Our Ellie just after we brought her home.
Lucy on her first day with us. She was a tiny little bit of fluff.
Ellie carried two tennis balls around much of the time.
I sent a picture to our breeder who mentioned that her father did the same.
She may not have been as fast, but no dog ran with more enthusiasm than Lucy
And memories always include the two dogs cuddled in one bed.
This picture is the most poignant one. It is the last photograph we have of Ellie, taken shortly before her untimely death from an angiosarcoma. It was a gorgeous Autumn day and the Golden Girls had been romping through the leaves. We forced them to sit and rest after having a drink of cool water.
We still have not determined what kind of dog we want. We will certainly get a shelter or rescue dog who is older. Our house is not well-suited for training a puppy. As much as we would love another Golden, we are not physically up to providing the running activities they require. And while I think they are adorable, I do not want a little ten-pound dog. So we will think, and look, and then put our names in for another dog.
The first of our quotes today comes from American author Dean Koontz:
"Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one is a life diminished."
The next quote is from Khalil Gibran:
"When you are sorrowful look again at your heart,
And you will see in truth
That you are weeping for that which has been your delight."
All of our four dogs have been our delights. And while we have periods of sorrow, we mostly cling to the happy memories our dogs have provided. Tipsy Pudding, our first Springer shared our lives for 16 years. Penny Lane, our second Springer was with us for almost 16. Eleanor Rose, our first Golden was with us for almost 9 years. We brought home Lemonade Lucy when Ellie was 1. She lived almost 14 years, dying four days short of her 14th birthday.
And still we follow the advice of that great sage, Dr. Seuss and we smile because it happened.
HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK, EVERYONE!
FORGET POLITICS FOR A WHILE
13 comments:
Such precious photos and memories of your gorgeous dogs. I've had many dogs and cats, all rescues, over the years. My one cat lived for 15 years and I still miss her. One of our sweetest dogs was a dachshund. I found your blog via Suz. Enjoy the weekend.
I've never been a dog person, my loss, I know. But I do enjoy seeing how they make many of my friends happy. Me and my cats were always enjoying a quiet sit-down while the dog people were romping. Now the cats are in the past, and I'm about to re-do my aquarium for guppies and who knows what other tropical fish. They are soothing to watch, though their upkeep will add some time to have them healthy...a choice I think I'm making rationally.
Beautifully written. And you’re articulating where we’ve been before. When our border collie mix died rather suddenly, we were heart stricken and said we’d wait a bit before looking for the next dog. Right...
That lasted one month. We went to a rescue group that had one pup remaining from a litter. She was a black dog who had not yet been adopted...but instantly entered our lives. And she’s such a love.
When the time comes for her to leave, we’ll be looking again. Life without a dog just is LIFE.
Such sweet memories or your sweet furkids. They do bring so much love and joy to our hearts.
I know you'll find just the perfect one. We're loving having an older, not so needy or energetic dog.
Have a great weekend!
I love seeing the photos of your beautiful Golden Girls. They were so loved. I am looking forward to your next furry adventure.
Loved seeing the girls in their early years. I always loved seeing them sleep together in such contentment. Looking forward to seeing what lucky dog gets you. I tried to never get the same breed as it is hard for the new one to live up to the standards of the one you lost. It is almost impossible not to compare. Your next dog is out there and will pick you.
Oh my goodness - those girls are so adorable as puppies! I love Dean Koontz - his books almost always have a dog prominently featured. I've probably mentioned before, but my favorite book of his is One Door Away from Heaven - love the dog in that book.
How I love this post and the photos! Your memories and those pictures and your beautiful girls truly are treasures and part of your heart and soul.
I'm sending all the best to you as you prepare for the next canine-chapter of your lives. I'm excited to see what grabs and tugs at your heart!
The love you had for each and all of your dogs is so apparent. That you still want to share more is so wonderful, especially since you have settled upon an elder dog. It will be grateful.
Carolyn, I just saw this. What do you think of it?
I so look forward to seeing your next dog -- a lucky dog, indeed!
Thanks for sharing the photos of your pets through the years. It will be exciting to see your new family member when you make that decision, but not being in a hurry is also a good thing.
Thank you for your commets, everyone!
Laurel - How nice of you to drop over and comment. Thanks
Barbara - Cats are great pets and companions. We've also enjoyed fish in the past. They are soothing to watch and always different.
Donna - Yes, we have before said "not for a while." It was true in the case of the Goldens because the breeder's pups were so much in demand. I saw a goldendoodle outside the chemo clinic today and wanted to steal her away. Thirty pounds of awesome dog. Mother was a Golden, father was a miniature poodle and at 35 pounds, she was an adult.
Suz - We've always before gotten very young puppies. It will be interesting to have a full-grown dog this time around.
Robin - We are as well.
Patti - We got another Springer Spaniel after the first one died. They were such different personalities that you wouldn't have thought they were the same breed. And of course, we got Lucy when Ellie was a year old.
Dana - I have never read Dean Koontz, but I may have to give him a try. I do like good mysteries.
Kim - Thanks. My husband is on the computer doing research every day. Whereas I'm more of a wait and see person.
Nance - Thanks. And thanks for the link. It made some interesting points.
Vicki - I'm a little afraid of whose dog it will turn out to be. In the past, each dog has favored one or the other although clearly loving both of us.
Beatrice - So true. I've seen many people make big mistakes because they think they want ANY dog. It just doesn't work that was and isn't fair to the dog nor the people.
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