Two Years

Two years without you and a day doesn't go by that I don't think about you. I miss you sweet boy.

One Year

Rusty,

Tomorrow, November 9th, will be one year since I held you in my arms and said goodbye to you. People told me time would help to heal my broken heart and in some ways that is true. I no longer cry everyday, but I still think of you and miss you each and every day. I wrote the following the day I let you go, but it still holds true one year later.

I miss the way you followed me from room to room or the way you slept on my feet when I sat at my computer.

I miss your sweet, soulful brown eyes and the way they stared at me with such love and affection.

I miss touching your silky fur, kissing your forehead and leaving lipstick marks on your face.

I miss cuddling next to you on your orthopedic bed and gently stroking you until you fell asleep.

I miss talking to you Rusty and the way you would kiss my face to let me know you were listening.

I miss you with all my heart sweet boy and I would give anything to hold you in my arms one more time.

Mommy

My Dream

Last night I had an incredible dream. I dreamt I was in a swimming pool and the water was up to my waist. My father who passed away in 2001 was standing in front of me. I was holding Rusty in my arms like a baby and his head was resting on my shoulder. He was frail and weak. I was crying. My Dad asked me why I was crying and I told him because I didn't know if it was time for me to let Rusty go or not. My father asked me if I had asked Rusty. I told my Dad I asked Rusty to give me a sign. My father shook his head no. He said, "Don't ask for a sign, just ask him if he is ready." As I held Rusty I looked at him and asked, "Are you ready?" Rusty lifted his frail head, looked me in the eyes and in a clear, sharp voice he said, " I'm ready." I held Rusty tightly and told him not to be afraid and that he would be OK. As I cried I continued to walk around the pool with him in my arms. After a few minutes, I looked up and my father was no longer in the pool with me and Rusty was no longer in my arms.

I woke up drenched in my own tears.

My decision to let Rusty go has weighed heavily on me for almost a year. I think this was Rusty and my Dad's way of letting me know to move on and to stop feeling guilty. It brings me comfort to know my Dad is taking care of Rusty.

TOP TEN SILLIEST THINGS RUSTY DID TO MAKE ME LAUGH

Rusty,

I've shed so many tears since you left me on November 9th, but today I want to remember those silly little things you did to make me laugh and smile.

So, in honor of you Rusty, I've created the follwing list:

TOP TEN SILLIEST THINGS RUSTY DID TO MAKE ME LAUGH!

10. Rusty insisted on drinking from the toilet. If I did not leave the lid up, he would sit by the toilet and howl until I lifted it up.

9. Rusty learned to open the bottom kitchen cabinets with his paw. One time he opened the cabinet and pulled out a 17lb. bag of dog food by his teeth. The kitchen floor was covered with dog food.

8. Rusty would try to chase every Fed Ex truck that he saw because he knew our Fed EX driver always brought a treat with her when she delivered packages to the house.

7. Rusty's groomer always added $ 5.00 BAD BOY BEHAVIOR CHARGE to his grooming bill. Rusty would continuously bark for six hours while at the groomers. The groomer brought ear plugs with her to work on the days she groomed Rusty. Rusty always voiced his opinion when he was not happy.

6. Rusty peed on an Afghan Hound. One day at the dog park Rusty n0nchalantly lifted his leg and peed on an Afghan Hound that was just groomed. We left the dog park in a hurry.

5. Rusty loved to ride in the car. He didn't care whose car it was. One day my neighbor was getting into his car and Rusty jumped in his lap to go for a ride.

4. Rusty was a very nosy dog. He loved to bury his head in my friends' purses. One day he pulled out a $20.00 bill from my friend's purse and ran in the other room with it.

3. Rusty flunked obedience shcool. On the first day of obedience school Rusty ran out the front door. I never took him back. I guess you could probably tell from this list. BOL

2. Rusty was a shoplifter. One day at Pet Smart, Rusty picked up a pig's ear without me knowing. It wasn't until we were in the car and half way home I realized my dog had a shoplifing problem.

1. Rusty greeted me at the door of his former owner's house with a diaper in his mouth. It was love at first sight.


Rusty, you always reminded me of the class clown. Everyone who met you said you were one of the sweetest dogs they ever met, but also one of the silliest. Thank you for making me smile and laugh for so many years.

Mommy

Two Months Without You

Rusty,

It's hard to believe it's been two months since I said goodbye to you. In some ways it seems as though it was yesterday and in other ways it seems like a lifetime since I kissed your face. I miss you so much! I still break down once a day thinking about you and I still have a difficult time when a neighbor asks what happened to you.

You were loved by so many Rusty. Missy still looks for you. If she hears me say your name she still runs to the window to look for you. After you died Rusty, she wouldn't eat for five days. She adored you and the two of you had a very special bond.

The family misses you sweet boy. Roxie helped me put together a scrapbook of you. She was always your second most favorite person in the world, next to Mommy of course. We laughed and cried as we reminisced about you. We talked about the silly little things you used to do and how sweet you were to everyone you met.

Mommy received so many beautiful cards in the mail from friends expressing their sympathy. They knew how much you meant to me.

Your Dogster Family showed me an outpouring of love and support. Mommy was so touched by the pawmails, poems, emails and zealies she received. The following pups from the B&A Club sent me the most beautiful cherrywood memory box; Sassy, Daisy Mae and Annie, River, Shiloh, Rudy, Sassy Girl and Dallas, Georgie and Jackson, Scooter and Trudy, Tinkerbelle, Annie and Dozer, Damon, Miss Molly and Lucy Lu, Duncan, Dixie Black Pearl and the Chicago Crew of Angels, Meemo and Chrissy Snow, Bailey, Rocky and Sarge, Georgie Girl and Daisy Mae, Sasha, Gibbon and Mia and Katie, Clyde and Tahlulah. The memory box has an engraved picture of you on the lid. You look so handsome Rusty. Inside the memory box I keep your harness and tags, leash, winter coat, the blanket Sassy sent you, your favorite tennis ball and all the beautiful cards I received after you died. In addition to the memory box, I received a beautiful statue of an angel holding a puppy from sweet , little Muffin. I keep the statue on top of the cherrywood box containing your ashes. Every morning when I wake up I touch the box containing your ashes and tell you how much I love you. George Underwood and his wonderful Mommy made a donation in your name to Canine Companions for Independence. I was so touched by their kindness and you would be so proud. Ringo, Webster and Dusty Puppycat sent me a beautiful, silver locket with your pictures inside. Every day I wear the locket around my neck. It makes me feel good knowing you are close to my heart. The SB Gang sent a beautiful card with a poem printed on your picture. I hope you are keeping an eye on Stormy B. Loved because I know her Mommy misses her so.

So many loved you Rusty and honored your memory in such beautiful ways. You meant so much to so many and you will never be forgotten my sweet boy.

I love you and miss you,
Mommy

One Step Forward Two Steps Back

Rusty,

Three days ago I received a call from the Animal Hospital that I could pick up your ashes. It took me two days before I had the courage to do so. I told myself on the drive over I was going to be brave and I was , until the receptionist put the gift bag in my hand. I broke down in tears and ran out the door. That night I took the plastic bag containing your ashes out of the cherrywood box, held them close to my heart and cried myself to sleep.

Along with your ashes I received a beautiful Memorial Certificate Of Cremation. On the inside cover is The Rainbow Bridge poem and the following quote by Edwin Arnold

"Farewell Master, yet not farewell. Where I go, you too, shall dwell. I am gone before your face, a moment's time, a little space. When ye come where I have stepped, ye will wonder why ye wept"

The card then reads as follows:

This is to certify that the beloved Rusty cherished by Wendy R. has been individually cremated with dignity and respect.


I'm trying to be brave for you Rusty because I know you would not want me to be so sad. You hated to see me cry and always licked my tears away. I try to keep busy during the day, but the nights are difficult. As soon as I lay my head on my pillow my thoughts turn to you and the tears begin to flow. I know in time my heart will heal, but my memories of you my sweet boy will remain with me for a lifetime.

Mommy

The Story of Rusty... My Best Friend.

In 1996 I lost my beloved dog Boogart due to kidney failure. Four months after his death, I opened up my heart to the possibility of adopting another dog. I decided to visit a local animal shelter. When I arrived at the shelter I was told I could not view the dogs without an appointment. The woman at the shelter asked me what type of dog I was looking for and I told her I was open to all breeds, but I was partial to Cocker Spaniels. She told me there were no Cocker Spaniels at her shelter so she gave me the phone number of the Cocker Spaniel Rescue Mission. The Cocker Spaniel Rescue Mission put me in touch with four families who were in need of finding new homes for their dogs. So, for the next four weekends, I traveled around the state of NJ meeting the dogs. Much to my dismay, I did not feel a connection with any of the dogs. I decided I probably wasn't ready for a new dog and that was why I didn't click with the dogs I met.

A few weeks later I received a call from the woman who worked at the Cocker Spaniel Rescue Mission. She told me about a young family in Southern NJ who recently had a baby and were finding it difficult to care for their new baby and their two year old Cocker Spaniel named Rusty. I decided to take a drive and meet Rusty. When I arrived at their front door Rusty greeted me with a (clean) diaper in his mouth. Once inside the house, he smothered my face with kisses and then jumped up in the bay window to sun himself. He was such a clown! I knew in my heart of hearts Rusty was meant to be with me. The next week we made arrangements for Rusty to begin his new life with me.

Rusty is probably the sweetest dog I've ever met. He never met a person he didn't like. He greets everyone as though they are his long, lost best friend. Rusty especially loves children. He formed a very special bond with my niece. They have grown up together. I remember my niece crawling around the floor pulling Rusty by his leash and he patiently following behind her. To this day, whenever my niece has a sleepover, Rusty sleeps by her side almost as if he was guarding her. (The picture above is of my niece and Rusty)

Rusty has been by my side during the good times and the bad times. I will never forget the way he licked away my tears when my father passed away. He was by my side when I had to relocate for work and didn't know anyone . Yet, I never felt lonely because my best friend was with me.

I will never forget the countless times Rusty has made me laugh. For example, when he learned how to open the bottom kitchen cabinets with his paws and pulled out a 17lb. bag of dog food by his teeth. Or the time he chased after the Fed Ex truck because he knew the driver carried dog treats. Or the time Rusty pulled out a $20.00 bill from my friend's purse. To this day, my friend swears I trained Rusty to do that trick. Or the time he pulled my under garment from my laundry basket and dropped it off the balcony. Needless to say, I was quite embarrassed having to pluck my bra out of my neighbor's tree. The number of times Rusty has made me laugh or brought a smile to my face are too numerouse to write.

Rusty has been with me for 12 years and he will be 14 on May 1st. During the last few years his health has deteriorated and he has slowed down considerably. In 2004 his Vets were almost certain Rusty had nasal cancer. I prepared myself for the worst case scenerio but, much to my suprise, Rusty proved his Vets wrong. A rhinoscopy proved there was no cancer. Rusty had developed severe environmental allergies. He's spent most of his senior years sneezing but at least he is cancer free. A little over of a year ago Rusty developed a very bad cough. I took him from doctor to doctor to doctor, but no one seemed to be able to help him. Last September Rusty developed a very serious case of pneumonia and was hospitalized for five days. The prognosis was not good and, once again, his Vet tried to prepare me for the worst case scenerio. Just when I thought I was going to have to say good bye to my best friend, Rusty made a comeback. Rusty's nickname then became " The Comeback Kid"

I don't kow what the future holds or how much time we have left together, but I do know one thing. I couldn't have asked for a better BEST FRIEND.

Please rescue or adopt. Your BEST FRIEND is waiting for you.

" You are Loved"

My very sweet friends Odie and Sammy J have Love Tagged me . In addition, I've been love tagged by my beautiful girlfriend Sassy.

It’s a new Dogster tag game – “You are Loved”!

You pick three Dogsters that you think are fantastic and tell a little about why! Don’t forget to let them know how much they are loved with a p-mail, star or a rosette!

I have so many wonderful Dogster friends, so picking three is tough but I'll give it a try.

Here goes!

Let me start with my beautiful girlfriend Sassy. My pet name for her is Sassafras. Sassy is beautiful and smart but most of all she is one of the most thoughtful and caring pups on Dogster. She always reaches out to pups in need and always makes new pups feel welcomed. I love her and I am the luckiest dog in Dogsterland to have her by my side.


Next is Duffy. Duffy is Odie's older brother and a very sweet and kind pup. He's always kind to other pups. We have a lot in common; he's an older pup like myself and we are both Jersey boys. He's also very handsome!

Last but not least is Sammy J. There is so much I could write about Sammy. Sammy J. is an inspiration to all that know him. He 's been through so much in his life but even during the most difficult times his spirit continues to shine brightly. He is loved by so many. It was his Mommy that told my Mommy about a medication called Theophylline. This medication has helped my cough tremendously and for that I will always be grateful.

Thank you Sassy, Duffy and Sammy for being my friends. And thank you to my many other Dogster friends that I didn't have a chance to write about but please know I love all of you!

OMD...SHE SAID YES!!!!!!!!!

I am the luckiest dog in all of Dogsterville!!! The lovely, beautiful, talented Sassy agreed to be my girl. I am floating on cloud 9 today. LOVE is definitely in the air.

The Game Of Tag

This sounds like a lot of fun!!!

I was tagged by the beautiful Sassy

Here are the rules (Hint: Copy and paste the rules so you don't have to type them again):

Each player starts with seven random facts about themselves. Dogs who are tagged, need to post in their Diary the rules & their 7 pawsome facts. Then choose 7 dogs to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to bark them a pmail that they have been tagged and to read your Diary, or, send them a fun Rosette announcing they've been Tagged!

So here are 7 fun facts about me...

1. My favorite toys are tennis balls and empty water bottles

2. Besides Mom, my favorite person in the whole wide world is my 10 yr. old human niece.

3. Mom calls me her four legged garbage disposal.

4. When Mom first adopted me she taught me some hand signals. I am starting to lose my hearing so the hand signals really come in handy now.

5. I love to howl.

6. I love to lick the windows in the car when we go for rides.

7. Some of my favorite foods are; whip cream, pop corn, eggs, tuna, steak, chicken...who am I kidding, I LOVE all food.

The seven dogs I have tagged are:

George Underwood
Butch
Bubbles
Rex
Autumn
Lily
Sugar