Bandit On Wednesday January 10th my beloved kitty of 11 years, “Bandit” was diagnosed with a very aggressive and invasive oral cancer. After 10 days of struggle to eat and groom himself, I made the difficult decision to end his suffering. On Friday January 19th Dr. Miller sent him on his way to “Kitty” heaven with the dignity and gentleness he deserved.
There he naps and plays with all the dog and cat friends he made while overseeing the store since he was a five week old kitten. He was full of life and loved every single day until his last breath. There are no words to describe how fond I was of him. He was a cat that even people who “don’t like cats” couldn’t resist.
Life will certainly not be the same without him. I appreciate all of you who loved him as I did. He had so many “Moms”! I feel so lucky to have had him as a companion for so many wonderful years. Karen
Sumac Remembered
Don't grieve too long for me
Don't grieve too long for now I'm free
I've followed the path God set for me
I ran to him when I heard his call
I swished my tail and left it all.
I could not stay another day
To bark, to love, to romp or play
Games left unplayed must stay that way
I found such peace, it made my day.
My partings has left you with a void
Please fill it with remembered joy
A friendship shared, your laugh, a kiss
Oh yes, these things I too shall miss.
Be not burdened with ties of sorrow
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow
My life's been full, you've given so much
Your time, your love and gentle touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief
Don't lengthen it now with undue grief
Lift up your head and share with me
God wanted me, he set me free!
Doogie 1992-2003
Farewell MacRuff
May 29, 1997 - May 30, 2007
MacRuff picked me. As one of nine Golden Retriever/Yellow lab pups, they all looked alike. But the one pup snuggled up to me and chewed my shirt, then seat back and smiled at me. From that day on, he proved to be a most unique character. He was a star in obedience class and either set a great example for all, or teased the other dogs to make them bark or misbehave, depending on his mood for the day.
As he grew, I considered changing his name to “Clifford” because he didn’t seem to stop growing. At 100 pounds he was lean and muscular.
Ruff’s favorite greeting was to “stand on his head” and waggle his butt in the air at the feet of some unsuspecting stranger. Sometimes he’d even grunt at the same time. His life’s goal was to make people laugh. Regular tricks were never good enough for him, and he never did one of those more than once. He accompanied me through a lot of rough times, including cancer, when he was content to sit at my feet and just be there for hugs. He made sure I laughed then, too.
Because of his innate gentleness and sensibilities, he trained as a Therapy Dog, and we spent many hours visiting rehab centers and nursing homes. He always knew how to approach each individual, whether he had to be slow and gentle, or when he could be gregarious and clownish. He gave everything during those visits, and always came home dog-tired.
Each Christmas and birthday, Ruff received a new nylon Frisbee. Even the last birthday, he accepted it with great joy and once again, made me laugh as he rolled on his back and twirled the Frisbee on his feet, with huge Labrador smile to complete the picture. If there was water nearby, MacRuff would find it. He delighted in being a mudball, and enjoyed the refreshing bath that followed. When he was a pup, I couldn’t keep him out of his own water bowl.
Ruff was a self-appointed Ambassador of Good Will wherever he was; at home, visiting relatives, at pet shows, obedience or agility classes and especially at the nursing homes. That beautiful face and gentle demeanor won over hearts instantly. I know I won’t be the only person who will miss him. Thanks to all who have sent us good thoughts for him the past few months.
Are dog automatically well behaved? "Dogs must be taught what is or isn't acceptable, they must know you are the leader and understand they must follow you."
When should training begin? "Puppies can start training as early as 3 months of age!"
