him at some point. My daughter is six and when we just went through our ordeal with Juliette i was trying to prep her for the fact that Jules might be going to heaven. The look on her face was enough to make a stone cry.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

I have been meaning to finish my story but have just not gotten around to it. Don’t worry Hog1, no tears in this one.

[B]AMY[/B] – A yellow lab, Bronwyn’s half sister, with a disposition much more Trajan like than Abby or Brownwyn. She is like the others in that she is a beautiful dog, with a sweet lab face. A bit chunky - gravity is not her friend. She still loves to play and has a best friend in our newest addition (see below).

When Bronwyn died, Trajan was nine years old. B/c of Trajan’s age, we decided we would need to either (1) get a puppy quickly while Trajan was still mobile and could play; or (2) wait until after Trajan passed away. We decided on the former. Trajan was fairly sedate at this point and our son missed having a furry playmate. We went to our breeder (probably for the last time as she was now in her late 60’s) and were told that Bronwyn’s mom had just has a new litter. We went to see it and one of them toddled right over to Aidan almost immediately. We had our new dog.

When it came to naming her, Aidan wanted to call her Love because she was bringing a lost love back to the family. While appreciative of the sentiment, neither my wife nor I were keen on the name and, instead, sold Aidan on the name Amy as short for the French word for love - “amore”.

Amy, as I said, was much more subdued than Abby and Bronwyn. She was a playful puppy and she and Trajan would play the “I’ll (Trajan) sit here and watch you (Amy) run around me and, if you get to close, I will swat you to the ground and wrestle you” game. She loved Trajan and would curl up next to him. He tolerated her but seemed to appreciated that she was not the constant nuisance to him Bronwyn and Abby were. After Trajan passed away, Amy missed him for a while but did not mope as I have seen some dogs do on the loss of a companion dog. Soon enough, she seemed okay being the only dog in the house.

My son, while caring for her, has not bonded with her in any significant way. For him, she is just a dog. He likes and cares for her, but not she is simply not his friend or playmate in the way Bronnie was.

Amy is five now and, in many ways, has taken over from Trajan as being the “just there dog”. She is unobtrusive but present. While she enjoys playing and going for walks, she is just not the high energy dog that her sister was. She is also a bit chunky and, as I said, gravity is not her friend. A wonderful family dog, we are hopeful that she will be with us a long, long time.

[B]ANGUS[/B] – A mixed breed, part lab, part pit bull, part greyhound and mostly stupid. Without a doubt the most athletic dog I have ever had. Equally doubtless is the fact that he is dumber than a post – by a long shot. Sweet and lovable like the village idiot, Angus has taken over the role of “high energy stupid” previously occupied by Abby and Bronwyn.

After Trajan died, I was pretty much ready to be a one dog family for a while. Amy was sweet, well behaved and, with two kids, perfect for our little house and family. My wife, however, soon wanted a second dog. She loved Amy but had always had two dogs and wanted a second “because the house felt empty”. One day while working a farmer’s market in Chestertown, MD, my wife had a rescue dog come and sit with her from the local SPCA booth. My 4 year old daughter fell in love with him. According to my wife, the dog was sedate, calm and gentle as kids climbed all over him. I got a phone call from my little girl – “Daddy, can we pleeeaaaaasssse take him home? I love him so much!”. Not having a heart of stone, I agreed - much as I did not want to.

Stupid just does not convey the level of vacuous existent in this dog. I tell people he only has two brain cells and, most of the time, one of them gets stuck behind his eyeball. Every now and again, he jars it loose by running head first into a wall. He is about the size of a full grown lab but without an ounce of fat – just muscle, skin and bone. He has two speeds: "crazy hyper bouncy dog" and "off". He can go from one to the other in a split second. Generally, this is not a problem. Sometimes, however, I foolishly believe he is in calm mode and I let him curl up in my lap (more on that in a moment). His eyes will be closed, he will be tightly curled up and for all intents and purposes, be dead to the world. Then, somewhere down the block a dog will bark, someone somewhere will knock on a door or a ball will bounce and instantaneously the 70lb dog will launch himself off my lap, travel 4-5 feet in the air and sprint full speed to the front door barking the entire way. Ten minutes later, he shows back up “Duh, it was nothing. Can I come back up??”. In a painful soprano voice, I tell him to go away and he is confused by this.

He has absolutely no sense of personal space and firmly believes he is a lap dog. He is constantly trying to get [I]right next[/I] to you and gets a deeply pained look if you if you shoo him away. It’s as if he doesn’t believe you love him if you don’t let him sit his ass on your chest and put his face right next to yours. On New Year’s Eve this past year, he circled the table by crawling into each person’s lap without once touching the floor.

He is also the most athletic dog I have ever had. He has an amazing vertical leap. His broad jump is impressive as well - once he gets running, he can jump from one side of my recliner, clear it without touching me and land on the couch six feet away with ease. Fast does not begin to describe him – he has a beautiful stride at top speed. On top of that, he and Amy play vicious games of wrestling and chase which, to the uninitiated, look like something from Vick’s backyard. Often time she gives a little chase and he runs a full speed lap around the house just ‘cause.

All in all, he is a good dog. He too, like the Abby before him, is growing on me. My daughter adores him while my son tolerates him. To my wife he is Captain Springy Paws b/c of his energy. To me, he is the crazy that every house needs now and again. I guess we’ll keep him for a bit longer.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

There you have it. My dogs. As I said at one point, they are all a part of me and I carry them forward with me each and every day. Each taught (and continue to teach) me something of the joy of life and the cost of caring. I can honestly say that I am better man because of them.

Otis, Trajan, Abby, Bronwyn - You are missed and loved still.

Amy, Angus, we hope you stay with us a long time and that we can return to you the unconditional love you give us each and every day.

Thanks all for reading.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

I'm bummed. My neighbor is moving out and as a result I'm loosing my surrogate English lab. Bad times.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

[IMG]https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/255607_10101753906499168_1173020531_n.jpg[/IMG]

This is Sherman, he's a Cocker Spaniel my wife and I adopted five years ago.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

[quote=Dirtbag59;1009564]I'm bummed. My neighbor is moving out and as a result I'm loosing my surrogate English lab. Bad times.[/quote]

Clearly, you just need to get one of your own.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

Anybody into vigilante justice? Wacos not that far away from me,these people need to die,preferably the same way they treated dogs.They were making snuff films using dogs,sickening,I couldnt read the whole article
[url=http://www.houstonpress.com/2013-05-16/news/ashley-nicole-richards/]Open Season: Do Laws Against Animal Crushing Videos Violate Free Speech? - Page 1 - News - Houston - Houston Press[/url]

If this isnt appropriate place to post,feel free to delete.I just saw this today and then saw this thread

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

So my mutt dog of nearly 11 years seems to be doing bad. Going to the vet today at 2:30. He has not being eating well; vomiting; generally just out of it.

To be very honest I am not a fan of his but he brings a lot of love/happiness to my wife and if he passes she is going to be very upset.

Re: The animals give their affection unconditionally, and they are less judgemental thread
 

[quote=mredskins;1012550]So my mutt dog of nearly 11 years seems to be doing bad. Going to the vet today at 2:30. He has not being eating well; vomiting; generally just out of it.

To be very honest I am not a fan of his but he brings a lot of love/happiness to my wife and if he passes she is going to be very upset.[/quote]

Hope everything goes well.