Oh my, always something new. I hope it's not too major? Glad the laser is helping the wound - I would definitely use it for you while you have it!

For now let's just say "smelly fountain."

She was a kick, you know. Even as a pup.

At 8 weeks she took her first walk at the airport as though she had been born walking on a leash.

Club said just leave the pup and go inside if they don’t engage with you. Sure.
Pup would take the ball to the top of the terrace, roll it down and retrieve it.
Sure just leave the pup.

If your pup is misbehaving as you leash up to go out, pop her back in her crate.
Sure just pop her in the crate – and kiss that gear goodbye.

But they said nothing about a dog loving the bath tub, water or not. They said nothing about a pup playing hockey in the bathtub with the water dish as a puck.

We walked late at night because, as a pup, she wanted to eat any and every vehicle that passed.

Later at our new place, she would be sure to be by my side when my neighbor screamed curses at me. “Come over here and say that will you?” When the neighbor 4 to 500 feet away was screaming curses at 3 am, she would wake me: “you need to know about this.”

At her first tracking at a trial, she got high in trial for tracking.
She loved the wall, she liked the hurdle, she was a champ loading up with the ramp.
But the sleeve – oh my! To me, her best death would have been with a sleeve in her mouth. That’s not how it went.

But this last year has been an honor. To steady her rear, to help her down the stairs, to treat her eyes, to clean her, to wash the bedding, to wash the dog, to tend her pressure sore. To cook special meals that she would eat. To sit with her while she ate. To take her to treatments. I have been so honored.

Barker the Elder the Second. Good Dog. The end. Tuesday, March 28.

BTE2 It sounds to me like you had a wonderful life.

I'm so sorry for your loss, middle

Oh Middle, I'm so very sorry for the loss. She was one special girl.

What a dog and what an owner! It never gets easier to let them go.

Rest in peace good girl.

Mary Jane

Oh Middle I'm so sorry. My heart is breaking for you. It's never easy but when they are with us for a long time - it's hard in a different way.

If you're the hugging type, you've got some coming your way. It is an honour to care for them.

Rest in Peace Barker the Elder the Second. You will be missed.

Thanks for the sympathy folks.

Turned in a slew of meds and the rest of the harness. I didn't want to bother selling it and figured they could use it for another dog with similar issues.

I picked up her ashes this afternoon. It was a reminder of how things like that can drain me physically. Then, too, it is a reminder to do something with the ashes of the other dogs that I've hauled with me. I think I'll keep a little bit of everybody with me but need to find a place for the "rest" of them. The first two dogs got what is probably an illegal burial in the yard, the third dog was buried on my place - All burials were in locations that were physically possible.

The first cremated dog had ashes placed in at least three locations although I did keep some. Most of the ashes of the rest were divided into two GSD cookie jars but the last two wouldn't fit. Once I figure this out, I'll be down to small bits of these dogs in one cookie jar. This is a good place for dogs' ashes - I didn't want to leave anyone in Arkansas. If they had favorite places, I'd honor that but the two that lived here liked it all. The irony of this fussing on my part is that, well, the dog IS dead. This is just symbolic.

It's kinda like why do we think it is important to get the ashes from THAT dog?

I don't believe in any afterlife but if there were one, I think her ideal would be a good bark and hold with the sleeve bite.



.

I'm very similar to you Middle. Don't believe in an afterlife, but I have carried around ashes of cats and rabbits with me. We couldn't afford to get Teagan's ashes returned (did get a paw print), but we have Luc's ashes and plan to spread them on a backpacking trail we haven't been able to get to together - and now Neb could never do it. I don't know what to think to do with them, we could take Neb's ashes there with us when he passes, but that trail was more special to Luc. I don't know.

It is oddly sentimental, for whatever reason, or I am.

I love that picture of her though. She looks great, 'yeah, I got the sleeve!'

Bark and hold. I don't know how to interpret that confident gaze into the camera, but if I had to guess it's character

BTE2 I'll miss even hearing the name. I'm so sorry Middle.
I don't know if there is an afterlife. If there is I hope I go where ever my dogs are.
I've got their ashes and my wishes are to have them scatterd with mine.

For the record, Barker the Elder 2 was her on-line name - a pseudonym if you will. We were discrete after all you know. It's funny to realize but she was the "head barker". Maybe "She who declares when we sing?" Far fewer barkfests now. I guess it is somewhat boring to bark alone. An interesting time to see how BTY2 and I respond.