What A Change In Perspective

[Guest greystoked]

... coming here today has given me.

 

And it's a beautiful day, and the Sun is shining, and I just don't understand it.

 

How the hell do I make a remembrance for someone not yet dead.

 

Sweetie (AKA DKSweetJulius, son of Molotov) had a fairly comfortable night. Actually made his way out to his playpen this morning, he knew he had a bit of the runs and is a hound of great dignity; but his hind legs gave out when he tried to come back in. Very weak, losing weight before our eyes.

 

But lucid, and seemingly in little discomfort. And, hound that he is, still looking to comfort us not even understanding what has made us so upset. He has always been a very sensitive boy.

 

In an hour, we will go to see Dr. Beth a last time. Then we will be completely alone.

 

But I feel I have to share something here, something for Sweetie, something I feel he'd like. If he could speak, I think he'd say that this is how he'd like us to remember him. It's how I'd like any of you that may see this to remember him... it's not his usual self, he is not an overly playful hound. But he helped pull me away from being a useless cripple, and I built him his own playpen... and this is how he enjoyed it.

 

(wish me luck linking a video)

 

 

Sweetie Greyhound -- 2000 - 2011

 

 

 

Link to video

[Guest tammara]

I am so sorry. That video is just priceless... the joy in that dog's face... Prayers for a peaceful voyage to the bridge... Run free precious Sweetie...

[OwnedBySummer]

What a fabulous time he is having in his sandbox, under the watchful eyes of his parents. Such a sweet boy! Run free and may you be given the answer as to what is down in that interesting corner.

Edited September 3, 2011 by OwnedBySummer

[PrairieProf]

I am so sorry. What a beautiful video of great happiness.

 

[Batmom]

The best video -- what a fine time he had!

 

{{{{{{{{{{Sweetie's people}}}}}}}}}}

 

Go find a great sandpile over the bridge, Sweetie.

[Guest mbfilby]

I'm sorry. What a great video and a great memory to cherish.

 

You are giving him a gift today. The gift of setting him free and making sure he is with people who loved him. Run free Sweetie..

[KahluasMagic]

That was beautiful. He was having so much fun. I am so sorry. Run free Sweetie, find the sandbox at the bridge.

[45MPHK9]

Every time I see a greyhound digging in sand, I will remember your Sweetie.

[Anne]

I'm so very sorry, Godspeed Sweetie.

[TheFullHouse]

What great fun he was having. Find a big sand box at the bridge Sweetie have have a ball. Hugs to your mom and dad who are going to miss you something awful.

[Guest gurehaundo]

I absolutely loved the video! Sweetie made me laugh out loud. What a funny boy! If only they could live forever...

[FiveRoooooers]

Oh, how blessed you have been to have had each other in your lives. What a greyt dog. I love how after working so hard, Sweetie goes behind the grass to pee

Godspeed to your beautiful boy.

[Remolacha]

What a wonderful time he had! I am so sorry for your loss, but I know Sweetie lived a wonderful life with you

 

 

[2_Lazygreys]

I had a little "digger" too, never got it on video...but she LOVED to dig. I finally gave up and she had her own corner in the yard that was "hers". I still haven't mustered up the courage to fill in her hole. I may end up using her hole to plant something in to remind me of her. Thank you for the wonderful video and I am so sorry you are having to go through this. Sweetie will have a great friend Gypsy to dig holes with all day!

[Charlies_Dad]

That video is precious...you see the joy he had playing in his sandbox. Over the bridge there is a huge sandbox and I'm sure Sweetie will be digging holes and twirling around and around.

 

Run free Sweetie, run free...

[Guest MorganKonaAlex]

Such a sweet boy.

[JohnF]

That is such a lovely video - my dog is a digger too and I've used 3 bags of earth and 2 of gravel this summer already.

A real Heart Dog is going to want to be leaving you a legacy, maybe like in this little poem which is sure to get the waterworks flowing and even now commence the natural healing process that we call grieving. I don't know if you're religious, but God will never send anything to us that we have to deal with without already having given us the tools with which to cope.

May Sweetie's journey to the Bridge bring peace, understanding and joy for having walked along the path together. So sad... so important that we can do this for them when it is their time.

 

"The Legacy”

 

(author unknown)

 

When humans die, they make a will

To leave their homes and all they have

to those they love.

I, too, would make a will if I could write:

 

"To some poor wistful, lonely stray

I leave my happy home,

My dish, my cosy bed, my cushioned chair, my toy.

The well loved lap, the gentle stroking hand,

the loving voice,

The place I made in someone's heart,

The love that at the last could help me to

a peaceful painless end

Held in loving arms.

 

If I should die, Oh do not say,

"No more a pet I'll have,

to grieve me by its loss"

Seek out some lonely, unloved dog

And give my place to him.

 

This is the legacy I leave behind -

'tis all I have to give."

[queenwinniesmom]

What a great video! It shows us what happiness can be had from such simple things---a good sand pile, green grass, a lovely day. We can learn something from Sweetie, and find joy in the little, everyday moments that we sometimes take for granted.

Knowing that he will be leaving you must be heartwrenching, but his joy will remain in your memory. I'm so sorry you're losing your precious Sweetie.

[GreyPoopon]

I'm so very sorry. He sure did have fun in that sandbox.

 

Godspeed Sweetie.

[sabrina]

Sweetie may your journey over the bridge be peaceful

[Guest greystoked]

He went peacefully and easily as we held him, knowing how loved, and that others were thinking of him, too.

 

Thank you, Dr. Beth, for making this as easy as possible. I know you hurt, too.

 

Brave, sweet, sensitive soul... held on until that last hour, still concerned for us.

 

In that video, there were shaped wooden sides to that sandbox... it was intended as a dog-bed sized area of carefully sifted sand, perfect for hounds to laze about on in the shade when it was too hot to be inside... as a choice between a large bed of woolly-leafed violets or a nice, thickly grassed area in the cool shade of the fence.

 

He lay in the newly-finished sandbox exactly one time. I am convinced he did it solely to appease me and my new camera. He lay in it long enough for one picture. That is the only time he ever lay outside. Why? When he has 1) - a comfy human king-sized bed with comforters and quilts, or 2) - his very own Greyhound-sized Full Stretch Mode dog bed with assortment of fluffy pillows.

 

He was a retired racing Greyhound, after all. But he did love having a place he could dig.

 

I removed the sides, and it was ever after his 'diggin' hole'. It was his daily ritual to trot down the step to his playpen, dash like mad up and down the track several times, tongue lolling, eyes flashing delight. Then pounce into the ever-deepening hole, give me his manic play-bow look, and dig like a maniac for several minutes. Then he'd trot off to 'perform his ablutions' and come and wait at the bottom of the step, panting, grinning, waiting for me to use the soft brush to get all the sand off. After Hurricane Irene flooded it, it stands at more than 6 feet across and 2 feet deep. Nearly as large as the hole in our lives.

 

We got him there pretty much in the last moments. I know the signs. We had to carry him out to the car for that one last ride, bundled like a cat in a flannel blanket and slung between us in another blanket like a hammock. His great, Greyhound strength was gone. He was no longer alert to us.

 

The girls at the vet helped by bringing him in for us, and within a few moments, Dr. Beth was with us and ready to ease his distress. We held him together, he did not feel the needle, and with my hand on his heart I felt him slowly go. Then I gently laid his head down on the blanket.

 

There was great dignity to his life... we felt he should have the same in death.

 

He will be cremated, and we will place his ashes next to the ashes of Bear, who came before.

 

 

 

Thank you all, thank you and thank you for your kind words and thoughts of comfort.

 

 

I do not know what we do now.

 

 

Goodbye, Sweetie Grey

 

[Guest iconsmum]

I'm so sorry for you but happy for him that he could go so easily. You gave him peace and freedom.

[TheFullHouse]

What a peaceful passing he had. My heart goes out to you both. Godspeed Sweetie.

[MarcR]

I'm very sorry... but the sheer joy in that video made me smile. Peaceful journey, Sweetie

[montgomery2524]

You can see the love in his eyes and the happiness in the wag of his tail. He knows you loved him and he loved you. My heart goes out to you both.