This story is both heart breaking and warming. We used to have two Great Pyrenees named Smudge and Tecumseh. Smudge was a beautiful papered up show stock but I got my boy Tecumseh from a working sheep ranch in the little town of Caliente Ca. When I chose him he was gnawing on the last of his brothers and sisters in the pen at the ranch and he turned around to me like thew little “Chicken Hawk” that used to say”I’m a Chickenhawk and you’re a Chicken, so come along with me or I’ll have to muss you up!”
He/They were our everything and identity to!
We actually bought a used Suburban just so they could stick their heads out back raining love at all who drove behind us!
As I used to like to say, “How many things can actually stop traffic in the Castro on a Saturday nite?”
We would even receive special traffic enforcement by the mean S.F. P.D. cycle cops!!
My Smudgie girl got bone cancer and we gave her the best of care and vetrinary science but still lost her in my arms.
What we were NOT prepared for was Tecumseh’s premature death and the impact it had on me as soul!
I had just dropped him off at the groomers when I picked him up unbeknown to me he was dropped and ruptured his spleen.
When we went to the emergency hospital, they found a mass (cancer again!) and upon the last sucher he went in to arrest.
We couldn’t raise him from his coma and had to euthanize him right their in the emergency room. His beauty and glory was the last time I saw him and when I woke up the next morning I did not want to live in this house without him and was willing to just leave! Though they were French (and never did stop smoking cigarettes) they were my world!
We swore we would never have another dog and that it was just too painful!
Then my wife saw “The Poet” on line and the next thing we knew was we were at my Smudgie’s breeded picking up the most wonderful “Son Dog” in the world. As difficult as he is (more than the other two combined!) I can’t imagine a life void of the canines(even the French Ones!)
You have shared with us and I just wanted to share with you the love they bring and the meaning their little souls have for all!
Thank You,
Michael Claudia and Poet McShane Alameda (That’s right Libs, home of the Hornet USN!) Thank Jimmy Doolittle very MUCH!!!!!
This is the Poet aka Po Po Po!
Love Ya Buddy!

Michael from CA