I said in another thread that Caleb was having problems with DM and we also recently found he had a large tumor on his rear end. Unfortunately for us, that tumor was pretty aggressive. He was becoming increasing uncomfortable for day to day. And the mass bled a couple of times when he would sit or fall on his butt. The other night he had a particularly bad bleed and DH and I made the hard decision to let him go. He crossed the bridge about noon today. RIP my sweet boy - yes there were times you were a handful, but you were still my sweet boy. And I think we did a pretty good job of spoiling him this past week - just wish this hadn't happened so fast.

Can these times get any worse??? Oh Johanna, I'm crying. What tremendous loss. I'm so very sorry I had so wished you had more time, but there is never enough time. I think you did a great job at spoiling him not only this past week, but his entire life. He was so loved and will remain in our hearts forever.

Caleb lived a great life with you-a dog's dream life. -the only thing better would be more time.

I am deeply sorry,
Mary Jane

Rest in Peace Caleb. You were loved by many and loved in return.

Johanna, I'm so sorry. It's clear from everything you've ever said how amazing Caleb was and that he was a larger than life figure. If it feels okay, of course, keep sharing stories with us, I know Caleb tales always bring a smile to my face.

That's a great idea Jenn. Please Johanna, write as much as you'd like about your boy. I know when mine have passed I've come here and written until I couldn't write anymore. And it helped. I don't know where I'd be if not for these boards. And we always have enjoyed stories about Caleb.

My heart breaks for you Johanna! It is so hard to let them go, and it seems doubly hard when it happens so fast, in my opinion. Cherish the memories and know you were the perfect mom for him. RIP sweet Caleb!

Johanna, my heartfelt sympathies go out to your hubby and you. I hope Ciara is doing okay under the circumstances. Please let us know how she's handling the loss of Caleb. He is at the Bridge with all our other dogs who have gone before him. RIP sweet angel.

Thank you, everyone.

Ciara seems to be OK for the most part. But that being said, she was behaving a little odd today. I took her out to play a little Chuck-it, which is her favorite thing in the whole wide room to do with me. She retrieved the ball a couple of times and then she would go out for it, stop and smell the grass where the ball was and not pick it up. When I told her to get it and bring it back, she would pick it up and bring it back and made it clear to me she didn't want to play anymore. I don't know if it was too hot for her or what.

Last night, DH took a GSD statue I have (dog laying down with it's head up) and put it on Caleb's pillow. Ciara promptly got up and went over to sniff it and looked it over intently. DH thought it kind of weirded her out.

My day was so-so. I got some stuff done in the shop, but my heart wasn't in it. And every time I would look out in the front yard, I found myself expecting to see him exploring in the yard. So I stopped looking there and mostly looked out the back, where the dogs didn't usually hang out.

Ah Johanna,
I am so sorry. I expected you to have a few months, not just a few days. That boy had a wonderful life with you.

Middle - when we talked to the vet, she was talking in terms of "weeks" after finding the tumor. We were certainly hoping for more than a week, but we did not want him to be in severe pain or anything because we were not ready to let him go.

He left eating treats from our hands right up until the sedative took full effect. I don't think Caleb ever met a treat he didn't like.

I've had a busy week this week and just now got on here. Johanna, I can't convey how sorry I am for your sudden loss of Caleb.
I'm trying yo write this through my tears. Ha was such a beautiful boy and I'm sure there will be a big gap in all of your lives for some time.
Please feel free to write about his escapades from times gone past. I always meant to write more after loosing Loki, but my tears would come and I just could bring myself to write it down.
Many hugs to Cierra and the rest of you.

Well, on a good note - I got a game of Chuck-it in with Ciara today. She was a lot more engaged than she was Saturday and Sunday. The funny thing - I was standing kind of close to the lilac bush, which Caleb enjoyed laying under as it was shady and he could see towards the road and towards the vegetable garden area, she would not come all the way back to me there. Kept dropping her ball near the brick path to the porch door. Once I moved over there to get her ball, all was good and she was bringing the ball all the back to me. It was a short session, but basically more normal for her.

On the things that I miss - DH usually gets up before me, shuts the bedroom door and lets me sleep in a bit, and lets the dogs out. The 2 dogs would hang out near the bedroom door, waiting for me to get up. Caleb would always greet me with yodels and little barks, like he hadn't seen me in weeks (rather than maybe 1/2 hour). He would have to be greeted with a good chest scratching and pets, then I would go get breakfast for the dogs. Of course, that meant coming with me and watching my every move while I got things ready for them. I miss that morning greeting from him. Today, I actually got a little bit of that greeting from Ciara. Maybe he's been talking to her???

Ciara is such a sweetheart stepping in for Caleb with the greetings. Aww. It sounds like she's adjusting to - that's always one of our big worries when we lose someone. She is still holding Caleb's bush in her heart.

...wandering off to blink and sniff a bunch...

I'm glad to hear Ciara felt more like playing today. These are hard times for everyone. There's so many special little things our pets do for us that give us joy. I can just picture Caleb greeting you with yodels and little barks. I'm thinking Ciara will step up to the plate and start a special greeting for Mom every morning.

Dogs can be small miracles. I imagine that your household will create a new morning routine, it sounds like Ciara is doing her part.

If/when you feel like it, I would love to know how Caleb acquired his name as Moose.

take care,
MJ

I'm glad not only for Ciara but also for you about a game of Chuck-it. It helps heal the loss of Caleb just a little and gives Ciara one-on-one special attention. Anytime, any place you would like to post some memories of Caleb we're all ears.

MJ,

I had to ask DH why we gave him that nickname, as I wasn't completely sure. To me I thought it was because he was definitely a "bigger than life" type of dog. DH says it had more to do with his bark as a young dog - it was a really deep bark for a young dog and DH started to call him Moose when he barked. It was a bit of a scary bark, being so deep and would kind of scare the kids in the neighborhood. That in itself is funny, because Caleb absolutely adored little kids and the bark was a much excitement at seeing them, rather than trying to be a big scary German Shepherd.

Kind of reminds me of one of Eli's first birthday parties. We'd come up to the kids house for the party, but decided to stay at a local hotel and leave the dogs in their kennels at the hotel while we were at the party. I remember DH seeing all the little kids running around and saying that it was a good thing we had left Caleb at the hotel. He would have been beside himself with excitement at seeing all those kids and wanting to play with them all. I think he was just a couple of years old at the time.

SRM,

Caleb and Chuck-it - he liked to play fetch when he was young, but you had to "two ball" him so he would drop the ball. As he got older, he decided that keep away with the ball was much more fun for him. He would bring the ball back and chew on it a bit. Then drop it on the ground and look at you, like OK here's the ball. The minute I would go to pick up the ball with the launcher, he'd grab it off the ground with a little sly look like - fooled you, I'm not ready for another toss.

I think Caleb's absolute favorite game was tug.

Caleb knew exactly what he was doing. He was a sweet but smart guy. Actually Sean did something similar - DH and I would play monkey in the middle with him and when he dropped the ball, then picked it up he'd take off running as if to say, "hey guys, aren't you going to chase me?"