Roxie The Rescued Puppy - A Greyhound Wannabe

[Houndtime]

I am just shocked. I was reading this thread for the first and loved looking at the photos of your sweet girlie.

 

I am so sorry.

[Guest TexasGreytMom]

Thank you all so much for your kind words and thoughts. We were totally in shock and numb.

 

I wanted to share with you all some of Roxie's funny antics and sweet nature - to just give you an idea of why we thought she was so special to us. Rather than retyping it all, I'll just paste here the letter we gave to our vet clinic staff, along with a collage of photos of her (they had named her "Jade" and we renamed her "Roxie"):

 

===============

March 12, 2011

 

To: Roxie’s (Jade’s) Angels

 

Thank you so much to all of you for loving and caring for our Roxie. Our entire family is heartbroken, but so very grateful that in her too short lifetime, she had you to care for her and love her. It’s comforting to know that one little pup had so many who loved her. She was so fortunate in that in a few short months, she certainly received more love, comfort, support, companionship and nurturing than many pups (and people) do in lifetimes that span years.

 

If it weren’t for you all, we would not have had the joy of letting her adopt us! From the moment I saw those big bright eyes I could see the spunkiness she possessed.

 

I’m sure it’s difficult for some to understand how one little pup who was only with our family a few short days could have such a profound effect on our household, but I knew that you all would understand, because you were her family as well. Please forgive me if I seem to ramble and if I misspell a few words or my grammar isn’t the best right now, I just want to share memories of Roxie with you as they come to mind and my mind is a little numb right now.

 

Our story began when I stopped by the shelter to look at a Pit-mix that we'd seen online. Rather than driving home and then back to the shelter, we decided that I should just stop by after work and take a look and then I could determine if I felt the pup would be a good fit for our family. When I got there, the Pit-mix was already adopted, so I looked around at the other pups that were available and that’s when I spotted Roxie! She was so tiny and seemed comfy laying on her hammock bed. The shelter worker explained her story to me and said that she’d just been released that very day as available for adoption. We then looked at the other dogs available but my mind and heart kept going back to Roxie. When we opened her kennel door, she ran to me, tail wagging and gave me a kiss. There was no decision to be made by me – she made it for me!

 

On the way home, she snuggled on the passenger seat on a comfy blanket and was so calm and sweet- looking at me and licking my hand and never jumped up or made an attempt to be mischevious.

 

Of course, I had to explain why in the world I was going to be arriving home with a limping baby Dane/Lab mix when we were hoping for an older Pit-mix. But, when DH saw her, he was smitten, and to tell you the truth, I think she favored him most, especially because he works from home and was with her all day.

 

He tried crating her right outside his office door during the day so he could get some work done and so that she could see him and know he was there … she wouldn’t be able to wander the house and get into trouble. That didn’t last long – she let him know she wanted no part of that. So, he put a big (greyhound-sized) pet bed beside the girls’ (our greys, Dora Shelby) beds and she loved it! It was so funny to see such a tiny little thing in a big dog bed. She snuggled into it and took immediate ownership.

 

The girls weren’t impressed at first when Roxie would tire of them sleeping – when she thought it was time to play, she would stand in front of them, with her face at theirs, and go from one to the other, barking as loud and long as she could, which, of course made her front feet come off the ground! It was so cute to see her barking and bouncing! We will always remember that sight.

 

Our cat was extremely unsure of Roxie’s intentions when Roxie would try to play with her. Kitty didn’t understand that a big paw on the back meant she wanted to play, not attack. But, after a few days, they got into a routine and kitty would rub the sides of Roxie’s face.

 

She and I had such fun taking baths together – we thought it would be the perfect opportunity for her to have a little therapy for her leg – would turn the spa jets on and she would “swim” as I held her. She so enjoyed the warm water and didn’t mind me using the hair blow drier on her afterward.

 

She slept in her crate in our bedroom each night, covered with her fluffy blanket – with the crate door facing the girls’ (who sleep on their beds on our bedroom floor) so she could see them. The first night, she woke at 130a to go outside. I took her out and when I put her back in her crate, she went right to sleep. The following nights, she slept completely thru the night, but was an early riser – much to the annoyance of our older greyhounds!

 

It was difficult to not spoil her because she was such a dear. We were concerned that the cool morning and evening air might be a little too nippy for her, so we got her a couple of hooded jackets – one is fleece and the other a windbreaker. We think her favorite was her red sweater. She seemed to be so comfy in it. Then, when I found the “My Dad Rocks” tshirt, I had to get that because she was so close to DH.

 

Her favorite toys were, of all things, a Jolly Ball with a rope thru the center of it (which was almost too heavy for her to move around), and any type of rope toys. We thought for sure that, as feisty as she was, that she would destroy fluffies, but she didn’t. She played with stuffed animals and never once did she rip them apart.

 

Other things she enjoyed were: Gathering all of the toys and dropping them in front of Dora and Shelby as they laid on their beds – in an attempt to entice them to play. She also loved to try to snuggled into tiniest sliver of space between Dora and Shelby’s beds when they were pushed together – she’d dig in the tiny crevice and then, discouraged that she couldn’t widen the space, she’d bounce and bark!

 

DH caught her sleeping on her back one day with her feet straight up in the air and got a picture of that – we told her she was a greyhound wannabe because they “roach” like that.

 

We could go on and on with stories of all the fun, cute and interesting things we loved about her. It’s still unreal to us that she’s gone and I’ve had to put away (for now all her toys, clothes and pictures) because the pain is just too great right now to see them. I know that soon we’ll have her photos back out on the shelves and her toys in the toybox for the girls to enjoy, but not just yet. We’re finding comfort in our memories of her.

 

I don’t really want to share memories from the point at which she began feeling badly. That’s just too unbearable to recall at this time – the hopelessness and feelings of not being able to help her to feel better were too great.

One memory that I’ll always have from that time period, though, is the evening before we took her in to the clinic for the last time – she just wasn’t herself and seemed tired and all of the food that we coaxed her to eat had come up. DH sat on the floor, pulled her bed beside him and sat there petting her and talking to her to comfort her. I know that it was difficult for him, not only because she stole his heart, but it was physically uncomfortable for him to do so due to his recent back surgery. Yet, they had that time together and I’m certain she felt better knowing her daddy was beside her.

 

We know that you all loved her as much as we do and even if she wasn’t home with us toward the end, she was with you and you loved her deeply. We find great comfort in that.

 

We wanted so much to visit her more often that last week, but were so afraid that we would be a distraction to her recovery and confuse her as to why we weren’t taking her home, even though being with you was like home to her as well.

 

Somehow, in the time I spent alone with her on Saturday, I could see in her eyes as I talked to her, that she was so very tired of fighting to live – I honestly felt she was telling me it was time to let her go. If we had made the decision that was best for us, we would have kept trying to get her well, but, in our hearts we knew the best decision for HER was to let her rest and run free with all the other happy and healthy pups in Heaven that are free of pain and fatigue.

 

We will be forever grateful to each and every one of you for being her angels on earth. We know you spent so much time with her and gave your time, love and parts of yourself to this sweet, loving and fun-spirited little baby.

 

We hope you enjoy the collage of photos – we had made it days ago and planned to give it to you all the day we brought her home, as a thank you for being so good to her.

 

We will never forget her and each time we recall her cute little sideways walk and slight limp, we will hold her near in our hearts. We just know she’s looking down from Heaven at all of us, bouncing up and down and barking to get the other pups to play!!!!

 

Hugs to you all!

 

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I was so angry for a while and went thru the "WHY?" phase of grief so angered that this could happen to a poor, defenseless, beautiful little being with so much love and joy to give. I guess my anger and depression that I thought I was doing well to hide was more evident than I realized because DH admitted that he has since visited a rescue group and has been checking online for another pup for us to love. At first I balked at the thought - not wanting to open myself up to the chance of pain and disappointment again. But, he's convinced me to take a look at pups at a puppy rescue event in downtown Houston tomorrow.

 

It's coordinated by a nonprofit group that focuses on rescuing litters of puppies and they're cared for in foster homes - no shelter environment where they can continue to be exposed to shelter viruses, etc. Of course, that doesn't mean they're totally risk-free of anything - there's usually not a lot of info on their history. But, most of the litters are found in abandoned buildings or rescued by kind-hearted individuals and then go to foster families. Entire litters are also rescued from kill shelters.

 

Anyway, doesn't hurt to "look," right?

 

We'll always have at least 2 grey pups in our home, but for us it just seems complete with one mixed breed in the gang! LOL! Oh, and of course, our alpha kitty!

 

Thanks again for your compassion and kindness as I work through the loss of our sweet Roxie! We still haven't received her ashes, but hope to some time this coming week. Will be nice to have her home again!

Edited March 18, 2011 by TexasGreytMom

[Guest dmt]

I just read your update and am sooo sorry for your loss.

[Magdalyn58]

I don't even know what to say. I am shocked beyond belief that sweet little Roxie is gone. I'm so, so sorry.

[Guest jettcricket]

Oh...I'm so terribly sorry. My heart goes out to you and your DH. Sending you both a gentle hug...

 

 

Edited March 18, 2011 by jettcricket

[Guest MyCody]

I am so sorry.

[Guest TexasGreytMom]

Thank you all again! I so appreciate your kindness and letting me glean support from you.

[Batmom]

I hadn't read for awhile but wanted to check and see how your puppy was doing and saw your sad news. My heart goes out to you and your family.

 

Godspeed, sweet thing.

[greysandmollie]

No Advice but had to say she is adorable.....Good Luck!

[DesiRayMom]

I am so sorry. I was so looking forward to watching her grow up.

 

Rest in peace sweet Roxie.....my condolences to your familyj. It's very clear how much you were loved.

[Guest TexasGreytMom]

Thanks again! In all of our years with "mutts" and mixed breeds - of taking in the occasional stray, adopting from shelters, etc., we've never experienced losing one this way and we're really having a hard time wrapping our minds around it. I think our prevailing feeling is that even if you try to do everything right, there are no guarantees and sometimes you can't prevent bad things like this from happening. Such a helpless feeling, but I know we'll move on and learn from it - be stronger emotionally from this. That's my hope!

[sabrina]

Lossing Roxie had to be so hard for you I am sorry for your loss

[Guest BleuDog]

You have written so very eloquently of your cutie......I 'see' her jumping up & down & barking......come Play with Me-come Play with Me.......

 

Soooo.....the bouncing Bright Star up in the Sky will be your Roxie......watching down on Her Beloved FAMILY......

[Guest zombrie]

Wow, I am shocked to read this. I read the original post but didn't check back.

I had a grey named Ace that we didn't even have for a week before he passed away. Doesn't hurt any less than if you had them for years. I'm so sorry

[Lexi]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

[Guest happygrey]

Oh what a big loss! I was shocked to see the turn this thread took. What a cutie pie she was. I am so glad that you were able to love her as much as you did in the brief time you had her.

[4greyhounds]

I am so very Sorry! I was shocked when I saw this thread...