The Legacy

[Xan]

(So, how is it this is the first I've seen this wonderful thread??)

My brat-poodle Hobie gave me back my self, kept me tied together until I learned to do it on my own, and left me with a suprise: Hey, I'm a dog person!

Thanks, Hobie, you rascal!

[SAVED2]

16 days now of wet eyes Larry came from a home where he spent a year locked in a bedroom becuase he was so big and they were afraid of him well he came into our pack and became the fun police alpha Larry was always at my side and when walking his head was always at my waist I believe he would not of had to have a leash on and he always minded many people were afraid of him and thought he was a great dane , another strange thing were his teeth never had a dental and were in perfect shape , he loved big stuffies and would kill them if not watched have to stop now.

 

[Guest Murphys_Mom]

I just got through reading the posts in this thread and just wanted to say thank you to everyone for sharing their stories. Some are silly , some are sad , and some are sweet but they are all a reminder to myself to appreciate and love our furry friends every single minute they are with us.

 

Thank you all for sharing your memories.

[Guest greytloves]

Susie Q: animals can have sweet souls, too. And life is worth living, but sometimes you have to fight for life. (she had such illnesses but never complained and always fought to survive)

 

Josephine: never yell at your spouse as others may feel the pain, always receive loving and always give loving. What a sweet girl.

 

Austin: always beat up the new dog and have attitude. (he was a Siamese!) Always have one person in your life who you would die for.

 

My hearts....

[Burpdog]

 

Austin taught me that ugly is a term and a label. Ugly can become beautiful in short time. When someone is what you perceive to be ugly, you must look beyond the ugliness to see the soul and it's beauty, for almost no one is truly ugly. A very powerful lesson this wonderful boy taught me. Amazing what love can do.

 

He taught me that cute can buy you out of a lot of being bad (he went through a lot of sheets) Cute makes people laugh and warms their heart.

 

Loyalty is a treasure--and I will treasure his time with me forever.

 

Till we meet again little man

[Guest Fool4Greys]

Mocha taught me to take a chance and love a senior. Because of him I will never not have at one senior in my house.

Jumby Bay 12/24/92- 05/17/03

 

Whimpy showed me what a wonderful breed Greyhounds are. He taught me so much.

05/95 - 03/13/06

 

Laura

[Guest Angie626]

Ok..I'm ready.

 

Shazam taught me acceptance.

 

Within the first two weeks of bringing her home, she attacked my nieghbors dog, and the trainers dog at our Petsmart obedience class. (Needless to say we were not asked back.)

 

I was at the end of my rope. I called my adoption coordinator crying, asking how I'm supposed to deal with our little Mike Tyson (she had a fondness for biting ears). She loved people to death, but hated, hated, hated other animals. Could not be within 10 feet of anything on 4 legs.

 

Well in the 5 years that we had her, she never learned to like other animals, but I learned to be ok with it. I realized we'd never go to Dewey, never be able to find a sitter for her, etc...but you know what - it was OK. I accepted that she was the way she was, and that in my eyes, she was still 'perfect'.

 

Now I find myself looking at the "special needs" greys... There are 2 brothers in foster care right now who can't be split up and are extremely shy. Our coordinator thinks they are never going to get adopted. I said to myself... "hummm, Shazam, are you trying to tell us something??"

 

We're going to meet the brothers on Sunday, and I have a feeling I'll love and accept them, no matter what.

[heartdogs]

Lucky (Sheltie/Spitz mix) came to me at 6 months & left at 20+years. She was with me during some bad times but was always so glad to see me come home. She showed me just how far an old pair of panty hose could be stretched around a small apartment when Mom was late getting home. She was atrue alpha but let the greys & kitties come into her home as long as they agreed she was top dog. She had a stroke while I was at work but waited for me to get home to take her to the vets to say good bye. I couldn't stand not having a senior so I adopted a foster girl, Miss E, that had decided the day she came to me as a foster that she was home. I'll never be without at least 1 senior again. I'm sure Lucky is trying to keep some of the pups in line at the bridge while she waits for the rest of us.

[SAVED2]

Six days after posting on this page about my Larry , The Rev became real sick and we had to put him to sleep also , I try not to dwell on my boys but find it impossible , I have let these Greys become family I think of going to the track and getting two more black boys to replace them but that would be silly as they could never be replaced , I feel real bad for all you people who have lost there babies.

Dan

[Guest DoofBert]

My bridge cat Lexie saw me through some rough times. She taught me how to relax and de stress. Lexie came to me in the parking lot of an ASPCA. She was full of fleas and quite dusty-- but she held her high and walked right into my heart.

[Burpdog]

Slick:

 

Stay long enough to love and be loved.

 

Be persistant--if someone loves you, they will figure it out.

 

[ShantisMom]

Kona taught me the true meaning of unconditional love! I think this girl was more human than dog. She also taught trust and forgiveness. I was getting knots out of her fur and clipped her. Oh I felt bad. She forgave me and would come over to be clipped trusting I would not do it again. She was the most amazing dog I have ever had! I am grateful she was a part of my life for 14 1/2 years!

[Guest gonewtthewind1]

Patty taught me that life is good when you have a kitty.

Kayla taught me to always stop and smell the flowers.

 

Becky

[Guest KennelMom]

Star taught me that a greyhound may be down, but they are never out.

 

Annie taught me that you are never too old to be young at heart

 

I miss my Bridge babies

[Guest Snowy8]

 

Sadie Grey opened my door to greyhounds & adoption. All my life I had wanted a greyhound...my path crossed greyhounds a lot but growing up, there was NO greyhound adoption. I met her in 1990 & she came into my home 4 years later when my neighbors gave her to me. She showed me how much love can be given & how not to expect it back. She showed me how to adore someone.

 

Bool was the other one who showed me how to adore someone. He made me laugh when no one else could after losing Sadie-Grey. This guy was a hoot, even when he jumped in an ice covered lake & I had to jump in after him.

 

 

Brogan...all 97 lbs of him...it was like looking nose to nose with a clydesdale as he walked toward me that May afternoon! He left behind the answer: Where does a 97 lb greyhound get? Anywhere he wants. He was big, but he was so tenderhearted.

 

 

 

 

Picadilly, I got him when he had just turned 13...he was so quiet & reserved. He could barely stand up, he was so weak...but he started eating again & tried so hard to run with the others...he had the most beautiful shiney eyes! And the clearest bark when he needed to go outside!

 

 

Racer...he left behind that you can be elegant, independent & funny all in the same moment. I loved to watch him from the window as he laid in the sun dreaming. Suddenly he'd jump up & run figure 8's in the back yard, then go back & lay out by the flowers & dream some more. You could definitly tell he was one of HB's kids.

 

 

 

 

Pegasus - When they love us, its forever.

[Guest nerak254]

I can't even begin to say how much I miss Jessica and I think Missy might miss her too. Jessica, as tiny as she was, had a personailtiy bigger than life. She really knew what ejoying retirement meant and lived it every day. She kept me on my toes and made me admire her creative problem solving and curiosity. Neither Goody or Missy who are both bigger ever scored as much off the counter and also out of the sink by the way, than she did. She left for the bridge on Sept 12 and had her head in the trash the day before. She was the first hound I met who smiled and I cried because it was so funny when she did it.

 

Here's a picture of her and her creative problem solving. No water in the dish? No problem.

Edited December 4, 2006 by nerak254

[Devotion]

Devotion taught me to live in the moment and cherish the times you have together. they can leave you so suddenly.

[Rickiesmom]

Seeing this thread for the first time.

 

Bonnie, my black faced beauty, my smart, funny, opinionated, joyful girl, made it easy to love unconditionally. And when she gradually lost more and more backend function, as so many shepherds do, she did all she could with what she had left. Caring for her during those months was physically tiring, but never in any other way.

 

She was already in decline when, unexpectedly, my first sighthound, whippet Rickie, came to me. Her patience was a marvel - he bit her nose one night shortly after his arrival, and she didn't flinch. There are pictures from a few weeks later of him resting with his head on her legs. There was just something about her.

 

I believe she sent me Arlie, my big, beautiful greyhound girl. As different as they are outwardly, there is something about Arlie that evokes some of Bonnie's pet names, and surprisingly, I don't hesitate, it feels oddly right.

[greytdecals]

Miss Nellie taught me to live every day like it's your last!

[Guest vahoundlover]

Dolly taught me about the wonderful world of greys and to never take the day for granted.

[Guest greyhound_bug]

Sullivan taught me, to never give up and with a little bit of faith anything can happen.

He taught me the true meaning of unconditional love.

 

[Guest SillyDog]

Princess (PBJ) taught me to care for someone other than myself. She taught me patience. She taught me about how intelligence, in humans and dogs, can be a double-edged sword. She taught me about true luxury every time I touched her scent-hound ears. She taught me love - the absolute bliss of finding one's soul mate regardless of form. And on what turned out to be her last night on this earth, she introduced me to my first greyhound, Prancer.

 

Prancer's sitting on my easy chair right now, and I thank God for him every day.

 

It's been two years and I still miss her and cry for her, like I'm doing now. But I love my greys Prancer & Carly. Thank you, PBJ, Princess, Puppy Girl.

[Burpdog]

Rob Roy taught me that no matter how long it takes, be yourself, even when someone doesn't "get" it. Do not give up who you are. Those who love you will figure it out

 

[MP_the4pack]

Topaz and Brindle left me with a broken heart.

 

 

 

[maryz]

Daisy (Dalmatian) was the first pet we gave our kids. She became one of them. When she developed ulcerated corneas

at the age of 11, we had both of her eyes operated on 3 months apart. People would ask us why we bothered to do

that for an "old dog". We told them she was part of our family and we would do anything for her. She lived to be

almost 15 (2 months shy). She had lost the use of her back legs and my daughter, Kelly, who at that time was in

college taking veterinary tech courses, was with her at the end-I'm sorry to say that I couldn't do it. The night before,

my husband laid on the floor with her and just cried and told her how much she was loved and how much joy she had

given us. We will always remember her and we still talk about how good and attentive she was with our kids and all

the kids who always seemed to gather at our house. We still laugh at how she was so scared of the ceiling fan in the

family room, but could sleep through thunderstorms and fireworks. She was a gentle soul and will always be missed.

 

Beady (cat) was brought home by my daughter, Kelly. He was brought into the animal hospital where she worked

summers during college about a year before we lost Daisy. He was brought in with his litter and he was the last to

be picked because he was born with a limp. She did say he had the most beautiful face and when I saw him, I had to

believe she was right. He helped me grieve when Daisy was gone and he welcomed Marley and Rebel after him. He

never hissed at anyone. He was so laid back that I could hold out my arms straight in front of me and he would lay

draped over them. He had the most amazing purr and would sleep against my chest at night putting me to sleep with

it. In May of 2005, when he was only 7, he went in for his vaccinations. He was due for rabies and distemper. Nine

days later, I felt a lump on his left shoulder. Needless to say, it was a fibrosarcoma from his shot. He was so good

when the tumor burst and we had to wrap him with gauze and ace bandages. He never so much as whimpered. Around

February 21, he didn't want to eat anymore. Nothing could entice him. I even tried his two favorite things, mayonnaise

and chocolate donuts, but it was no use. I knew we had to make that dreaded decision. I found him already gone when

I got home from work the next day. His body was still warm and I still feel guilty that maybe he was waiting for me to

come home. I was about 10 minutes late that day. The book CATS 24/7 sits on my coffee table with his picture on the

cover as a tribute to him, our first cat. We were blessed to have him.

 

The love these animals give us never leaves. I think it gives our hearts more of a capacity to love other animals in need.