The passing of a sweet soul- in loving memory.

It has been a difficult day today. Rose fought as long as she could. She had her good moments and bad moments. But today her time had come and she left us, even though she didn't want to. The drugs made her comfortable, and little by little as the day wore on, she had her ups and downs of rest and struggles. Throughout the day, I would carry her outside to let her do her business and at one time she collapsed as though she had given up; I picked her up and held her and provided her with all the things she loved. She even coughed a bark wanting a yogurt treat. By late afternoon, her tongue soon changed color and I knew that her heart was not getting enough oxygen. I was preparing to take her to the Emergency clinic; making the appropriate phone calls, but she quickly faded before we could take that journey. I sat beside her as she lay in her soft bed in her crate and petted her and talked to her. She knew I was there, cocking her ears to my voice, as she took her final breath. I feel better that she left us within her home that was familiar to her than with strange people in a strange and scary clinic. I was able to be there with her to say my final farewell and the last "Rosie is a good girl."

She came into my life as an 8 week old puppy and lived a long and happy life with us to the age of 13 1/2 years. As she aged, her health deteriorated with a collasping trachea, and plagued with food and pollen allergies. Not wanting to put her through a surgery that was known to fail to correct the collapsed trachea, the Vet provided her with various medications to make her more comfortable. Her heart eventually became enlarged and soon took up all the available space squeezing her lungs and closing her trachea.
She always feared the Vet's clinic of is strange smells and animal cries, and I'm content that she was able to cross rainbow bridge at home. It will be strange to come home and not hear her talking yodel and happy greeting, or hear her demanding yapping when it's dinner time, or when she is determined to eat a stray Kleenex, or to sneak into Natalie's room to find a piece of paper to chew up when I'm trying to snatch if from her.

I will always hold fast to the fond memories and feelings of pride as she stole the hearts of everyone around her watching her prance around the obedience training ring or when we took walks down the street. She was a bundle of life and happiness. Her big brown eyes twinkled with alertness and intelligence. And for a little girl being so smart as she was, we soon had to spell "cookie" backwards because she knew what we said when we spelled c-o-o-k-i-e trying to keep her unaware of what we were saying. We couldn't fool her. She would cock her head at me when I told her she was a "pretty puppy" and always watched me, reaching up to give me a kiss on the chin. She was a big kisser and loved to give me kisses all the time. She knew when I didn't feel well and would try and lick all the pain and suffering away. She was such a sweetheart and wonderful companion even though she did have her moments of being quiet a pill around the house. She loved me with all her heart as I did her and she fought long and hard for many months to stay by my side and in our family. In the end, I was beside her side comforting her as she grew tired and slowly gave in to what her heart was choking out. For such a sweet soul that didn't want to go, I know it was difficult for her, as death is hard to understand, fearing the unknown of what lay ahead. However, in my heart I know that God will hold her tiny spirit in His hands, and I will always love her and I know she knew it in those passing seconds of her life.
There is already a sort of void in the house with her gone. She will be greatly missed each and everyday. She now can rest in peace and hopefully if there is a place in heaven for these little loving spirits; she will once again be able to prance and play, tossing her toys up over her back and in the air or growling viciously as she shakes her toy rolling on top of it with all the zest and life she once had.

August 5, 1996-February 28, 2010. AKC - Deb's Sweet Sunset Rose, aka: Rosie, nickname: "Fuzzy-butt."

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