[Racer X 69]

This has been a tough one, and has taken me a couple of months just to be able to post. We lost our 9 year old silver back beagle Miss Dixie, on June 6th to liver cancer. She was the sweetest, most loving companion we've ever had, and we miss her terribly.



In her honor, we decided to contact the local rescue, and give a good home to another beagle in need. Meet Inca, who will only answer to "Baby Girl" now. She's a one year old little lady, with an injured right eye. Her nose and hearing are absolutely incredible, adjusting I would imagine, for the loss of sight in the one eye.



And now, for the rest of the story. Who can go to a shelter, and come home with just one? Apparently, not us! This is Jordon, or "Jordy Boy", as he likes to be called. He is 3 years old and a silver back beagle, as was Miss Dixie.



Both are helping to heal our broken hearts as the days go by.

Griz

Sad to read about the loss in your family Griz. I can say that I know how it feels. I lost Zoe about 7 years ago. She was just shy of her 15th birthday.

One day she came up to me and placed her chin on my knee while I was watching TV, and looked up at me in a way that told me she knew her time was up. At first I tried and tried to help her out, took her to the vet, had dozens of tests run. The doc said that whatever it was it could not be dealt with by medicine. Zoe began to refuse food, so we made special food for her. She would eat for a few days and then stop eating and come place her chin on my knee again.

After a month or so it was clear that she was at the end of her days. I finally had to bring a gal out who put her to sleep.

It was the toughest thing I have ever had to do, but I also did not want to see her suffer any longer.

In the 15 years she was my girl we were never apart. She went everywhere with me, work, the store, doctor visits, traveling, racing, everywhere.

She was like a daughter to me.

Not a day goes by that I do not think of her. Sometimes I dig into something that I have not been into for years and a bit of her fur will be there (she would shed like crazy!).

I applaud your ability to get on with life and give a home to not one but two other pups. You truly must be a great man. I still have not been able to do what you have, although every now and again I see a pup, reach out and pet it, it responds and I get that feeling deep inside . . . . . . . . .

Someday maybe.

Someday.

[Griz57]

Sad to read about the loss in your family Griz. I can say that I know how it feels. I lost Zoe about 7 years ago. She was just shy of her 15th birthday.

One day she came up to me and placed her chin on my knee while I was watching TV, and looked up at me in a way that told me she knew her time was up. At first I tried and tried to help her out, took her to the vet, had dozens of tests run. The doc said that whatever it was it could not be dealt with by medicine. Zoe began to refuse food, so we made special food for her. She would eat for a few days and then stop eating and come place her chin on my knee again.

After a month or so it was clear that she was at the end of her days. I finally had to bring a gal out who put her to sleep.

It was the toughest thing I have ever had to do, but I also did not want to see her suffer any longer.

In the 15 years she was my girl we were never apart. She went everywhere with me, work, the store, doctor visits, traveling, racing, everywhere.

She was like a daughter to me.

Not a day goes by that I do not think of her. Sometimes I dig into something that I have not been into for years and a bit of her fur will be there (she would shed like crazy!).

I applaud your ability to get on with life and give a home to not one but two other pups. You truly must be a great man. I still have not been able to do what you have, although every now and again I see a pup, reach out and pet it, it responds and I get that feeling deep inside . . . . . . . . .

Someday maybe.

Someday.

I feel your pain Racer, and I hope that someday soon you will be able to share the love that you have for Zoe with another deserving pup.

We had a chocolate lab named Taz, that was just an incredible dog. He lived to the ripe old age of 17, and died in his sleep. After he passed, we swore we would never have another chocolate lab, because there was no way that any other dog could live up to him. Four years ago, we got a knock at our door. There stood a young man, with a chocolate lab, asking if we were missing a dog. We told him that we weren't missing one, and he explained that he was on the way to work, found the dog running loose on the highway, and couldn't take it to work with him. We told him to leave her with us, and we would find the owners. Long story short, the owners came knocking the next day. We ended up spending the better part of the afternoon with them, and as they left, they said that they were getting up in years, had a ton of animals on their farm, and would we like to keep the dog if they ever decided to part with her. Well, off they went down the road, and three hours later, there's another knock at the door. The owners were back with Leah, she walked right in like she lived here all of her life, and she's been here ever since.

You never know what circumstances may bring you together with a new family member. Sometimes, things are just ment to be, and I'm sure that day will come for you as well.

Griz

[bigted]

Our shared condolences, too, Griz. Our Dixie -- a feline furbaby -- passed last week, renal failure. Like our other cats, she was a rescue, and we hope we gave her a good life. We miss her, I find myself expecting to see her in her usual snooz-spots and at mealtime.

I'm sorry for your loss. It is so hard when you expect them to be there and they aren't. I'm confident you gave Dixie the best possible life. Rescues are definitely the best breeds.

[shiner]

Tamron 17-50

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Last edited by shiner; 08-31-2014 at 11:47 PM. Reason: crop

[OrchidJulie]

I'm sorry for your loss. It is so hard when you expect them to be there and they aren't. I'm confident you gave Dixie the best possible life. Rescues are definitely the best breeds.

Thanks, Ted and Griz. Very tough, they are family members, no mistake. The other cats are jockeying for dominance now, so we've had some funny moments watching their games with each other. I thought I was getting through it all fairly well, then we had to pick up Dixie's ashes... <sigh>

[atupdate]

A couple I shot today of the foster puppies.

Polar


Brownie


Tim

[Griz57]

A couple I shot today of the foster puppies.

Polar


Brownie


Tim

What a couple of cuties Tim! You, and all the other folks who provide foster homes, have my eternal gratitude and respect! I don't know how you do it. When our new family members were delivered a couple of weeks ago, I could see how torn up the foster mom was to let them go. How folks can do that several times a week or month, is way beyond me. I'd end up being the "crazy old dog guy" on the mountain, with 50 hounds baying at the rabbit in the front yard!

Griz

[atupdate]

What a couple of cuties Tim! You, and all the other folks who provide foster homes, have my eternal gratitude and respect! I don't know how you do it.

The first 4 weeks with these two were a lot of work, since there was no mother dog to take care of them. Now they are starting to like to snuggle and play tug. Once they reach 8 weeks old they will be more like teenagers (obnoxious). So we give them back and get another litter. It is almost like having grandchildren. You love them while they are here but you are glad when they go home (or get a forever home).

Tim

[Griz57]

The first 4 weeks with these two were a lot of work, since there was no mother dog to take care of them. Now they are starting to like to snuggle and play tug. Once they reach 8 weeks old they will be more like teenagers (obnoxious). So we give them back and get another litter. It is almost like having grandchildren. You love them while they are here but you are glad when they go home (or get a forever home).

Tim

Ha! What a great analogy, and it makes perfect sense!

Griz

[mattb123]

Our pup Luna at the river

[Kameko]

This is my little lady Bianca. I adopted her 8 years ago from a shelter as a companion for my late flemish giant Colby. After he passed away, I attempted to bond her with 4 separate rabbits, every time she got her butt royally kicked. The last time (5 years ago), the new bunny came to me with pasturella. He died 2 weeks after I got him and she contracted pasturella from him. Between being paralyzed in 2 of her vertebra, having lost 1/2 her weight and with how aggressive the bacteria was affecting her, the vet didn't think she'd survive. She did though. I was cautioned that I would be lucky to get 2-3 years longer with her. It's 5 years later. She's really sick now, needs emergency dental surgery which is scheduled for tomorrow. She's not just my rabbit, she's my longest relationship ever.

[bigted]

This is my little lady Bianca. ... She's really sick now, needs emergency dental surgery which is scheduled for tomorrow. She's not just my rabbit, she's my longest relationship ever.

I wish you and Bianca well with the surgery tomorrow. I had my own little scare with my longest relationship fur baby a couple of weeks ago and I totally understand what you are going through. Will be thinking of you and Bianca tomorrow.

[atsidi]

This is our cat Zevo, catching a nap in the fall sunshine. She was about 18 when this was taken. It's an old one from three years ago, but taken on a Pentax ME camera with a 50mm 1.7 SMC lens on Fuji Pro 400 film (scan from negative). She passed away last year at age 20.

[ToyTank]

This is my little lady Bianca. I adopted her 8 years ago from a shelter as a companion for my late flemish giant Colby. After he passed away, I attempted to bond her with 4 separate rabbits, every time she got her butt royally kicked. The last time (5 years ago), the new bunny came to me with pasturella. He died 2 weeks after I got him and she contracted pasturella from him. Between being paralyzed in 2 of her vertebra, having lost 1/2 her weight and with how aggressive the bacteria was affecting her, the vet didn't think she'd survive. She did though. I was cautioned that I would be lucky to get 2-3 years longer with her. It's 5 years later. She's really sick now, needs emergency dental surgery which is scheduled for tomorrow. She's not just my rabbit, she's my longest relationship ever.

I hope her surgery goes well. Touching story

[Griz57]

This is my little lady Bianca. I adopted her 8 years ago from a shelter as a companion for my late flemish giant Colby. After he passed away, I attempted to bond her with 4 separate rabbits, every time she got her butt royally kicked. The last time (5 years ago), the new bunny came to me with pasturella. He died 2 weeks after I got him and she contracted pasturella from him. Between being paralyzed in 2 of her vertebra, having lost 1/2 her weight and with how aggressive the bacteria was affecting her, the vet didn't think she'd survive. She did though. I was cautioned that I would be lucky to get 2-3 years longer with her. It's 5 years later. She's really sick now, needs emergency dental surgery which is scheduled for tomorrow. She's not just my rabbit, she's my longest relationship ever.

Wishing you and Bianca all the best, Kameko!

Griz