The GC PET RAINBOW GARDEN.....

Thanks everyone for your kind words Davina had been suffering from the cat version of Colitis so when she had tummy problems,the vet prescribed antibiotics to help clear it up and when we picked her up from the cattery,they told us she had been eating food and hadn't had any tummy problems,but if she had been eating how come she had lost 1lb in weight

As we all know Cancer takes no prisoners and as the vet had said she was in a lot of pain and that we decided to let her go

As some of you know Davina wasn't our choice as a pet,she decided to come and live with us because her owner kept deserting her and her sister for months at a time with a village friend popping in twice a day to put down food so Davina said sod this I am going elsewhere to find some warmth and food so she picked us

 

What a clever girl - and so beautiful too! Releasing her from such pain was a most loving and generous thing to do Kandy. I hope your pain eases as the happier memories take over

 

Davina made a good choice @Kandy and what a beautiful cat she was

 

@"M" Davina was an English Blue as was her sister and the owner paid £700 each for them so that was why he wasn't very happy when she left home.I used to chase her upstairs but could never find her as she could run quicker than me and all the rooms I looked in were empty so I didn't know where she was until a long time later I worked out that she hid behind the bedroom door so as I pushed the door open she sat quietly and I never thought to look behind the door,and so when I went back downstairs Davina came out of hiding.Talk about smart

If I left the wardrobe doors open while I was bringing the washing from the airing cupboard to the bedroom she used to get into the wardrobe and hide at the back.Same with the airing cupboard,she just had to be nosey.I was terrified that I would end up with her in the washing machine

When Davina first sneaked into our house,one night we were watching telly with Poppy and Willow fast asleep as usual when after a couple of hours this blue/grey shape came out from behind the television where she had been hiding

These are all memories that we will look back on as time goes on

 

This is Bramble

He was our first golden retriever together, Hubby and I. He was born March 13 th 1995 Got him from Brierly Hill Shirley West Midlands. He had a short coat, people would ask me if he was a Lab..Had him when he was 8weeks old. Before we had him, he ate a bag of carrots and the plastic bag. He was always finding things to pick up in his mouth. Worst times would be when we was eating our dinner. I was growing some geraniums in the concervatory, they were small plants. When we were eating he picked one up and went under the dining table. But it was alright, got it off him eventually.If i tried to get him to retreive things
he wouldn't.In the autumn of 2007 he was diagnosed with a tumour in his nose. He would sneeze sometimes and a bit of blood would come out. Was on steroids and he went on to the next January, until it started to grow a lot faster. So we had to have him put to sleep. We've got him on the sideboard in a wooden casket and his photo.

 

This is Willow

The one on the right, we still had bramble.
He was born 1999 he was our 4th Goldie,
but he went next. He was a big dog, when he was 4months,he had hip desplacia,he would always be looking out of the front door, during the day. Watching people going past. He had a habit of pulling the fur out of his legs, mainly his front ones, in patches. Until it was red and sore. I'd put a sock on it to stop him. The fur would grow back, I'd take the sock off, then he'd do it again.Sadly we had to have him put to sleep in 2011 with kidney failure.

 

This is Moss

The one on the left
He was our 3rd dog, he was born on 30th of April 1997 we had him when he was 6weeks old.The breeder let us have him at that age, because we were experienced. He was small,he came from a litter of 12. When he was 5 he had a tumour in his lower jaw at the front. Had to have that bit of jaw removed. Through the years he had 2 lumps removed from the side of his body. But he went on to 2011 he had a growth on his liver and he was bleeding internally. One morning he just wouldn't get up. We had to have him put to sleep.
It was only 12 days after Willow.It was a bit of a shock when it happened.

 

Handsome boys, all!

 

Thank you.
I've still got 2 to go, do them sometime.

 

This is Logan

He was born 19th April 1996
He would follow me around the house all day. But that was nice, the others never did that. He was very easy to train and always wanted to do it.He went on to 16years, is good for the breed. At the end he couldn't stand up by himself. At first if we helped him he could stand. But it got to the point that he couldn't do that. So that was the time to let him go in 2012

 

This is Bracken

He was born 7th of January 2004
We had him from the same breeder of Logan, moss. Even though their all related. Bracken never liked water, he'd always go round puddles. He never liked the rain, if it's been raining a day, he'd hesitant to go out. When anybody came to the house, he'd find something to pick up and play with it. He was good to train and he'd retrieve things. Like Logan and Moss, i taught them to put a toy in the box and take it back out, to bring it to me. Over the years he had a few lumps removed from his body. Had something go wrong with his face. We thought he had a stroke the side of his face drooped. Had a brain scan, but everything was normal. The face recovered, but the left eye wouldn't blink well and it was a bit closed. Last year he was diagnosed with leukaemia, was on chemotherapy tablets and steroids. Recovered, but still on tablets until this last January to February, tried different things but didn't work. He passed away on 17th of February He got worse early in the morning, couldn't get to vets, the emergency vet couldn't come he was busy. So he passed away on the floor with us around him. It's not very nice,he was being sick and it was coming out the other end. I was trying to clean him up, but couldn't get all of it out his fur. The vet said when they go naturally they do that. He was 13years old.


So that's all of them.

At the back from the right
In order of age. Bramble, Logan, Moss
On the floor from left, Willow and Bracken.In order of age.

 

This is Cassie, our first Weimaraner. (Yes, she was a British-line Longhair.) She was our first dog, come to that. 1996 was a year to remember! Definitely a case of "in at the deep end"! But she was 100% genuine, loyal, and loved everyone. I've since worked out that she was probably one of the most "dominant" dogs I've ever had the pleasure to work with. As is typical, this did not mean that she was a bully, but that you had to convince her that your call of action was the one to follow. A very fast learner, she was quick to do the canine version of a toddler's "why?".

My favourite action shot of her. It took her a while to get confident in water, and would only ever swim out to poke me with her nose, hrrrumph! at me, and then swim back to shore...

We moved to Belgium with her, and she lived to a grand 13 years.

When she was 10 years old, we got another LH, Izzy. (Izzy on the left of this next photo, a gangly teenager, Cassie looking grand on the right)

In hindsight, it was not the best of decisions... The stress of the pup arriving probably caused Cassie to torsion when Izzy was just 16 weeks, but the emergency surgery was a success. She torsioned again 11 months later, again saved by emergency surgery, and after that was called the "miracle dog" by our vet!

A dog-of-a-lifetime, and still very much missed.

 

Harley, oh, Harley!

After Cassie died, Izzy was beside herself. She was 3 years, and we had done all sorts of separate training, with the two dogs being apart for days, once even weeks, at a time. But her rock, her anchor had gone.
So, we contacted the various rescues, and the day before Christmas Eve 2009, Harley came to live with us as a "return-to-breeder" 4.5 yr old. We had been offered 3 different dogs, one from Europe rescue (a car-chaser), one from UK rescue (a free hunter) and Harley, who was supposed to be problem free. We quickly learned that the only true thing on the papers that came with him was his date of birth. He was in a general bad state, with only partial liver function, and no muscle at all. Definitely NOT castrated, didn't know any commands, became a trembling cowering wreck when he saw a lorry/bus/tram (we lived on a trunk road!), or car headlights - so had clearly never been walked after dark! With love, and patience, he became fairly reliable with traffic, though kept his dislike of dustbin lorries. But the dog-aggression, that was more of a problem. At first, he would react at around 800 metres. Lots and lots of training, and very helpful friends, we got him to the point where we could work him in an advanced dog-training class, though I never fully trusted him off-lead with the others. Fortunately, he worshiped Izzy, so life at home was good.

Two years ago, he woke up one morning unable to move his back legs. A trip to the vets, steroid injections that didn't work, and then X-rays later (great thing about single-vet practices, I got to be with him through the procedure, fully kitted out in lead apron!), we discovered that he had two vertebrae bone bridges, one of which was pressing on his sciatic nerve, hence the paralysis. More injections, acupuncture, skeletal manipulation and laser treatment, and he was able to walk, though he had to relearn everything. His run was comic, but effective! We slowly built him back up to being able to do a 1-2 hours walk, but this last year, he started failing again. Nothing drastic, but walks became occasional, and if he turned to go home, we all went home.

Then 11th June.... he woke me up distressed. We carried him downstairs, and I stayed with him. He could just about stand, but seemed distant, with a regular moaning groan every minute or so. The emergency vet could tell us no more than his abdomen was tight solid. Painkillers, ABs and anti-inflammatory injections, he should have improved. But he didn't, and although he was more relaxed, and not in pain, he died that evening, in the garden he loved... @Logan, your description of Bracken passing rang a clear bell with me. Yes, our lad was with us, at home, but I think he died as I was trying to stop him swallowing his tongue, mid-fit, after vomiting. At least Izzy was there, and this time I think understands what happened. She sniffed his body, and walked a little away. No searching the house looking for him. She has been quiet, this past month, but is coping.

So, our goofball rescue was 12 yrs old when he left us, and very much loved to the end. Izzy may not be looking for him, but I reach down for his head most days, to find ...

His typical pose, a family trait so I'm told! This photo was taken just before his 12th birthday.

A portrait I drew of him, to mark his 12th birthday.

 

@Sian in Belgium You gave Harley and Cassie a good life and you have a lot of good memories of him. The portrait that you drew is amazing. I like the long haired ones better.We also have 2 other goldies, barley and Berry,When Bracken went Barley kept looking for Bracken even though Bracken died at home. We might get another next year.