This was written right after Mr. Bear left us. Had forgotten I wrote it.
Remembering Bear
by Katie Armistead on Monday, November 28, 2011 at 5:32pm ·
He
was so big for a Schipperke, that's what I thought when I first saw
him, and he was more aloof than most. Then I noticed that he was
covered in ticks and wouldn't get close to my feet. He was in a foster
home, but I don't think I have a very high opinion of that foster
situation.
Once we got him home, it took almost a year of crate training and tethering to get him house trained again. He was five years old, but had been relegated to living in a back yard because the owners couldn't get him to stop peeing in their fancy new house.
I admit I was depressed and frustrated with him for awhile, but I didn't give up on him. It paid off. He learned to be trustworthy in the house, and he became one of the all around best dogs we've ever had.
He wouldn't play, though, not with toys. Sometimes, he'd go out and run around the back yard and act crazy for awhile, but that was it for being playful. He loved his walks. He was ALWAYS up to go out front on his leash and check out the neighborhood. (Although the last two times I took him, I had to carry him home.) I think Thanksgiving Day was the last walk we took. He really just wandered up to the corner and stopped.
He always enjoyed being in the Red Ribbon Parade with the other library staff dogs. The last time he was in it, he was dressed up like a bee.
We almost lost Bear at Eastertime in 2006. He came down with Ehrlichiosis, which is a tick-bourne illness. Our wonderful vet, Dr. Jeff Boyer, brought him through it, and though he had a pretty bad heart murmur thereafter, he enjoyed pretty good health until the last few months. He's been leaving us little by little, slowing down, having worse arthritis pain, coughing a lot in spite of the Lasix we gave him to control fluid retention. In the last few months, he hasn't wanted to walk far, he's limped a lot, and last Wednesday, his appetite went down. Then we noticed how very skinny he was everywhere except his belly. Jeff had seen Bear only two weeks or so ago. He was doing fine then, his belly pretty normal, if a little firm from the coughing. Not so today. Today, his belly was BIG, and hard, and we knew that wasn't good. He was also having more trouble breathing, and the Lasix didn't seem to help it at all.
This morning, Monday, November 28, 2011, we took him to Dr. Jeff so he could see if he could figure out what was going on. Now, Jeff loves this dog almost as much as we do, and we knew he'd check every possible angle and give us the truth. In this case, the truth was painful for all of us. Bear had a tumor on his spleen that had started seeping blood into his abdomen. Poor guy could NOT get comfortable, and I really think he knew it was time to go. I think he'd been trying to tell us this weekend that he hurt, and he needed it to stop. Nothing was fun anymore. He would still eat a treat or two, and a little turkey, but that was it.
This afternoon, Matt and I and Dr. Jeff and his assistant Lacey all held and cuddled and petted Mr. Bear and saw him off to the Rainbow Bridge to wait for us. It is so hard to do, even when you know it is the absolute best thing for the dog. I was really saying goodbye all weekend. I kinda knew this was probably coming. It still hurts, though.
The cat is a great comfort to us. Madame Skye is still looking around like she thinks the dog will come back, but I think she knew he was hurting, too. Every time we got on the floor with him to love on him this weekend, she showed up, too, and she tried to head-butt him and leaned on him, and THEN she tried to bite his ear. I hope she won't get too depressed. I'm depressed enough for all of us.
I will always miss my walking buddy, my constant shadow, my sweet natured little Mr. Bear.
Once we got him home, it took almost a year of crate training and tethering to get him house trained again. He was five years old, but had been relegated to living in a back yard because the owners couldn't get him to stop peeing in their fancy new house.
I admit I was depressed and frustrated with him for awhile, but I didn't give up on him. It paid off. He learned to be trustworthy in the house, and he became one of the all around best dogs we've ever had.
He wouldn't play, though, not with toys. Sometimes, he'd go out and run around the back yard and act crazy for awhile, but that was it for being playful. He loved his walks. He was ALWAYS up to go out front on his leash and check out the neighborhood. (Although the last two times I took him, I had to carry him home.) I think Thanksgiving Day was the last walk we took. He really just wandered up to the corner and stopped.
He always enjoyed being in the Red Ribbon Parade with the other library staff dogs. The last time he was in it, he was dressed up like a bee.
Bear with Melvin and Molly.
Mr. Bee-Bear (Who won't wear the hat part of his costume.)
He
was always interested in food. That seemed to be his greatest pleasure
in life, seeing if he could mooch people food. Our friends the
Rogerses spoiled him, in that Nancy would always sneak him a few bites
of whatever appropriate things she was eating. He LOVED Nancy. Even
the last time they were here, a couple of Saturdays ago, Bear was
bumping Nancy's arm, trying to get her to cuddle him and let him have
food.We almost lost Bear at Eastertime in 2006. He came down with Ehrlichiosis, which is a tick-bourne illness. Our wonderful vet, Dr. Jeff Boyer, brought him through it, and though he had a pretty bad heart murmur thereafter, he enjoyed pretty good health until the last few months. He's been leaving us little by little, slowing down, having worse arthritis pain, coughing a lot in spite of the Lasix we gave him to control fluid retention. In the last few months, he hasn't wanted to walk far, he's limped a lot, and last Wednesday, his appetite went down. Then we noticed how very skinny he was everywhere except his belly. Jeff had seen Bear only two weeks or so ago. He was doing fine then, his belly pretty normal, if a little firm from the coughing. Not so today. Today, his belly was BIG, and hard, and we knew that wasn't good. He was also having more trouble breathing, and the Lasix didn't seem to help it at all.
This morning, Monday, November 28, 2011, we took him to Dr. Jeff so he could see if he could figure out what was going on. Now, Jeff loves this dog almost as much as we do, and we knew he'd check every possible angle and give us the truth. In this case, the truth was painful for all of us. Bear had a tumor on his spleen that had started seeping blood into his abdomen. Poor guy could NOT get comfortable, and I really think he knew it was time to go. I think he'd been trying to tell us this weekend that he hurt, and he needed it to stop. Nothing was fun anymore. He would still eat a treat or two, and a little turkey, but that was it.
This afternoon, Matt and I and Dr. Jeff and his assistant Lacey all held and cuddled and petted Mr. Bear and saw him off to the Rainbow Bridge to wait for us. It is so hard to do, even when you know it is the absolute best thing for the dog. I was really saying goodbye all weekend. I kinda knew this was probably coming. It still hurts, though.
The cat is a great comfort to us. Madame Skye is still looking around like she thinks the dog will come back, but I think she knew he was hurting, too. Every time we got on the floor with him to love on him this weekend, she showed up, too, and she tried to head-butt him and leaned on him, and THEN she tried to bite his ear. I hope she won't get too depressed. I'm depressed enough for all of us.
I will always miss my walking buddy, my constant shadow, my sweet natured little Mr. Bear.
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