This is my vicious watch dog Tyler with his teddy bear. He was not happy that I woke him up for this picture.

Tony from KY

One morning in 2001, I woke up and my hubby wasn’t there so I called his cell and he said that “you might get mad at me but I’m at the humane society.” I quickly shouted…”Come get me now!” Well he did and he had his eye on this little 2 yr old Boston Terrier/Jack Russel mix named Spencer. I fell in love immediately. We were lucky because 4 other families were wanting him as well but we adopted him. He slept between my legs and feet every night and cuddled with daddy(my hubby) as well. We would snuggle on the couch and watch movies together all the time for he loved to be indoors because here in Minnesota, winters are not your best friend.

Then we had kids. He seemed jealous at first but he adjusted well and loved them very much. He was very protective of our 1st born since he new him well. October 6, 2006 my 2nd son was born and around the same time, Spencer seemd different. He was loosing weight and wasn’t eating right. Then the next week he would seem fine. It kept going back and forth like this for many weeks. Vets said it could have been a flu bug. Well on October 29th, I lost my grandma. That was really hard on me and my family. We were really close to her and so was Spencer. Him and her dog Sassy would fight to see who got to sit in grandma’s lap. Funny!

Anyway, I was trying to deal and grieve with that whole mess I didn’t stop to think how Spencer was doing. Now remember…..I have a newborn and toddler with a grandma that just died. I normally wouldn’t let this slide. Well Wed.Nov. 11 2006 we were eating supper and he normally is beggin’ for food but he was laying in the corner like he has been lately. We were eating meatballs so I tried to give him some. All he sis was licked it and walked away. I knew something was really wrong so I told my hubby to take him to the vet the very next day. Well normally Spencer would sleep with us but the last few nights he laid on the floor next to the bed. Before my hubby left for the vet, he let Spencer out to go potty and he wouldn’t go. He was so weak that my hubby had to carry him.

Then back in the house, Spencer tried to get up a had a really bad accident on the floor which(not to be graphic)had blood in it. Really scarey. He got him to the vet and they did the best they could. They gave him fluids and ran tests. All we knew is that he had kidney failure and we don’t know why. I felt so bad seeing him there. I felt guilty and respondsible that I didn’t help him sooner. All I could do is cry cry cry. Well the vet told us that if he didn’t inprove by Say the 14th, we would have to make a choice. Thankfully in a bittersweet way, Friday the 13th(ironic) in the evening, Spencer chose for us and passed away. We miss him so very much and to this day I still feel very bad that I didn’t get him the help he needed sooner.

We have another dog now named Lucy. She’s a Boxer. We got her as a 6wk old pup. She’s wonderful but she’ll never compare so Spencer. As my 3yr old always says that “Bubba is in heaven on Grandma Peggy’s lap”. He’ll always be in our hearts and is missed so much. I want to thank him for the good times and for being a part of our lives.

I thought it was time for me to say hello to all my friends. Its been a very eventful Spring and Summer for me and my Dad.

I took that journey over the Rainbow Bridge on June 24 of this year. Dad was reluctant to let me go but he finally realized when it was my time. I know he was sad to say good bye but I had to go, he and I both knew it by then. The last month of life on earth started out pretty good, even though I was real sick and taking medication three times a day. Dad did all he could to make me feel better cooking special meals and stopping home whenever he could. He even yelled at Baron who would sometimes play rough, I guess Baron didn’t really know what was going on.

The medicine Doctor Batts gave Dad to give to me did help a lot, although I was awfully thirsty most of the time. I’m glad it was Springtime when I got sick, since I was still able to run around the yard, listen to the birds and drink out of the fishpond whenever I wanted to.To tell the truth, I forgot how sick I was, most of the time, those steroids are pretty powerful stuff. I ran around just like I did before and Dad kept telling his friends how good I was doing.

It was Gigi’s birthday on May 23 and a couple of weeks later we had a big party on Dad’s deck. I had such a good time playing with Gigi’s little niece Victoria. She and I really got along great. I miss not being able to see her right now.
I even stole some cookies off the table when no one was looking. Ha ha, it reminded me of the Christmas when Big Baron and I ate the Christmas cookies that Dad’s cousin made for him. Gigi thought he had eaten them without saving any for her. Boy did I think I was in trouble then. But this time Dad just laughed, especially when Gigi reminded him about the Christmas cookies. It was a real fun time that day.

A few days later I was not feeling so well. I had slept outside on Tuesday night and when Dad came to see me that morning, by the look on his face I knew something was wrong. Dad’s eyes got real red and watery and he just kept saying “Poor Holly” over and over again. I learned that I was retaining fluids, I guess my liver was not working at all and my other organs were starting to be affected.

Doctor Batts had gone on vacation and Dad took me to another Vet for a checkup. I heard the Vet say that he could probably drain the fluids but didn’t have time that day. I heard Dad make an appointment for the following Monday.
After we left the vet’s I just laid around. I was not feeling well at all. I didn’t have much energy and I really didn’t feel muck like eating. Try as he did, I just could not eat anything Dad made for me. Things didn’t get much better over the next couple of days. I wandered around the deck and backyard, somewhat, but I was moving real slow and I couldn’t hear or see very well.

By Saturday, I knew the jig was up. I just could not move at all. Dad and Gigi took a big blanket and rolled me onto it. They both carried me into the truck to ride over to the vet’s. I knew this was my last ride in the truck, and tried real hard to look out the window, but I just didn;’t have much strength. Dad and Gigi said their goodbyes while I was lying on the doctor’s table. Dad told me how much he loved me and started to cry. I felt sad to see him so upset but I knew I was going to a better place. Gigi said goodbye and I could see she was crying, too.

Well, I’m here now on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge – and its just like all the people said it would be. I’m feeling like my old self again, running and playing with all the other dogs and pets who have passed over. Oh, by the way, Big Baron was here to meet me when I crossed over. He introduced me to so many of his friends – some of whom were also Dad’s kids on the other side. There was Baron I , Brutus, Caesar and even Wizard, too. They were all so glad to see me and we’re having a great time telling each other stories of our life with Dad. We all can’t wait to see him, someday – just not too soon!

Love,

Holly From New Jersey

When I was about 15 years old, my family of 9 (Mother, Father, 7 children, Myself being the oldest) did not have a dog at the time. We had a canary, some fish, but no puppy. Our neighbor had two dogs, a Doberman and a Dalmation. Often the Doberman would bully the Dalmation, eat its food, and attack him. Our neighbor did not take an active role in properly training and caring for the dogs either. One day, tired of the constant fighting between the two animals, our neighbor asked my father if he would take one of the dogs. My Father did not want the Doberman because he figured it was too aggressive for us children. So my Father agreed to take in the Dalmation, with reservations.

 Father was concerned that because of the abuse the dog suffered, it too, would not accept us children. My Father has always had a commanding presence over animals. They naturally accept him and submit themselves to his tall stature and kind demeanor, so he figured he would be able to use his “Midas Touch” with the Dalmation. But, we kids think it was our insistence that we take in the “fire-house mascot dog” Father eventually gave in. The poor animal was skinny, weak and timid. My Father let us meet him up close get a couple of pats on the head and then took him in the basement and set up a little den for him to sleep in. Meanwhile, Father also put him on a gradual diet of milk and egg whites, and nutritous dog food. After a week of the dog being in the house, becoming accustomed to the scents and sounds of his new home, Father brought our new friend up to meet us. I never saw that Dalmation so happy and eager to meet his new humans. Tail wagging so fast that he was having a hard time keeping his balance.

We all fell in love with him, Father then told us that now would be good time to name him. Earlier, he had instructed us not to begin picking names for the dog, until he had time to determine if the dog would accept us. We unanimously decided on “Snow” Afterwards our new “puppy face” went to the vet for the initial physical and passed. I still have many warm memories of Snow taking turns resting his head on our laps as we watched TV, with those big floppy ears, and big black nose and big puppy eyes; Chasing tennis balls, squirrels, and the family cat too. (I had rescued the cat, when she was a kitten, from a dumpster while delivering my paper route.) My Father often commented how relieved he was to see that the dog adjusted so well to us, he said that it was because of love no doubt. All the love we gave Snow was returned by him in every way a good dog can. He was our companion, friend, and protector too. Whenever Father took us to the park, Snow would take up the role of guardian. Watching, letting out a single bark if stangers got too close, he would also strike a pose, the kind that says “I’m here and I’m watching you.”
He lived well and long enough to make a permanent mark on my heart. His passing away is a vuage blurry moment when compared to the joy and warmth during his presence. When Snow passed away Father bundled him up in a blanket, and buried him between the apple and mulberry trees of our back yard. Snow is only one dog of three which I grew up with. The memories of Snow are some of my favorites because It was the earliest lessons I can recall learning from my Father about compassion towards animals, and how just being good to an animal makes us better overall. I only wish I still had all those pictures, I think my sister is hoarding them…Hmmmm. Being single and in the military, residing in the barracks interferes with my wishes to get a dog. I would have a German Shepherd. We had one when I was 8 and his name Lucky. I will tell that story later on. Thanks for this site Mark.

Sincerely,
Len from NC

Baron II was the ultimate dog, and lived up to the reputation of being Man’s best friend. He had a list of human friends a mile long. Dad never had trouble finding a sitter for Baron, his many friends loved to have him come visit for as long as he wanted to stay. As a young dog Baronooch would leap atop Dad’s double sided stockade fence and walk the perimeter of the yard balancing himself on the two by fours. He also learned to sing as he grew older, and would howl like a virtuoso whenever a siren would sound. Later in life Dad brought home Holly, a female English Springer Spaniel and she and the Big Guy became the best of friends, playing and sleeping together for many a day. Unfortunately, Father Time finally caught up with Baron and on May 15, 2003 he was called to the other side of the Rainbow Bridge, where he patiently waits for Dad and Holly to join him again some day.
Paul From New Jersey

I have a “hot dog” dog. Her name is Rita.

Jeff From New Jersey