(photo taken May 2004, TigerLily 14.5 year old 3# chihuahua and SmokeyHaze 6 year old 16# miniature schnauzer)*DEATH NOTICE *
Lammie Doodle the Sheep, resident of the brass toy pail, age 6 months passed away Friday December 9, 2005. Lammie was found on Friday afternoon in the Will's residence hallway severely mauled and shredded by unknown assailant. Lammie was quickly rushed to the bedroom where emergency sewing was performed. At 12:45 CST, Lammie was pronounced UNFIXABLE. Authorities are still investigating 3 prime suspects. Lammie, the catalog sale find was well loved by several members of the household. Dragged, thrown and chewed Lammie survived countless sewings, dead squeaker removal and even a stuffing transplant. Despite Lammie's hardship, Lammie always had a smile on its face. A grave side service will take place this evening in the residential kitchen where Lammie will be laid to rest in the under the counter Rubbermaid waste basket, wrapped in a new piece of paper towel befitting its status. Lammie is survived by: Pink the sheep; Blue the Sheep; Green the Bear; Wabbit the Rabbit; and misc chewed chewie bones with no names just happy memories.
*Ode to Lammie*
Oh Lammie, dear Lammie your fleece so soft and grey, your face as white as fallen snow, a wonderful memory of a special day.
Rainy dog's birthday, she was just a year old, when you joined the other "babies" in the brass toy bucket, her fold.
You thrived and looked so happy when you were chosen the one, to come out and play and give Rain dog so much fun.
Alas your good days came to an end when in the mouth of Smoke. He shook, tore, unstuffed and abused you viciously, it's because of him you broke.
Oh Lammie, sweet Lammie with sadness and a tear, Rain was happy you were in her life to her you were very dear.
Take care Lammie in that place where ever "dead babies" go. Please tell them all when you get there that Rainy loved you so.
She wasn't the one that did this dastardly deed, it was that bloke - her sweet but rather dumb brother mini schnauzer Smoke.
PostScript: Rain wanted me to share with you the sudden fatal loss of her beloved Lamie Doodle, last years birthday present, late last night. Today we went to the dog store and she was able to get a new grey Lamie Doodle. Out of all the toys in the store she picked it out and carried it to the check out counter when she stood up and placed it with an ever watchful eye on the cashier. Lamie rode in a bag out to the truck but in Rain's paws for the trip home. Rain and Lamie are now napping together.
Rain - always thinking!
Something amazing happened last Saturday night, 12/03/05. Earlier in the day I had done my laundry and once it was dried placed it on the center of my bed on the quilt. Then I did the dogs laundry: blankets, "heaty" pads and stuffed toys. When that laundry was dry I handed Rain all the stuffed animals one at a time to put away, which she did. I put the rest of their laundry away or back where it could be used immediately and went about the rest of my day. All the dogs just love laundry day as it means their blankets are clean and snugglier and the stuffed animals smell nice again, probably taste better too. I stayed up well past my usual bedtime working on a computer project and then went in my bedroom to tuck the little birds in for bed, turning off their CD and covering them and I noticed Rain sound asleep on the bed. Thinking nothing of Rain sleeping on the bed as the bedroom is warmer that the living room I went to tuck the other birds in bed that live in the living room. There on the couch was all the laundry I had placed on my bed earlier!
While I was preoccupied working on the computer Rain had carried all my clean laundry out to the living room couch so she could get on the bed to sleep or maybe to remind me that it still needed folding LOL! I was absolutely amazed!
Only a couple of times have I put the laundry on the bed while I was in the living room watching a program and asked Rain to GET CLOTH and she would go in the bedroom to get a piece of clean laundry on the bed and bring it to me to fold. I would send her time and time again until all the laundry was folded, but I had only done this a couple of times when due to my health or the weather we were house bound for a few days and wanted to keep Rain mentally stimulated. She so loves to help me, her whole face smiles with happiness but it absolutely amazed me that Rain would do this on her own....now if she would only learn how to sort the laundry, run the machines, fold it and put it away for me, now that would be some TRICK!!!
"See Mom, I was right!"
When Rain was just 4 months old and TigerLily, a little white 3# Chihuahua (See photo) was elderly, very petite and although by far the oldest she was the leader of this pack only by default as the dogs of her old original pack had all crossed the Rainbow Bridge and she was the only one left.
CallaLily had stepped up to take on the role of my enforcer and Rain's teacher, Cal couldn't wait until she was the leader of the pack! Those two played with each other, Cal teaching Rain how to play without hurting her with her big teeth. TigerLily wanted nothing to do with that big baby dog and let it be known to stay away from her as she was a mere 3#s. At 6 weeks of age, Rain was already 10" and by 4 months she was a small horse, TigerLily could have easily been squished if Rain accidently sat down on her.
One day I was sitting on the couch having something to eat, TigerLily was on the couch staring at me intently hoping I would either give her a taste or drop something she could "get" for me. Rain was sitting along side the couch watching TigerLily closely. Rain's face was parallel with the couch seat, at a right angle to her body when she suddenly slowly opened her mouth. Then without moving her body she tipped her face downward so that her open mouth nearly touched the couch, her jaws on around the chihuahua's sides. Without ever touching TigerLily with her teeth, lips or tongue - in fact TigerLily was completely oblivious to what Rain was doing - Rain slowly lifted her head straight up muzzle still pointing down ward. Then when Rain's head was back at a right angle to her body she closed her mouth. It reminded me of "Farfal" the Nestle Quick dog from a TV commercial ages ago. The look on Rain's face spoke her thoughts, "see Mom, I was right. I knew what size that chihuahua was all along!" Then with a proud smug look on her face she got up and walked off.
" A Great Sadness"
March 2005 came in like a lamb and all was well here at home. The weather was beginning to warm, the snow melting and Rain had grown like a weed celebrating her first bithday January 3rd.
March 11th TigerLily was ill and taken to the vet. She'd been on medication for congestive heart failure for the previous 6 months but had been doing fine. Her weight had dropped and she wasn't eating. She was sent home with subcutaneous IVs. Monday the 14th she rallied and by Wednesday was eating on her own, even though it was human baby food that all she had to do was lap up. I relaxed, breathed a sigh of relief and took Rain to her Bark and Snark class. I slept well that night, the first night in many days. Friday it became apparent TigerLily was in distress and dying. I needed to, as her trusted friend, help her cross the Rainbow Bridge. We went to the vet, only I came home. It was March 18th.
The parrots, CallaLily and SmokeyHaze had all experienced the loss of pack members (DuskyHaze 2003 and SnapDragon 2004) and they had each said their goodbyes to TigerLily in the days before the 18th. This was Rain dog's first loss and she took it very hard. I don't think Rain knew what was going on, playing and being a puppy, she hadn't paid any extra attention to TigerLily, Rain didn't know to say her goodbyes. Rain only knew that during those last few days I was not there to play with her and I was sad. Cal and Smoke clung to me like velcro and I cried a lot trying to find comfort for my broken heart. Rain found Lavender, her plush rabbit, and began to nurse like a tiny just born pup on Lavender's face. Rain's third eyelid protected her eyes that rolled back in her head, her front paws kneading Lavender as she nursed. Poor little Rain.
For the next 4 or 5 months I would find Rain nursing on Lavender's face. I knew where her thoughts were and watching her self comforting brought new tears to my eyes. Then one day she just walked off leaving Lavender on the floor and the self comfort nursing behavior stopped. My little Rain was growing up and getting on with life. I wish that there had been a way to soften the blow, the loss of TigerLily, to spare her this pain.
I have shared my life with a lot of dogs and when their time came I held them as they crossed the Rainbow Bridge, returning home alone to the remaining pack...but this was a first for me. Poor little Rain dog.
My apologies that this wasn't a Funny Happening by any stretch of the imagination. It was an important event in Rain's life that needed to be written as it shows how caring and complex she is. I love my Rain dog so very much.
Rain - the "bird dog"
Rain lives with 4 parrots: two love birds and 2 medium sized ones. The parrots spend time out on their play trees everyday and should one (or more) hop off on to the floor Rain immediately leaves the general area so that I can pick up the parrot and either put it back on its play tree or back into its acrylic house. She grew up with these birds.
This spring while we were out in the back yard and I was visiting with a neighbor over the fence when Rain started nudging my hand with her nose. I patted her on the head and told her to go play. She continued to nudge my hand which was unusual. I turned and said "What do you want?" and Rain walked away looking over her shoulder at me. I went back to my conversation. Rain returned and again began nudging my hand and when I turned to look at her she again walked away from me looking over her shoulder. This time I followed Rain and she trotted ahead then suddenly put her nose close to the ground. When I got up to her I looked down and saw she was 'pointing' with her nose at a tiny nearly naked baby bird as it's pin feathers hadn't fully emerged. I carefully picked it up - Rain hadn't even licked it as the baby bird was dry and cold, obviously dead. Rain seemed very concerned. I praised Rain a lot for her persistence after finding the bird.
It was like a Lassie story of old. Rain amazes me!
