Dogs in our lives

Regarding the question as to whether dogs (and cats) go to heaven: someone sent me this cartoon. I can only say “amen”.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

I have been asked who some of the dogs were that I mentioned in my “heaven” pack. Becka was a border collie that belonged to my friend Pat, formerly of Buffalo, now living in Texas. She impressed me by knowing the names of her toys. Pat could tell her to get a particular toy, and Becka would go and pick it out from the pile. I  have worked on and off with getting Olive to do that with her toys. Little by little she is getting the idea of “ball”, “big ball”, “kong”, and others. Although Becka has gone over the rainbow bridge, Pat recently sent me a photo.

Major was my grandfather’s dog, perhaps the first dog I ever had contact with. I recently found a photo among my dad’s miscellaneous paraphernalia that shows that I was certainly not afraid of Major. He seemed to be standing watch over me.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Just this morning another cartoon was sent to me by another dog lover. I love it.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Olive seems to have recovered quite nicely from her mishap last month. The fur is growing back over the scar, which is now barely noticeable.

Olive Loses a Sister

We got the bad news last week that Olive’s sister, Poco, was hit by a car and killed.

Poco was a very sweet dog, as is Olive. A few years back, before Olive came to stay with me, Poco spent a few days at my place. I remember thinking that I would love to have a dog like her.

The story was that she was hit as she crossed the road by Nanne’s wool farm. I think of that road as a quiet road with little traffic, so I was wondering how such a thing could have happened. It did not surprise me to hear that she was hit by a drunk driver who was speeding.

A photo taken by a friend of Nanne’s is below. She was Olive’s full sister, though she is missing the white stripe down her forehead that most border collies have. Nonetheless she was a beautiful, bright, and affectionate dog. She will be badly missed.

Poco--good doggy.

I found a wonderful sympathy card to send to Nanne (the front of the card is below). On the inside it reads “Heaven is brighter. Sorry for your loss”.

Heaven is a little brighter tonight.

I believe that any dog lover has a pack in heaven that includes all of the dogs that touched their lives. Mine will include at its core Olive, Smokey (the dog I had as a kid), Cleo (my mom's basset hound after Smokey went over the rainbow bridge) and Major (my grandfather's dog that I remember from very early childhood). Poco, Becka, Molly, and others will be members of the larger circle, welcome to run with the pack any time.

This whole incident makes me want to be more protective of Olive.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Olive’s (now seemingly trivial) mishap was described her last blog entry. The staple looked like a piercing that is fashionable with many young people today. I am pleased to report that her staple was removed this morning. Note the light spot behind her left eye, where the staple was. 

No longer a hipster with a piercing.

We are not sure whether her fur will grow over the scar from her injury, but she is as lively as ever and can go back to playing with other dogs at Candlewick. I have instructed her not to jump at falling leaves.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

If anyone wants to argue that dogs don't go to heaven, I say "pooey to you!" If dogs don't go to heaven, then I want to go where all the dogs are going.