"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
. net...

"Not Likely" notinthislifetime@yougottabejoking wrote in message
...

snip sad but beautiful post)

I've been through this with a cat, who went for his last visit to the vet
at 21 years old. It's the reason I wouldn't have another house pet, it's
just too heartbreaking when they go.

Big hugs,

Mary

Thank you, Mary! Yes, it is heartbreaking when they go, but they do bring
such love and happiness while they are with us.

My last dog I had before we got Buffy 15 years ago (when Matthew was coming
up for his 11th birthday), died one month before Matthew was born. She was
only 9 years old, and had been brought home to me on New Year's Eve by my
brother when she was a tiny ball of fluff that could fit in the palm of one
hand. My parents and I fell in love with her (my last dog before her had
been 15 and I found him dead under his favorite bush five years before
that... my Mom swore there would be no more pets) and she was very much a
baby to us. Needless to say when she died (and I was 8 months pregnant) I
was heartbroken and cried. My ex-husband who was stilll around at the time,
told me I was being stupid and that she was "just a dog" so I should stop my
nonsense. Any question why I don't care that he is my EX?... he was
extremely insensitive in more ways than that, but that one was the worst in
my eyes. In any case, after Tasha died my Mom once again swore there would
be no more pets.

We got Buffy while my Mom was recuperating in the hospital from her first
stroke... I did ask her first. Matthew had never had a pet (aside from a
couple of goldfish, but you can't really pet or cuddle them), and his 11th
birthday was one month away... so my Mom agreed to have another pet in the
house. I took Matthew to the farm that was giving puppies away, and he
chose her as soon as he saw her. I had honestly hoped to get a male, but he
fell in love with Buffy and that was that. My oldest sister came to visit
shortly after we got Buffy and picked her up... she said "I don't believe
it. This puppy is actually hugging me." Buffy had put one paw on each side
of my sister's neck and was cuddling up against her... it was so cute. As
she grew, she became less affectionate, but not less loving... she always
greeted us with a doggy smile and happy tail.

She loved to run loose in the back yard (although we had to put her on a
leash whenever we went inside or she would be out under the fence and gone
down the street) as we would say "Buffy, run!" and start goofing around with
a "Doo doo-doo doo-doo doo-doo doo-dooooo... CHARGE!" yell for her. It was
a great game to her... and us of course. ) Yesterday while sitting on
the grass beside her patting her and talking to her, I said "Never mind
sweetie, soon you'll be able to run and play like you used to" and I did
the above "charge" thing (only quietly) for her. Her eyes opened a bit
wider and she looked at me, as tears ran down my face.

I know from losing my last two dogs, how heartbreaking it is... which is one
of the reasons I decided 6 years ago to get another puppy *before* it
happened with Buffy... that it would be a *little* easier, because we would
still have our "baby" who would help to buffer a little of the sadness. And
that he did... Casper is a gentle soul, who is very loving and comforting.
He kept going between Matthew and myself last night to just stand there
beside us so we could pat and talk to him.. and he would give us gentle
kisses to ease our heartbreak.

Even though Buffy turned her back toward the new puppy and would have
nothing to do with him when I first brought him home (after he chose me...
and melted my heart), they did become close friends after a few weeks and he
got a little bigger. In fact, it reached the point where when I opened the
door for them to go outside, whichever one was out first would stand on the
lower deck looking back at the door waiting for the other one to come out
before they would run up the back yard to tell the neighbour dogs off for a
couple of minutes before sniffing out their own entire back yard together.
When I let Casper out this morning he stood on the lower deck and looked
back at the door. I went out with him and he went directly to the spot
where Buffy had laid and died last night. He stood there for a couple of
minutes, before finally heading off to the back fence... but didn't bark at
the neighbour dogs. He just relieved himself and came back to the door to
come in the house. He is missing her and will take a bit of time, I'm sure,
to be okay with it.

*hugs*
Gemini