Rainbow Bridge

Paws to all,
I crossed the Rainbow Bridge at 11:25 yesterday morning,Aug 8. I am much happier here finally free of the ailments that plagued me in my last days on earth. In the end,I could barely eat or drink and walking was even impossible. Here across the Bridge,I can run free just like on the long hikes my Dad and I used to take back home. Alaska,the Grand Canyon,Appalacian Trail,and summer rafting were all great fun,but I hope to have even more exciting adventures here! I will also watch over my earthly brother,Wesley, and try and keep him and Dad safe on their adventures together. Stay tuned,you haven`t heard the last from me!
Love,
Smiley

Goodbye to my friends on Dogster

Paws to all,
To all my dear friends here,I sadly must say a fond goodbye as my time to cross the Bridge appears imminent. I recently began having trouble eating and drinking and my aunt,Maryann,took me to the vet for a checkup. My liver enzymes are thru the roof, ALP = 2224 ALT 1070, GGT 172, BA > 140, TBIL 3.0 and the vet says it is liver failure. I am also having trouble walking and have lost much weight. I have always been an active dog throughout my life,hiking with my Dad in many places. I`ve been to Alaska 4 times and 3 times to the Grand Canyon as well as numerous shorter hikes on the Appalacian Trail and numerous summer rafting trips. My Dad and Aunt Maryann do not want to see me suffer in such a diminished capacity. I will probably be crossing the Bridge in a few days at most and look forward to an active life there with my brother Butch and sister Lady. Be happy for me as my life has not ended but merely changed. I thank Dad for adopting me from that shelter in Montana and giving me over 7 wonderful years together. We`ll meet again someday!!!

Love to all,
Smiley

Retired life in Florida

Paws to all,
My new arthritus meds are working nicely and I have been really feeling much better of late. My aunt,Maryann,bought me this nice new bandana and I enjoy showing it off to my pup pals down here. There are lots of nice shady places for me to rest here from the warm Florida sun and being out here in the country,there are plenty of refreshing cool breezes. Dad and brother Wesley are stopping down to see me in late sept. Can`t wait to show them my new bandana!
Smiley

4th of July!

Hi everypups,
I`m feeling a tad more chipper of late and had lots of fun celebrating the 4th with my doggie pals down here in sunny Florida. We got all dressed up for the festivities and enjoyed some hot dogs afterward! I`m not real fond of fireworks,so I`ll pass on them!
Paws,
Smiley

Old Dog troubles

Woofs to all my pals on Dogster,
I am now back on Denamarin to see if that helps to lower my elevated liver enzymes. Dad decided to put me back on it for 3 or 4 months just to see if a prolonged use of it would reverse the climb in my enzyme count. Both of us are hoping that it will do the trick. I`m still getting around fairly well,just stiff at times from the darn arthritus.
Keeping my paws crossed,
Smiley

Old Dog Troubles

Hi to all my Dogster pals!,
I`m nearly 13 yrs old now and my age is finally catching up with me. I recently started to experience liver problems and had to be taken off my Rimidyl. This caused my arthritus to worsen and unfortunately my liver enzymes continue to climb. I feel pretty tired much of the time now and feel that my time to cross the Bridge is not far off. When that day arrives,I`ll certainly be glad to see my brother Butch and sister Lady again but will certainly miss my dad. I thank him for letting me spend my remaining days down at his sister`s place in Florida where I can relax in the country. God Bless all my Dogster pals. I`ll try to hang in here as long as I can!
Love,
Smiley

A visit from my Dad!

Hi Everypups,
As some of you may know,I`ve been living down in Florida for the past year with Dad`s sister. The weather here is better for my arthritus and I can walk around the farm at my own comfortable pace since I regrettably can no longer do long hikes. Dad and my brother,Wesley,took a trip down to Virginia for some backpacking in Shenandoah National Park,then drove down to Florida to spend a few days with me. I was sure glad to see them both,especially Dad! They`ll be back for another visit in early fall as they head out west to the Grand Canyon. Can`t wait to see them both again!
Paws,
Smiley

Happy Birthday!

Woofs to all!
Yesterday was my 13th Birthday and I celebrated it with all my doggie friends down here in Florida. We all enjoyed some frosty paws and frolicked in the warm sunshine. I am having a great time down here as I can roam about the farm at my own pace and not stress my arthritic joints. I miss my dad and brother,Wes. They will be stopping down in the spring and I sure will be glad to see them both!
Love,
Smiley

Retirement

Woofs to all my Dogster pals! I am now retired and taking it easy in sunny Florida. In recent months, my arthritus has gotten worse and I can regretfully no longer hike long distances. Dad had to have his brother dogsit me when Wesley and he did the latest hike down in Virginia. Dad plans another trip to Alaska in August and I know that an old guy like me is no longer up to long hikes in the mountains. My cousin,Julie,and her Mom recently stopped up to visit for a few days and when they left,I went back down to Florida with them. I`ll be taking it easy on a horse farm down here and can wander around on short walks that will not stress my tired old joints. I`ll be with Dad and brother Wesley in spirit as they take their Alaska trip and will rejoin them in the fall after it is all over. In the meantime,I`ll soon have some photos and videos of sunny Florida posted on my page.

Still strong in spirit,
Smiley

Alaska 2008

Woofs! It`s official! Dad formally selected his vacation today and picked 5 weeks starting in August 2008. All his previous Alaska visits have been in Sept save for one in Aug 1995 with his old dog,Butch. On that trip with Butch,my dad and Butch made it all the way to the Arctic Ocean at Prudhoe Bay. Sept is a nice month for travelling to Alaska as campgrounds are much less crowded,but often Dad has had to endure cold rain and even snow. There is too much snow along the upper sections of the Dalton Highway which parallels the Alaska Pipeline to reach the Arctic Ocean in Sept. By doing his next trip this comming August, Dad and I hope to return to the Arctic Ocean! We`re eagerly awaiting the trip!
Smiley