Hug your Dog Today...

Oh Geo, I'm so sorry.

My heart is breaking for you. I'll hug Molly and think of your friend.

Sadly, my 9 yr. old Boxer AbbyGal died this morning after a brief battle with Lymphoma. My heart is absolutely broken but I am so lucky to have had this soul in my life. I hope to see her again someday on some level...

Hug your dog today. Take her for a walk and give him a treat...

I'm so sorry for your loss - I thought of this story when I read your post.

I woke up early this morning feeling quiet, awkward and sad. The house is ... quiet, awkward and sad. There's a "hole" that wasn't here a couple of days ago.



Yesterday my family said "goodbye" to our Willie, a Welsh corgi we've loved in our home for the past nine years.
If you've never had a dog, you won't get this and you're missing out on one of God's sweetest gifts. Then again, you're also missing out on the heartbreak of them passing away.



My sadness will fade eventually, but the joy Willie brought to our lives will always be with us.



In her portraits, The Queen of England is often seen holding one of her corgis, the "official" dog of her monarchy. If you aren't keeping up with the Queen, let me describe what a Welsh corgi looks like, what Willie looked like (and he was so much better looking that the Queen's scroungey mutts.) Bred for fox hunting, corgis have fox-like faces, pointy, almost rabbit-like ears, extremely thick, beige and white furry coats and a stump where a tail should be. Their most distinct feature though is their legs, or lack of legs. A dog nearly the size of a German Sheppard, but with three or four inch legs draws a lot of attention and smiles out in public. A corgi isn't the fastest dog, but with their legs and low profile they can stop and turn on a dime.



Willie loved attention from anyone that would give it to him. When met with a welcoming face, he'd smile (dog people can see their smiles, non-dog people think we're crazy,) wag his stump and run to greet his new friend. If you were especially friendly, he'd roll on his back and let you scratch his stomach.



I missed scratching his stomach this morning. It was part of our normal morning ritual. After carefully stepping over him where he stood guard in our bedroom doorway, I'd tell him "good morning," scratch the top of his head and then the side of his face, at which point he'd "melt" and roll over on his back to wait for the tummy scratch, smiling the entire time.



He would then follow me into the kitchen, the tags on his collar clinging and his nails clicking on the tile floor. I'd put on the coffee while he'd get a drink of water. By the time I finished the coffee he'd be waiting by the front door for me to accompany him to the yard. My trip to the kitchen was too quiet this morning.



Whenever I returned home, whether I was gone for 15 minutes or 15 days, Willie would be at the door to greet me, wagging his stump and smiling. I'd sit on the ground to be at his level and then he'd stand on his hind legs and give me a hug. We both loved hugging each other like that. He was always so glad to see me and I was always so thankful for the "welcome" my little buddy would give me, sometimes the highlight of my day.



Sure, there's the costly vet trips, cleaning the spots on the carpet, the 3am barking, the skunk confrontations, the dead spots on the lawn, the expensive foods, driving around the neighborhood looking for them, the mounds of dog hair everywhere and the "explosion" of chasing the cat out of the house (that's a good thing by the way ... I guess that's my job now.) I'm even going to miss all that stuff. But it's more than made up for with what they give you in return; their love and loyalty and companionship.



There's debate among theologians whether our pets will be in heaven with us. I think that's a "no brainer." Of course they will.



The Bible doesn't specifically talk about our pets, but in Isaiah 11 it tells us that:



The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.



Am I supposed to believe that wolves, lambs, leopards, goats, calves, lions, oxen and bears will be there but Willie won't? That doesn't make sense. If we believe that pets are God-created companions, that He loves them and us, doesn't it make sense that they'll be in Heaven with us? A poem by theologian John Piper says:



And as I knelt beside the brook
To drink eternal life, I took
A glance across the golden grass,
And saw my dog, old Blackie, fast
As she could come. She leaped the stream-
Almost-and what a happy gleam
Was in her eye. I knelt to drink
And knew that I was on the brink
Of endless joy. And everywhere
I turned I saw a wonder there.



Piper's dog Blackie will be there. So will our Willie, Sadie and Bailey. And this may not be entirely biblical, but I'm looking forward to watching Willie chase that stupid cat around again. (Not sure what kind of Heaven that would be for the cat though ... God will figure that out.)



Get him Willie ... Good boy ... that's my good boy. Come and give me a hug buddy.

Geo, so sorry for your loss. This helped me when my beloved Lab died; and again when Inkspot my son's cat died after 14 years.

Rainbow Bridge Poem

so sorry, geo.

Losing a pet is truly gut-wrenching, and sometimes even more traumatic that losing a human friend or family member simply because there isn't a standard ritual (viewing, service, burial, community gathering and a public sharing of grief) to mark the occasion.

Personally, I think people are only allowed into heaven because dogs want them there.

Bark on AbbyGal.

I am sorry to hear of your loss, Geo.

So sorry...this made me so sad I couldnt think of anything to say except
I feel your pain.

Ohhh Geo my heart goes out to you. Thank you for sharing and I will hug all my pets today. Peace to you my friend.

Oh no! Abby was one of my favorite Sowal doggies! She was so nice and funn to pet!

I'm sorry for your loss! I lost my 13 yr. old cocker spaniel, Rajah in January. It was a very difficult time, saying good-bye to an "unconditionally" loving friend! I chose to have him cremated... I continue to "Hug my dogs" who are still with me! The rainbow bridge poem is very good & I also believe we will be reunited one day with our beloved dogs! I hope that is some comfort to you.....

Geo, I saw one of the most beautiful rainbows I have ever seen just a little bit ago. It wasn't a whole one, but only half as if it led somewhere to the sky. The colors were very vivid and it was much wider than normal. I immediately thought of your AbbyGal and her crossing today and was hoping that you saw it too!

I am so sorry for your loss

My thoughts are with you. I lost my 15 year old dog ealier this year. The pain is so acute in the heart. May your wonderful memories of your dog help fill the void you feel in your heart.

Geo, my heart aches for you in your loss. As mom to several 4-legged babies over the years, I know the wonderful, all-consuming love they bring into our lives and the hurt of losing them. And I truly believe we'll be rejoined with them.

As a long-time follower of Marianne Williamson, whose ministry is based on A Course in Miracles, I've heard her repeat many times a phrase we've all heard, "what God has joined together, no man and no thing can put asunder." Which she (and I) interpret as - what is joined together in Love cannot be un-joined by the illusion of death. AbbyGal waits for you with wagging tail. I wish you peace.

So sorry, Geo, about AbbyGail.

I'll hug Pepper later. I just heard a noise, didn't know what it was, and found her drinking from the toilet. Dogs, God love 'em!

Geo - I am so sad to hear about Abby. I remember you telling me a few months ago that she did not have too much longer to live. I know the love shared with your dog is the purest kind of love. that is why its so hard to lose them.

take care.

.
So sorry Geo! I'm going to walk and give extra love to my corgi right now! Tissues in hand... ...We've been through that before. sighhhh.


.

Oh GEO, I'm so sorry to hear this. It is so hard.
It will start to get a little bit better every day.
My Rudy boy is lying right at my feet, as always, when i'm on the computer. Thank you for the sweet reminder to hug our pets.

I sure wish dogs could live longer! There is never enough time with our little friends. I will give all four of mine a treat in memory of Abby. Love to you, Geo.

I'm so sorry...

Thx everyone for the kind words and support. It really means a lot...

I'm really struggling with this. I have never experienced emotional pain of this magnitude. I have had loved ones (human) succomb to terminal illness. And it hurt something terrible. But with them there was an element of relief- like part of me was glad that it "was over" when they passed. But I don't feel any relief at all that AbbyGal is gone. My pain isn't over and in many ways it feels like it is just beginning. I just want her here so badly.

A close friend of mine told me there would be an element of beauty in her passing and that I would experience what he called "exquisite love". At first I didn't get what he was saying but now I understand it.

So much love has come out of me for her. Granted a lot of it feels like it is being ripped out in the form of grief and sadness. But the love is just so big and pure.

I am grateful that we had the time we did and that I got to tell her what she meant to me and I said my goodbyes. But I still long for more time with her.

I don't know if there is a heaven. I hope there is on some level. I told her that as long as there is and we are both there that she should let everyone else know that she is to be the one to greet me when I get there.

I love you so much, AbbyGal. I'm glad you're not suffering but I miss you so badly that I can't stand it.

Geo,

I'm so sorry for your loss. There is nothing quite like the pain of losing a beloved pet, especially after nursing them through the suffering of the end. Your friend was right about the pure love that you will feel as you deal with this...it is painful, but it gets better with time. A good a smart friend told me to give myself permission to mourn, and that was the best advise. After two or three days, I felt silly that I wanted to cry and be sad -- it was just a pet. That pet was my heart, and a big part of my life for 14 years. I mourned as long as I needed to...and I encourage you to do the same.

You're tribute to Abbygal is beautiful.

So sorry Geo. I have lost a furry loved one and I agree with Skunk. It's OK to grieve and you should allow yourself that. I still miss Sarge and always will. Prayers, hugs and love to you. It will get better.

Geo, so sorry for your loss. They are not just "dogs' or "cats", they are truly members of our family that can teach us the real meaning of unconditional love. Peace be with you.

I lost my 15 year old eskimo after a botched surgery. It hurt much worse than when my husband walked out after 30 years. I'll always miss her and hold her in my heart (it's been 2 years). Will say a prayer for you. Take as long as you need for mourning.