Our obedience instructor is allowing Sweetheart and I to restart obedience class later this month. I told her I needed a do-over, especially since losing Bavarian. She graciously agreed and I couldn't be happier. We start again March 24th.
Sweetheart has a new nickname: Kitty Cat. :) She always comes up to Lester while he is sitting on his computer chair and she rubs up against him and arches her back to be pet like a cat. So Kitty Cat it is. :) Silly I know but it somehow works for her, well ok, for us.
Anyone want to send me stories of their heart dog or cat? I would love to hear them like I loved hearing about your fur babies. They do not have to be stories about heart dogs/cats that are currently alive. I like to hear stories about all pets from all points in people's lives.
I am missing Bavarian so much. Sometimes I wonder if I am making too big of a deal out of his passing. He was so special to me and I miss him. I am comforted by those of you who have commented and told me that even after several years you still miss your heart dog and tear up at times. I think it is only natural when you love your pet and share your day to day life with them.
It's been three years since I lost my heart dog this coming May, and I still really miss her at times. Sometimes I still even write about her on our blog. She was such a larger than life personality in a small brindle fur coat. There are so many funny stories about Treat. She once refused to go outside to pee for five days during a bad rainy season and then went down to our basement while we were gone (where she never went) and flooded the cat box. She saw another Greyhound attack the Easter Bunny during a picture event at Petsmart. After our Christmas tree fell down and attacked Hawk, she attacked the crocheted Christmas ornaments in retaliation. The local Dairy Queen would always give her free ice cream on our way to nursing home nights and one night the kids were all new and didn't give her any and she huffed and snorted all the way there. She'd nip my husband in the seat of the pants on Saturday mornings when we'd get all ready to go out together and then he'd go back towards the bedroom to get his wallet or checkbook that he still always forgets.
ReplyDeleteShe was like an extension of me, and me of her. We did therapy visits together and I always just knew where she was. She always knew where I expected her to be, too. It was really like losing a part of myself when she passed away. Don't feel bad for talking about Bavarian, or for missing him. I was so very lucky that I went back to the kennel when I did and found Bunny. She's another heart dog for sure, and I feel like finding her was what finally let Treat rest in peace. Bunny is a lot like her in many ways, but she also has her own sweet, endearing spirit!
It's been 9 years since my mom lost her heart dog. She still tears up. Cassidy was my mom's friend through so many major trials. Their relationship was the strongest dog/human one I've ever seen... Although, the Max and my Dad relationship is close... Maybe I'll email you with their story! It's not sad, because Max is still alive... and OH the nicknames that poor dog has!!! :) Poor guy.
ReplyDeleteIt's ok to be sad. Bavarian will always live with you...
(((Jess))) Song and I are sending you huge hugs. Of course you aren't making too much of Bavarian's passing. Your heart needs to mend and I doubt that it ever will fully. There will always be a small fragment missing. that's how I feel about my Jack Russel Poppy.
ReplyDeleteSo glad Sweetheart and you can start your training again.
You'll probably never totally get over Barvarian's passing, Jess. But the huge hole he's left in your heart will start to ache less and less and that's how he'd want it. He knows you'll never forget him but he wouldn't want you to be miserable forever. That would make him sad too.
ReplyDeleteI've been blessed to have shared my life with many truly wonderful dogs and I still can't define why I felt closer to some than others. I loved them all the same, I treated them all the same, they all loved me the same. And I feel guilty that some were more special to me than others.
Perhaps I've never had a true heart dog? There's absolutely no reason why I should feel closer to Frankie than I do Beryl. She adores me and is a one-person dog whereas Frankie is more gregarious and I do love them both the same and connect with both of them but I sort of feel I mean more to Frankie. Even though I know if something should happen to me he would probably settle in to a new home a lot better than Beryl would.
And Beryl does the 'Kitty Cat' thing to me too:) It's so cute but I hadn't put a name to it!
Hugs to you!
ReplyDeleteIt's not easy to "get over" anyone's death, so there's no reason you should be completely fine so soon. Let yourself grieve and enjoy the memories. It's been 10 years since I lost my heart dog and it still can sneak up on me and make me sad, but more often now the thoughts are happy.
I'm so sorry for your loss. I haven't been in for a few days so was playing catch up. I can't imagine the pain. I never knew what a "heart" dog was until I got GreyCee and now I know and I can't even imagine the pain of losing her some day. I think we have to remember the joy, though, instead of the pain. That's what our babies would want us to do. **hugs**
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for your hurting. It's so hard to loose them. Zephyr and Astro are my first dogs. But, I have had cats. I had two that were almost 22 and almost 20. I had had them since I was a teenager, they were my heart cats. I ended up loosing them 3 days apart, the second one on Christmas Eve. Not so fun. That was over 4 years ago and I still think about them all the time and sometimes mess up and say their names. Bavarian was so special too you and really changed your life. I think it's good to let yourself grieve.
ReplyDeleteOur first greyhound was a big beautiful brindle boy called Geezer. He opened our hearts to the absolute joy of owning a greyhound and when he died suddenly at the tender age of only four and after only 11 months with us, we were devastated. We missed him so much - the crazy welcome of the helicopter tail when we got home, the crazy game of happy cushion that he used to play (his favourite toy was an old cushion)... the nudges up the bottom when he wanted you to hurry up and get ready for walkies... but as much as anything, the wonderful contented snuggle-down sighs from the sofa as he relaxed. He is the reason that we now have two greys, Dudley - a big black fuss tart of a boy and Snowy a white and black girl who loves to kiss you. Within a week of losing Geezer we knew his legacy had to be to do the same for another... and then another! The pain will ease and the memories will gradually bring more smiles than tears.
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