Merry Christmas everyone!

River Dogshaming

My mom sent this into the Dogshaming site. I don't think I'm so bad. I love my mom and want her with me always. I don't want her hiding behind the shower curtain.

Mom: who wouldn't love a boy like that?

Baby's Babies

My mom wrote this many years ago. It is a true story. It is the story of Baby (the mama) and her 3 little boys. We still have Baby with us.

We lost Bitey and Beau this year at age 12. Taz was adopted out so we don't know how he is. Baby really did have her babies on Labor Day 1999.

 BABY’S BABIES

Baby had her babies on Labor Day night

Three pretty little boys with eyes shut tight

They were all so tiny, brown, black and white.

She looked at them and loved them at very first sight.

Two weeks they looked the same, with their wrinkled brown snouts,

Then a month went by and they grew and filled out.

One she named Beau, the biggest, brightest boy,

Who could leap off the back deck and chew up any toy.

One she named Taz, who kept them all awake

His whole body wiggled in the bed like a snake.

Mighty Bitey liked to bite, that's how he got his name

He would play and bite, and sit and bite, and jump and bite again.

Their mama taught them how to use the swinging doggy door

But warned them not to go alone or they would get what for!

But when they were two months old they ran out on their own.

They wrestled hard, and yipped and bit, but forgot to tell their Mom!

They forgot the time, and then got lost trying to get home.

The sun went down and it grew dark and they were very scared

They huddled together, lifted noses and howled for one who cared.

The other noises of the night, the eyes that stared at them were bright,

The boys lay down and whimpered, and cried, shivering in fright.

But Baby had been searching with her baby sniffing nose.

She tracked them to the nearby trees and they greeted with AHH-ROOOS!!

She scolded them for leaving her and led them from the wood.

They hung their heads and promised that they would be very good.

Until the next time…

Beau, Taz and Bitey 
I will see you all again one day, my sweet boys.

My mom's Alaskan Adventure

It's taken my mom a couple weeks to get the pictures in a row, videos cut down, music added, phew. We did nothing but watch this thing hundreds of times to get the timing right. Not that I mind lying on chair arm while she groans and complains about the software. Anyway...

Here is the video:
Alaska Adventure

NOTE: all pictures and videos were taken with a crummy 2 year old Droid phone (but they don't look too bad except the crappy videos). Except the animal closeups==those were with a 1985 Nikon something ancient film camera. At no time was my mom was in danger from the whales or the baby grizzlies. She never got off the boat...if she could help it.

Humphrey's gift

Two weeks ago my mom was freaking out. Humphrey was going downhill with kidney failure but was not bad enough to help him to the Bridge, although we knew it would be soon. Last year her mom had decided to go to Alaska on a cruise this July to see whales as part of her bucket list. She wanted my mom to come along.

It was getting to be within days of that trip. My mom was due to leave on Friday the 13th.

Humphrey was eating well the Sunday before, ate some on Monday, then stopped eating on Tues. He would not eat Wednesday either and hardly moved from his big pillow (my mom squirted water in his mouth with a syringe, as much as she could). We took him to the vet one final time on Wednesday.

That sweet old squeaky boy made it easier for us to let him go before the trip. We did not want him to die while she was gone because she always plans to be with us at the end. But we did not want to send him along too soon just to be 'convenient'.

However, someone on the cancer dog list said "better a day too soon than a minute too late." So well said.

We thank you, Humphrey, very humbly, for your kind gift.

RIP HUMPHREY

This was Humphrey's photo at the vet's office. He was dumped there and they needed a home for him--because of his age and tumors they expected him to live a year maybe.

My mom took him in. Got some donation money so they could operate and remove the tumors. He was with us 20 months so he got a good dose of beagle fun and love.

He was a good hound, never growled, never fought, followed my mom everywhere. He had his special places in the house, one particular laundry basket was his alone. His nickname was "Squeaky Boy" because he had a really high pitched squeak of a bark.

In the beginning, he loved to roach. Here is the video with Humphrey and Beau roaching to the Chicken Dance music. Humphrey is the second roacher.


Roaching Humphrey and Beau

Sweet boy, we had you only for a little while at the end of your life but it was wonderful having you here. We will really miss our Squeaky Boy. Run free and happy without pain until we meet again.

RIP MONDO 2009-2012

Here is our beautiful boy. Look at those eyes. He was only 3 years old. We don't know what happened. The vet has no idea what happened--we have run through everything we can think of. Maybe spending a lot of money on a million tests might give us an answer but it would be too late to save him.

He was having a good day. Went outside, curled up in a ball and slept on my mom's lap. Then suddenly around 2pm he was shaking, wobbling, then convulsing. Within an hour my mom had him at the vet's. He had a fever of 108!! The vet brought it down to 104 with icy towels and introvenous solution--but she said it was too late. That such a high fever was fatal. He had been given 2 shots of valium and finally propofol--which she said was the last resort for dogs that didn't respond to valium. He finally relaxed. His eyes said he knew my mom was with him so she was able to hold him and talk to him as they gave him the final shot.

Mondo came to us with Mickey 3 years ago. We were supposed to adopt them out but my mom never did. Mondo was an alpha dog and so beautiful. He loved to be in my mom's lap and, fortunately, she had given him a lot of attention lately...not knowing he would be gone so soon.

Look at that happy boy. That is the way we will remember him. He had a very good beagle life. Run free, you incredible boy. You are with Bitey and Beau now.

RIP Jazz

 

 Oh, Jazz. You just turned 9 in May and now you are gone. It's so unfair. We will miss you so much. We loved to read about your life in Japan with Dixie and the new baby. Another fast moving disease that no one could diagnose. You can meet our friend Bolo and our beagles Bitey and Beau. Run with the wind, ears flapping, sweet girl.

RIP Bolo

He left us way too soon.

My mom loved his smoochy nose.

He was a unique, gentle loving being and we are really going to miss him a lot.

Here is his blog:
Bolo

His stuffie will carry on for him.

Bye bye Bolo. Say hello to our Bitey and Beau for us.