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All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => Back Room => Topic started by: Blowpipe Sam on February 16, 2025, 04:14:29 PM

Title: Power of the Dog
Post by: Blowpipe Sam on February 16, 2025, 04:14:29 PM
“Brothers and sisters I bid you beware of giving your heart to a dog to tear.” :(

My buddy Flash passed away today unexpectedly.  He’d been slowing down for a while now.  He was eleven years old.  For the last six months he had been in decline but it really hit him hard when his mate Fly Trap passed away in November.  Last night he showed signs of being in great pain so first thing this morning the memsahib took him to the vet.  The prognosis was not good and we decided to have him put down.

He was a good boy and I’m really gonna miss him.

Fortunately we have Belle for emotional support and nature abhors a vacuum.  I suspect we’ll have a new dog soon enough.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Rocker1 on February 16, 2025, 04:30:31 PM
  Good man I'm sorry to hear this.  My dogs have always been my most trusted friend. If only people were like the. David
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Robert 5mm on February 16, 2025, 04:33:27 PM
Sorry to hear of the passing of Flash.

I like my dogs ( present and past ) more than I like most people.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Bicycleman on February 16, 2025, 04:39:34 PM
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went. Will Roger
[I can't say it any better.]

Sorry to hear that FLASH is gone.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: avator on February 16, 2025, 04:44:12 PM
Oh man Carter... it's way too soon to hear this for me.. the sadness is still in my heart.
Condolences... I know the feeling too well.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Hoosier Daddy on February 16, 2025, 04:47:00 PM
AWE NUTS!
"Flash" has crossed the bridge...  :-\
My condolences
Too many of my old BFF mutts are waiting there for him.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Blowpipe Sam on February 16, 2025, 05:00:22 PM
Thanks y’all.  It helps.

Spider Robinson wrote that “Joy shared is joy doubled.  Pain shared is pain halved.”

I believe that.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: avator on February 16, 2025, 05:03:18 PM
Many of our member's dogs have become personalities here on the forum and we all share the pain when one of them passes.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Madd Hatter on February 16, 2025, 05:39:27 PM
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went. Will Roger
[I can't say it any better.]

Sorry to hear that FLASH is gone.

I agree with you whole Hartley. Captain, we keep signing up for this time and time again. It sure beats not having them around. Figure 10+ years of joy for maybe 6 months of pain missing them.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: A.K.A. Tommy Boy on February 16, 2025, 06:17:19 PM
Carter, I am so sorry to hear this about your dog Flash.
That is such sad news.
It is much too soon after the passing of Flytrap..

Condolences - Tom

Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: dk1677 on February 16, 2025, 07:20:44 PM
So sorry Carter, they are family
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: brewbear on February 16, 2025, 07:35:07 PM
Thanks y’all.  It helps.

Spider Robinson wrote that “Joy shared is joy doubled.  Pain shared is pain halved.”

I believe that.
Please allow me to share in your pain and take some on myself. Losing a fur baby is one of the hardest things I had to go through.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Blowpipe Sam on February 16, 2025, 07:44:26 PM
Thanks all.  This one hurts.  He was my buddy but he was really my wife’s dog.  I feel for her.  She takes grieving hard.  But right now she has 75 lbs of Labrador Retriever draped across her lap and a Duck Toller for back up.  I think she’ll be alright. ;)
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Rocker1 on February 16, 2025, 07:50:15 PM
 First time in my life I do not have a dog my last 2 beagles I lost within a year of each other. One was in a wheelchair for about a year , the other had cancer. Truthfully still not over either. I'm old coot now afraid I'll go before my dog if I get another. I been shot blown up cut all sorts crappy stuff but my dogs hurt  me far more. David
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: splitbeing on February 16, 2025, 09:54:53 PM
Condolences, Captain. I'm sorry to hear it happened so unexpectedly. And condolences to your memsahib. Dang that Flash is cute with those ears. Reminds me of Poot, who was my bestie for 17 years with ears like that.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: airgunaut on February 16, 2025, 11:10:08 PM
I'm sorry that you lost your and your wife's buddy. Give your other two extra loving, because no doubt they hurt, too.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: bantam5s on February 16, 2025, 11:39:15 PM
I'm very sorry to hear this, it's absolutely never easy at all.

Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Tater on February 17, 2025, 06:01:57 AM
Man I hate to hear this Capt. My condolences to you and your wife.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: avator on February 17, 2025, 06:14:03 AM
Betty Lou and I both agree, when Boss is gone we will have no more. As much as we love her and miss Rambo the facts remain.. they limit what we can do and it hurts too much to lose them.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Struckat on February 17, 2025, 08:15:16 AM
Carter I am so sorry for your loss. I know this all too well. I will sign up for it again and again.
We lost one of the cats two weeks ago.

They are family.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: maraudinglizard on February 17, 2025, 09:27:25 AM
Carter I am so sorry for your loss. I know this all too well. I will sign up for it again and again.
We lost one of the cats two weeks ago.

They are family.

Same here Kurt, I can't live without them. Sorry for your loss Carter. My prayers and condolences to you and your wife.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Struckat on February 17, 2025, 09:36:17 AM
This, 24/7
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: KevinJBrown on February 17, 2025, 09:49:05 AM
I’m sorry to hear of your loss. I have had a dog all my life and also thought maybe I shouldn’t have another after both of mine died of old age in the same year, because there would be a fair chance it would outlive me and someone else would end up caring for my pup. Unanimously my children said they would care for the dog if my wife and I died first or couldn’t care for the dog. So now we have Crockett- the Rocket. He is great. A fairly smart dog, but he spent the better part of his life on the street/wild before we adopted him at a little over 1 year old so he has his fears, and yesterday he discovered if he stands on his back legs - the vanity mirror in the Master Bathroom has people in it that he knows. It really freaked him out. It was like I was talking him off a ledge.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Blowpipe Sam on February 17, 2025, 09:58:22 AM
Bill.  I totally understand your point.  Life would be simpler without all these pets!  But neither the wife or I can resists a stray dog.  We collect rescues and we’re just at a low point right now.  We aren’t even pretending that we won’t get another pet.  We’ve already got a stray cat testing the waters here.  We’re thinking about a small older dog.  Bon Bon the duck toller is my mom’s but our house is just an extension of hers as far as she is concerned.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Struckat on February 17, 2025, 10:20:18 AM
Buck, in my prior post, came to us starving and beaten. He lives like a king now.
Such a good boy.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: maraudinglizard on February 17, 2025, 10:52:56 AM
All of mine in the past and present have been pound puppies or from unwanted litters. They are my early warning system, rat removal, predator patrol, hunting/fishing buddy, and companions. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: airgunaut on February 17, 2025, 02:46:47 PM
Betty Lou and I both agree, when Boss is gone we will have no more. As much as we love her and miss Rambo the facts remain.. they limit what we can do and it hurts too much to lose them.

That's what my husband and I each separately concluded and then decided together. There have been times when thought if I encountered dogs just like ours that I'd cave in. There was also a totally unexpected episode that happened while I was cycling and saw what some would call a sign, a message from "the other side", eerily communicated to me by a very differen kind of wild animal. When I told a friend what had happened, she paused a long moment before saying that that creature was considered by some cultures to be a messenger from the dead to the living. I looked it up and confirmed what she had said.

There's more to the story, but I won't clog this thread with it. Upshot is "Never say never", or you will wonder what miracles might have happened.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: avator on February 17, 2025, 02:56:25 PM
Rambo found us and Boss was put on us.. We don't regret either but I certainly hope that the last of the finding and putting.   :-\
They both have brought tons of joy and memories to our lives but dang, that's a hard crash at the end.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: airgunaut on February 17, 2025, 03:05:52 PM
Rambo found us and Boss was put on us.. We don't regret either but I certainly hope that the last of the finding and putting.   :-\
They both have brought tons of joy and memories to our lives but dang, that's a hard crash at the end.

I get it! We cherish our "dog years" but have gotten used to not having the added responsibilities. I also found great wonder and joy from getting to know some very intelligent and communicative wild animals who lived all around us, were as fascinated by human behavior as we were/are by theirs, but at the same time retained their own society and wildness.

So what I was trying to say in my previous post was not intended as a lecture. Just saying that if the responsibility of having a pet animal completely depend on you is no longer desired (it was not and still is not in our case), observing wild animals in their own domain can be a source of solace.

And by responsibility, that includes the awful task of deciding whether it is time.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Madd Hatter on February 17, 2025, 04:20:33 PM
Our last 2 dogs to cross the bridge were within 10 days of each other. The first one we knew she was getting towards the end but the next one went down so fast he came as a total surprise. We still have 5 left 2 of which were resques. Tuffy bear was only 5 weeks old when we got him. He's a pure breed mutt and probably the most loyal of our dogs. When I'm and my wife are home he just wants to be outside but when I'm not he will stay in the house near my wife. I know he will out live me but my daughter already said she'll take him in a newyork minute. I can't see us ever not having a dog and more likely several dogs.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Hoosier Daddy on February 17, 2025, 06:37:23 PM
Of all our stray wanderers to show up here ... "Pearl" was my big sweety pooch. She guarded my then 3-5 yo daughters and let them climb all over her. She "mouthed" there heads gently in her huge jaws and put them in place with her paws.. This MASSIVE Yellow Lab Lady showed up one day.. out of the blue.
Pearl lived with us for only 3 years until she passed away...Another big hole to dig... but darn good Dawg for a stray.

 It has taken me a lot of searching to find the old "Polaroid" pic.

Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Struckat on February 17, 2025, 09:36:27 PM
Scott you are making me cry.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: tennx on February 18, 2025, 11:03:59 AM
Condolences….my pups give me a reason to live and get up every morning…they give me purpose…second set of rescues…the first pair were with me 13 years and past within a month of each other…waited for 5 years before jane and Betty showed up
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Hoosier Daddy on February 18, 2025, 08:34:14 PM
Scott you are making me cry.

And there was "Skeezsics:... he was a wired hair terrier "rabbit hunting machine" another stray. ::)
No pic of him... but this is close.
He liked his freedom and came home one day "Gut shot" and passed ... blame the neighbors... but no one owned up to it.

(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQq8Zog6IdYMkljDEtxG2zvH6KyXbgoqQobSg&s)

Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Hoosier Daddy on February 18, 2025, 09:05:39 PM
Yes... I have liked my Dawgs... for a very long time.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Methuselah on February 18, 2025, 09:13:41 PM
My condolences Cap, I have no grandchildren  but I have two granddogs
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: ER00z on February 19, 2025, 05:23:31 AM
Carter, sorry for your loss.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: cosmic on February 19, 2025, 11:27:08 AM
Condolences.. Always strive to be the person that your dog thinks you are..
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Blowpipe Sam on February 19, 2025, 07:25:58 PM
I do appreciate this y'all.  Flash was a Labraweeny with a bad attitude.  We used to say that he was half Labrador, half Dachshund, and all Wiener!  For most of his life he waged war against my stepfather who he loathed.  He had a particular penchant for leaving a "deposit" in carefully selected spots where my SF was sure to step. ;D
I may have encouraged these "mining operations" I admit.  From time to time I would hear vituperative complaints from my SF regarding the cunning with which Flash would conceal these "presents".  With a straight face I always promised to chastise Flash.  Then I would reward him with bacon treats. :D
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: avator on February 19, 2025, 07:29:17 PM
Good dawg.
Title: Re: Power of the Dog
Post by: Sqrl Klr on February 21, 2025, 09:21:25 PM
With a straight face I always promised to chastise Flash.  Then I would reward him with bacon treats. :D

hehehe you're a rascal. I hope she never reads anything on here or anyone that knows her and you.