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Sheltie Angels Page Thirty-Two
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Flash's Kenai
Summer Son, CGC July 1, 1997 - November 22, 2007
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| We watched this
little boy from the time he was only a few weeks old. We went to Alaska
that summer and were looking for a dog name since we knew we would have
a new puppy soon. Kenai is such a beautiful place in Alaska we thought
it was perfect for a dog. He was the smallest of 3 boys in the litter
and the breeder said he would be on the quiet side. Not so! Once removed
from his big brothers, Kenai blossomed into quite a personality. He was my fourth dog and third male sable Sheltie. Misti was my toy fox terrier while I was growing up, Bogart was my first Sheltie and Cody was my second - all gone to the Rainbow Bridge. I did more research before we got Kenai and started training him right away. We attended 3 obedience classes together and it was a wonderful bonding experience. Much later in his life, when he was seven, he passed his AKC CGC and we joined an animal assisted therapy group. Two years later he passed a temperament test and we joined a second group. Kenai was very popular on our visits because he was beautiful and friendly. He enjoyed his "job" of cheering up folks and he loved to see his fellow pet therapy dogs.
Kenai had some health challenges along the way. His upper canines grew came in sticking out and the vet said they would have to be either cut down or pulled back. So our guy got braces for 4 months and they did the job, pulling his upper canines back into place behind the lower canines. A few years later he was diagnosed with elbow dysplasia in both elbows and had arthroscopic surgery. He did quite well but we could not allow him to jump, go up and down stairs or twirl any longer - pretty hard on a Sheltie. And at the end of his life, he developed gall bladder problems. He had one elevated liver function and absolutely no clinical signs that he was ill. We spent the next 2 1/2 months and thousands of dollars doing all kinds of testing in an attempt to diagnose him. He finally had surgery to remove his gall bladder and the surgeon discovered it was very close to rupturing. We thought the surgery would save his life but he had to be rushed to the ER vet clinic in severe pain the same day he came home from surgery. They stabilized him overnight and we thought he would pull through but he died two days after his surgery, on Thanksgiving morning at 8:38 a.m., when he went into cardiac arrest and could not be revived. The vet is not sure whether he suffered from acute liver failure or pancreatitis. Despite the excruciating pain his last hours at home, he slowly wagged his tail while I stroked his side just before we left for the ER, trying to tell me it was OK, he knew I was doing my best to help him. We were devastated and our hearts broken. He was my buddy and best friend. We miss him terribly. There will never be another Kenai, our 'sunshine in a fur coat.' I know he will wait for me at the Rainbow Bridge just as he waited for me to come home to him so very many times before. Betsy Stuckey |
Kenai had many endearing qualities and loved to play. His favorite
toy was his soccer ball, a size 3 regulation ball. He was very good and
it gave him a chance to indulge his herding instincts. He used his head,
his body and front legs to move, stop and maneuver the ball. Sometimes
he used another toy to push the ball. He was very funny and
entertaining. He did not like to be ignored and anyone sitting in our
living room might be scolded for that transgression. He would stare
intently, back up slightly with his tail wagging slowly. Then he would
hop short little hippy hops off his front legs and "talk" quietly as
Shelties are good at doing. If that didn't get your attention, barking
would guarantee it. He would love to go to the end of his extended
leash and twirl round and round, sometimes five or six times in a
row. He drew a lot of attention on our daily walks! He had many special
games, Shark Doggy, Wild Doggy, Soccer Dog, Scoochie Scoocher. He had
lots of nicknames, Neenee, Little Bit, Puddin' Head, Bud Bud. He never
wanted to leave our sides. If I was in one room and my husband in
another, he would lay between us so he could keep his eye on both
members of his "flock".
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"Kawika" January 19, 1991 - March 18, 2005
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Kawika was a beautiful little Sheltie who stole our hearts the moment we saw him. Out of the eight puppies we had to choose from he chose us by tugging out our sleeves and pulling our pant legs as if to say "Let's go home already." Kawika was a little spitfire for most of his fourteen years but also gave us so much joy.
We took him everywhere with us. He traveled to Germany, Mexico, Canada and all over California with us. We loved him so and I was devastated to lose him at 14-1/2 years old. I guess I thought he would be with us forever. It all went so fast, his life, his death. He died on my mother's birthday, March 18, at a clinic in San Francisco after we had just seen him 30 minutes before. I think he waited for us to go so as to spare me. His name "Kawika" means David in Hawaiian and my mom always called him "David the strong one." That he was until the end. I read part of a poem written by an anonymous author who said: "If Tears
could make a River I know now that this is only a portion of a much longer poem I would read 2-1/2 years later, as I lost my second Sheltie, KOA, at 22 months of age. Please read KOA's story as well. I also know now that Kawika lived a GREAT and long life and that I did everything I could for that little dog. If there is a Doggie Heaven I know he is there barking and running on the beach. I hope KOA has found him there so he is not alone. I miss them both and will never forget them as long as I am on this Earth that they both loved so much.
Sleep well my Sheltie Angels. Your Mommy |
He was our first baby and we cherished him so.
When Kawika was about 2 years old he started to show signs of a skin
disorder that was later diagnosed as discoid Lupus. He spent a few years not
feeling or looking his best. After trying everything to help his condition
we turned to a homeopathic doctor who literally cured him. It was a long
road but Kawika's face grew hair again and he was a HAPPY dog.
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Rosey Shiloh
Shantelle January 14, 1993 -
November 5, 2007
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Until we meet again at the Rainbow Bridge, which will be joyful, |
"Rosey
brought happiness, joy and sunshine to our hearts."
You came into our lives in April 1993, the runt
of the litter and never intended to be other than a companion. Your puppy
picture labeled
"03"
as the AKC litter number, you became our "pretty girl", "snookie Schnauzer",
and "chauzer" for the snorts and nose pranking you would do. You greeted us
at the door even in the bleakest
of times and were loving and affectionate always. You looked after Mike,
hour upon hour, when recovering from surgery and then gave your goodbye
shortly before you died. The day of your death caused by kidney failure and
old age was the worst day we can remember, you were chipper the night before
and so vibrant in August 2007 when we took many of the pictures included.
You were not a traveling dog and knew only the house and the yard to run. We
hope you will be our Guardian Angel always and we miss you greatly.
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Van's Marvelous
Prince September 21, 1993 - May 8, 2007
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Sheltie was born September 21, 1993 and went home to Rainbow Bridge May 8, 2007. My Sheltie Angel's registered name was Van's Marvelous Prince. I knew he was an angel even before I knew of the Sheltie Angels Among Us website. I would catch him looking at me with those beautiful eyes and I would tell him, O, I love you. He had the prettiest white fur, so soft. I sure miss him. A day doesn't go by that I dono't think and talk to my Sheltie to let him know I love and miss you, Sheltie, a beautiful name, a beautiful breed, and that is why I named you Sheltie. I did my best to keep my baby, but his liver and kidneys were failing and he had an enlarged heart. The vet put Sheltie on IV's to try to jump start his kidneys again. I was with him, Sheltie was sitting up with those ears tilted forward, those beautiful eyes that said 'I love you, don't leave me.' I went over and sat next to him and petted him and said, "I love you so much, Sheltie," hoping he would be OK. I was petting him the whole time. Then Sheltie collapsed. The IV was too hard on his heart and a heart valve broke. I was with my Sheltie Angel when he went to the Rainbow Bridge. I will always be looking for you at the Bridge, Sheltie, you be watching for me. You were a very special pet. I love you forever, my Sheltie Angel Warren van Meter |
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Sir Ruthel The
Great April 18, 1989 - July 8, 2003
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I remember the first day I met you, you were so little and so scared. We brought you home when I was a barely nineteen. You were my best friend, you were always by my side, always in my thoughts, always there for me. You and I had such a strong bond. I remember when I would go to work, you would go to Grandma's house and stay and even though each night I got off work at a different time, Grandma said she knew when I would be home because you would go lay by the front door 10 or 15 minutes before I arrived. I wonder how you knew? You always followed me from room to room, inside or outside, you always wanted to be with me. I remember when I would go to a friend's house, you would have to ride with me and when I did not take you now and again, everyone would ask "Where is Rusty"? When you started to become sick, I suppose due to your age, I took you once again to the vet and he told me the worst news I would ever have to hear. He said you were just old and that was all that was wrong with you. I still wasn't ready to let you go, you seemed to get better for a while, then, one day I looked down at you by my side and you looked so tired, I knew it was time to let you go. The night before I took you to the vet to ease your pain forever, we laid in the floor together all night, I will never forget that feeling. I was holding you when the vet sent you to the rainbow bridge and I know that there you wait for me. I still think of you every day and cannot wait to see you again. Ronda Cody |
Sheltie Angels Page Thirty-Three