Today is the anniversary of Izzy’s passing; I have been dreading the approaching holiday season knowing that this time in 2021, her health was failing and our time together was running out.
She departed on a day very similar in weather as today, overcast with some rain. The hardest part of opening your heart to a dog is knowing that the day will come to say ‘goodbye.’
I am building a new relationship with Sox, who arrived in March of this year. Still, I feel her loss.
You no longer greet me
As I walk through the door.
You’re not there to make me smile
To make me laugh anymore
Life seems quiet without you.
You were far more than a pet.
You were a family member, a friend
…a loving soul I’ll never forget.
It will take time to heal.
For the silence to go away.
I still listen for you
And miss you every day.
You were such a great companion
Constant, loyal and true.
My heart will always wear
The paw prints left by you.
Poem by Teri Harrison
Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
One week ago today, our special friend Bergie passed away. I say ‘our’ because Bergie was special to Izzy and any dog that captured her heart would have always been special.
Bergie and Izzy were adopted from Greyhounds as Pets around the same time and we often met at greyhound walks.
Izzy loved the water at the beach; Bergie didn’t at first. He would bark at her whenever she played in the waves. Eventually, though, Bergie came to enjoy his beach walks and didn’t mind getting wet. I’d like to think that Izzy taught him the joy of the beach, since the beach was her happy place.
Bergie was a regular at Izzy’s birthday party each year, including the year that we hired the Dog Swim Spa and invited her friends to come for a swim. He enjoyed the car ride out of town for that one, too.
On the way to Izzy’s party, February 2019
Bergie even came along and had a swim session with Izzy once, where they rugged up afterwards and enjoyed the ride home together.
In the car, after swimming, 2017
Bergie lived on the east side of town, within walking distance of some of the ‘red zone’ which is land that was cleared after the earthquakes and no one is allowed to re-build there. It’s a great place for dogs, though. Bergie would meet Izzy at his special park for off-lead exercise. On one day in particular, he showed off for her by digging her a hole.
In 2018, Bergie strutted the catwalk at our Greyt Fashions fundraiser, looking handsome in his Dr Seuss collar and other outfits, too.
Bergie was also a regular customer for birthday cakes over the years
As with Izzy, age and arthritis started to catch up with him. Unlike a lot of his black greyhound friends, though, Bergie hardly had any grey hairs right up to the time that he passed. He was a very handsome boy, as seen in this photo in February of this year, relaxing after his massage (this photo is my favourite):
Bergie, February 2022, relaxing after his massage
What is it about the turning 12 and hoping your dog will make 13? Bergie was a year younger than Izzy and we celebrated his 12th birthday in early May. Looking back on it, though, he was withdrawn and didn’t engage much. By early June, he was in a lot of pain which the vet initially diagnosed as severe arthritic pain; a week later and with an x-ray, we had the news that it was the dreaded osteosarcoma and that his shoulder had been broken.
I gave Bergie his last massage on Saturday, 11th June. He was waiting for his Mum to arrive back from overseas that night so she could be there when it was his time to fly. It was a privilege to be able to make him more comfortable and, as I kissed him on his cheek, I told him to say hello to Izzy for me.
Rest in peace, Bergie. Another special dog that will not be forgotten.
Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
It is with almost unbearable sadness that I must share with you that we lost our beautiful soul Dumpling today. She took a bad turn the past few days which turned out to be the result of a large mass in her abdomen. At age 17+ we simply could not put her through any more testing and surgery.
When my wife first saw her picture on the Best Friends website, she fell in love immediately. It was our hope that we could give a 10-year-old dog that was missing most of her teeth, had eye problems and was going through a second heart worm regimen, a couple of years enjoying the life every dog deserves. It is our dream that she thrived for more than seven years because she was so happy here.
We know that the heartache will subside and are comforted in the knowledge that the joy and love she gave us will live with us forever. So please give all those close to you an extra hug today, be they human, canine, feline or all manner of G-d’s creations. Do it for you, do it for them, and today do it for Dumpling.
Kathleen thank you for always keeping her in your thoughts. Give Izzy a hug from us.
Stuart
In May 2012 during my first working visit to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, I fell in love with Dumpling, a dog that had her fair share of health problems and hard times. Because I lived in New Zealand, I was unable to adopt her. I knew from the adoption website that Dumpling had been adopted and when I returned to the sanctuary the following year, I asked if the adoption staff would pass on my details to her new family so I could find out about her.
Thankfully, Stuart was happy to write to me with Dumpling updates; typically I would have an annual update each Christmas with a photo. The family vet estimated her to be 10 when adopted. During the course of her life with Stuart, she had to have an eye removed from a recurring infection but still loved to go for walks and take long naps during the day.
Yesterday, I got the email I knew was likely to come – Dumpling has passed. But she proved something that is very important – rescue dogs are not their history – they are what they become in a loving home. Dumpling recovered from heartworm and became a member of the family. She was no longer the down-and-out dog found in a Texas landfill next to the bodies of her dead puppies.
I am very grateful that Stuart and his family were able to give her a long and happy life post-adoption and for their kindness in keeping me updated about her.
Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
****Warning**** For anyone who has loved and lost a dog, this video will bring you to tears. It certainly did for me. But I couldn’t think of a more fitting 1000th post for this blog – a tribute to the human/dog bond.
This short film is about Denali, photographer/cinematographer Ben Moon’s dog, and their life story together.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, Canine Catering Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand
The role of pets has changed a lot in the last 20 or so years. This change is also reflected in how people mourn when a pet dies. This column, by Monica Collins of The Boston Globe, discusses how mourning for a lost pet is recognized as genuine grief. Well worth reading (just click on the link below)
One of the good things about the Christmas holidays is that there are more family-friendly movies on television. Last night, I was able to watch Hachi: A Dog’s Tale for the first time.
This movie, starring Richard Gere, was released in 2009 but didn’t make it to movie theaters in many countries including the USA, as I understand it.
Gere plays a professor who finds Hachi, the Akita pup, on the train platform one night. The puppy had been in transit to an unknown location and the tag was torn off his cage.
There is an instant attraction, and Gere’s wife comes around to the fact that the dog and her husband are good for one another. Hachi begins to follow the professor to the train station each day, returning in the late afternoon to meet him for the return trip home. When the professor dies suddenly at work one day from a heart attack, Hachi continues his daily trips to the train station.
The loyal dog does this every day for over 10 years, and in the process becomes something of a local celebrity.
At the end of the film, we learn that the real Hachikō was born in Ōdate (Japan) in 1923. After the death of his professor/owner in 1925, Hachikō returned to the Shibuya train station the next day and every day after that for the next nine years before passing away in March 1934. His loyalty has been commemorated with a statue at the station.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film and recommend it for hiring on DVD.
And wherever you are these holidays, I hope that you are enjoying the company and loyalty of your dogs.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, Canine Catering Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand
This is my first Christmas and holiday season without Daisy and, although I now have Izzy to nurture and care for, there are many memories I have of summer days and holidays with my special girl.
In my garden are now two daisy plants given to me by customers in the days following Daisy’s loss. On sunny days like today, the daisies are in full bloom:
And then it is clear that people are noticing that the addition of Izzy has changed things. I received a lovely note in my P O Box from the ladies at the Papanui Post Shop. It reads:
“Just a short note to say hello! It’s good to see you smiling. Daisy was such a kindred spirit, even though we didn’t see her much. I’m sure she was just as gentle and lovely like you. Kind regards, Faye and Karen (Papanui Post)
Izzy and Christmas trees are not compatible at this stage in her life; but I’m sure we will find a way of celebrating our first Christmas together.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, Canine Catering Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand
I have just finished reading musician Rick Springfield’s memoir entitled Late, Late at Night. I was a fan during my high school years, had his poster on my wall, and I believe I was even a member of his official fan club. I also remember going to see him in concert (twice).
What I discovered in this book is that Springfield is also a dog person. Imagine that – even when much younger – I was attracted to people who liked dogs. There are many comments in Springfield’s memoir about the role of dogs in his early family life and through his career (you might remember that his dog Ron featured on several album covers).
Dogs acted as a source of inspiration and consistency in a life where depression was also a key player.
In January 2010, Springfield’s dog Gomer passed away. He and his people compiled a bunch of photos of the beloved dog in this tribute on YouTube. Dog people will ‘get’ this – the need to share and show how great our dog was and how much we miss them.
Having lost Daisy so recently, this tribute really resonated with me. I hope you enjoy it.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand
With Daisy’s passing, it is probably not surprising that I reached for a book on grief and – more specifically – a book about grief over the loss of a pet.
I purchased this book in 2013, but when I started to read it then, it didn’t feel right. Although aging, Daisy was still in good health and I felt like I was somehow ‘jumping the gun.’ The book went to the bottom of my ‘to read’ pile until last week when I found myself at loose ends in my empty house.
One of the biggest things about loss of a pet is, although deep down we know that our dog has a short lifespan, there is nothing that can prepare you for the emotional tidal wave that comes on the day of your dog’s death. So, having a book to turn to for guidance is useful.
This book is written in simple terms, with some historic references to cultures and how they view death, dying and the role of pets. It discusses the decision we face when euthanizing a sick pet, how to deal with children’s grief, understanding the need to care for yourself when grieving, and deciding when it is right to take steps that allow you to move on.
Since Kowalski is a clergyman, he has used his background to prepare a section on readings and poems that can be used in a memorial service for a lost pet.
I’m glad I had this book handy for when I had to suddenly face the loss of Daisy and, based on my experience, I would recommend to all my readers to have a book about pet grief in your ‘tool box’ for when you have to face the sad occasion of saying goodbye.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, Canine Catering Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand
It is with almost unbearable sadness that I must share with you that we lost our beautiful soul Dumpling today. She took a bad turn the past few days which turned out to be the result of a large mass in her abdomen. At age 17+ we simply could not put her through any more testing and surgery.
DoggyMom.com 