seeh2o Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 I haven't been able to pull myself together long enough to write this. I lost my boy very suddenly at 12:51am on Tuesday morning. My heart is still broken, I miss him so very much. Carl found me before I found him. I had lost my heart dog in July 2007, he'd run away because of illegal fireworks. One morning I was getting ready to hit the area where he'd been seen last I was talking to my dad on the phone. I told him that if I ever got another dog, I'd want a male named Carl. I have no idea where this thought came from, but it had entered my head a day or two before. My dad asked if it would be spelled with a K, Karl? I said no, like Grandpa's name with a C, Carl. That was the end of the conversation. Weeks passed and Kobie was still lost, and I was torn up, desperate to find him. I saw a picture of a brindle dog, that was clearly not Kobie, at an all breed rescue group out in the high desert close to Palm Springs. I was off of work, so I got in the car and drove out there. It was pretty much the hottest day of the year, 110 degrees when I got there and the Santa Ana's were howling. I asked to see the dog I'd seen on the internet, they brought him out and, as I already knew, he wasn't Kobie. He walked over to me and promptly peed on me. I was sitting in the dog visiting area with the woman who ran the rescue and told her what had happened to Kobie. After listening to me, she said, "I want you to meet someone", then told one of the volunteers to "go get Carl". Well, I thought that was a strange coincidence, then another volunteer came out sounding incredulous, "you want us to get Carl?", "yes, get Carl". This happened with two other people. I thought Carl must be a volunteer with experience in finding lost dogs. Then a guy came to the gate along with a big whirl of kicked up dust. The gate opened, the dust settled and there he was...a big black greyhound named - Carl. I was speechless, I wasn't there to take home a big black male greyhound, but....his name was Carl. I quietly asked her how it was spelled, "with a C, Carl was his racing name". She told me to take him for a walk down by the wash, there we were, the big black greyhound who walked like a dream on the leash and I in the hot sun with sand blowing all around us. We had a chat while we were walking, I told him I was sorry it was so hot and that I knew we were both miserable in the heat, so we turned around and went back. The next thing I knew I was driving back on the 10 towards Los Angeles on a Friday during rush hour with a big black greyhound standing in my back seat. I called my friend/neighbor and told her that I didn't know how it happened, but she was very excited and offered to help introduce him to Sheila, my blind 11 year old Shiba Inu/Chow mix. Carl was an enigma, tall dark and handsome with the capacity to hypnotize and bring grown men to their knees (well over 30 of them) when we would go on walks. They would stare into his eyes, ask if he was a greyhound, hold his face in their hands, ask if he raced, ask what his name was, drop to their knees (literally) and kiss his face. It was as if he put a spell on them, it happened all the time: tall/short, rich/homeless, gay/straight, park employees, police would stop us in the street and ask...is he a greyhound? did he race? what is his name and then on their knees kissing him. I've never seen anything like it. Carl took it all in stride, I felt like he assumed this is the way it should be. When I was around, he was the confident, but low key boy. He was not effusive with anyone except for me when I would come home. He had terrible separation anxiety and was not a fan of going for rides. Other than that, he was damn near perfect. He was incredibly funny, if he had been human, he would have been a lot of fun to have a drink with - the stories he would have told in his quiet sharp style. He was the master strategist, always looking for a way to trick Doodles or any other dog for that matter, out of the bed he wanted. It worked on nearly everyone except his sister, she glance at him, sigh, close her eyes and ignore him. She was the only one who was really on to him. He didn't play with stuffies, but oh how he loved his bones, nylabones and nylabone dinosaurs. He would chew them and look like he was in a trance! He never met a meal he didn't like. The only meal he ever turned away was his very last dinner. They broke the mold when he was born. He has made himself known to me several times since he passed. One time even my dad heard him when we were talking on the telephone. We both distinctly heard a dog sniffing into the speaker of the telephone. We were on landlines, Doodles was in the other room and Dad's dog was laying behind him in front of the front door - there was only one dog who could be doing that that we couldn't see. It sounded like he was standing next to my head. I wish he were, I miss him terribly, it was so sudden. Doodles is starting to get better, this week she was more like herself. My boy Carl, Carlito,Carly, Big C, Don Carl, Father Carl, Mysteriouso, Stinky Pants, Big One, Mister. His first day at home with Sheila The moment he was reunited with Doodles, he knew exactly who she was, he stuck his nose in her ear, turned his body around and leaned against her. He never did that to any other dog - before or after that. Doodles is his gift to me. I knew he was happy to have her at home with us, he had never roached before, the afternoon she came home, this is what I found on the couch I let him lick a bowl, went to look for it and he'd carried it to the couch and fell asleep with his head on it On the red carpet, naturally With his pack he thought he was a Boston Terrier, too. He would stop in his tracks and cry if he saw one on walks, he really seemed to think he was a Boston Terrier when he saw one. Getting goofy with his buddies So happy when he was chewing his bones From his secret santa one year One secret santa sent him a nylabone dinosaur...he was in heaven With his very best friend, Captain, who passed just a few weeks before. I'm sure heaven has been turned on it's ear with the influx of naughtiness that just arrived. He was such a good ghoul this past Halloween, I was really looking forward to doing it with him again this year. Quote Sunsands Doodles: Doodles aka Claire, Bella Run Softly: Softy aka Bowie (the Diamond Dog) Missing my beautiful boy Sunsands Carl 2.25.2003 - 4.1.2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greybookends Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 I am so sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MP_the4pack Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 It's so hard to lose our best friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PiagetsMom Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 I'm so very sorry for the loss of your beautiful boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remolacha Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Oh no! I was so sorry to see his name here Carl was one of a kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamaha_gurl Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Crying and crying over here. A beautiful remembrance about Carl Quote Greyhound Collars : www.collartown.ca Maggie (the human servant), with Miss Bella, racing name "A Star Blackieto" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 I'm so sorry he couldn't stay longer. Run and play with the angels, Carl. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neighsayer Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Hugs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houndtime Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 I am so very sorry for the loss of your handsome Carl. Quote Irene Ullmann w/Flying Odin and Mama Mia in Lower Delaware Angels Brandy, John E, American Idol, Paul, Fuzzy and Shine Handcrafted Greyhound and Custom Clocks http://www.houndtime.com Zoom Doggies-Racing Coats for Racing Greyhounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_daerr Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 I am so very sorry... Carl was such a special guy. What a beautiful tribute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beachbum1 Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 So sorry for the loss of your sweet boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyPoopon Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 I'm so very sorry. Carl was clearly extraordinary, from the way you met to the impact he had on others. I wish he could have worked his magic for a few more years. Godspeed Carl. Quote Standard Poodle Daisy (12/13) Missing Cora (RL Nevada 5/99-10/09), Piper (Cee Bar Easy 2/99-1/10), Tally (Thunder La La 9/99-3/10), Edie (Daring Reva 9/99-10/12), Dixie (Kiowa Secret Sue 11/01-1/13), Jessie (P's Real Time 11/98-3/13), token boy Graham (Zydeco Dancer 9/00-5/13), Cal (Back Already 12/99-11/13), Betsy (Back Kick Beth 11/98-12/13), Standard Poodles Minnie (1/99-1/14) + Perry (9/98-2/14), Annie (Do Marcia 9/03-10/14), Pink (Miss Pinky Baker 1/02-6/15), Poppy (Cmon Err Not 8/05-1/16), Kat (Jax Candy 5/05-5/17), Ivy (Jax Isis 10/07-7/21), Hildy (Braska Hildy 7/10-12/22), Opal (Jax Opal 7/08-4/23). Toodles (BL Toodles 7/09-4/24) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time4ANap Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 I'm so sorry for your loss of Carl. He was one of my favorites here on GT. Run free Carl. Quote Camp Broodie. The current home of Mark Kay Mark Jack and Gracie Kiowa Safe Joan. Always missing my boy Rocket Hi Noon Rocket, Allie Phoenix Dynamite, Kate Miss Kate, Starz Under Da Starz, Petunia MW Neptunia, Diva Astar Dashindiva, and LaVida I've Got Life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 I'm sorry for your sudden loss. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charla Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Connie, I'm sorry that Carl had to leave you, but he left a large part of himself behind in your heart. A beautiful tribute for a beautiful Big Boy. Quote Charla, Mom to Carl ( Bella Monsoon ) 5/2002 - 9/2016 and remembering Gracie Rose ( Cee Bar Xtreme ) 2/2002 - 1/2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickiesmom Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 I am so glad Carl came into your life, as he was meant to, and so very, very sorry he had to leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest june Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 There are no real words of comfort for a loss like this. Your tribute to him is beautiful and your love for him shines through. You were both blessed to find each other and with the time you had together. I have no doubts that you will be together again when it is time. Godspeed Carl sending prayers to help heal your heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenEveBaz Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 After listening to me, she said, "I want you to meet someone", then told one of the volunteers to "go get Carl". Well, I thought that was a strange coincidence, then another volunteer came out sounding incredulous, "you want us to get Carl?", "yes, get Carl". This happened with two other people. I thought Carl must be a volunteer with experience in finding lost dogs. Then a guy came to the gate along with a big whirl of kicked up dust. The gate opened, the dust settled and there he was...a big black greyhound named - Carl. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. Run with the wind, beautiful boy. Why were the people so incredulous that she wanted you to meet Carl? Quote Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeh2o Posted April 27, 2014 Author Share Posted April 27, 2014 Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. Run with the wind, beautiful boy. Why were the people so incredulous that she wanted you to meet Carl? I think he was a real favorite of theirs, he had been there for 8 months. Quote Sunsands Doodles: Doodles aka Claire, Bella Run Softly: Softy aka Bowie (the Diamond Dog) Missing my beautiful boy Sunsands Carl 2.25.2003 - 4.1.2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiveRoooooers Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 What a special guy. I love Carl's reaction to Doodle and his head in the bowl! He was clearly meant to be with you. I'm just so very sorry that he left so soon. I was really hoping you would get more time together Godspeed Carl, you were a great guy. This has been the longest worst April. Quote Old Dogs are the Best Dogs. Thank you, campers. Current enrollees: Punkin. AnnIE Oooh M Angels: Pal . Segugio. Sorella (TPGIT). LadyBug. Zeke-aroni. MiMi Sizzle Pants. Gracie. Seamie . (Foster)Sweet. Andy. PaddyALVIN!Mayhem. Bosco. Bruno. Dottie B. Trevor Double-Heart. Bea. Cletus, KLTO. Aiden 1-4. Upon reflection, our lives are often referenced in parts defined by the all-too-short lives of our dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fliggie Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Lucky, lucky guy. Beautiful. Thank you for sharing Carl. I'm so sorry. Quote My Photojournal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schultzlc Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 I am so very sorry for the loss of your handsome Carl. Quote Laura, mom to Luna (Boc's Duchess) and Nova (Atascocita Venus).Forever in my heart, Phantom (Tequila Nights) and Zippy (Iruska Monte). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o_rooly Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 A beautiful tribute for an absolutely priceless, beautiful guy. I am so, so very sorry. Quote every day a tiny adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IrskasMom Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 With great Sadness I read of Carl's ( GT Legend ) passing . I am so very Sorry for your Loss .RIP sweet ( nearly perfect ) Carl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesiRayMom Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Happy Trails, Carl. Had I ever met you, I'm sure I would have been down on my knees, kissing your face. My condolences to those who love you and are missing you now. Quote Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.