Goodbye to my Best Mate

I had to let my best friend Dylan go on 9th May 2006.

His birthday was the next day!

My only solace is that I know I let him go at exactly the right time for him.

God I miss you mate.

:sorry:

I'm so sorry for your loss, but you did the right thing, the hardest call ever, and you did the best for him right to the very end. I know how hard it is, I lost my best friend Max a couple of months ago, and I still cry when I think about him (every single day) but Max and Dylan will be at the bridge now, painfree and happy.

God Bless, Ramona

Thanks Ramona,

Quite special actually ... Dylan is a Ridgeback cross - with a perfect ridge down his back.

Hope Max and Dylan are getting along.

Sorry for your loss too.

Andy

I am sorry for both your losses...but I know they're in a better place.

I'm so sorry. I too lost my baby Milo and in my time of grief I found this website. There's a Monday night candle ceremony to pray for all the pets who have enter Rainbow Bridge.
http://rainbowsbridge.com/

This is the downside to having pets, but so worth it! I'm sorry for your loss.

Thank you Andy,

Ridgeback's are the most special dogs, loyalty beyond all. I'm sure Dylan and Max are doing fine, Max was my best friend, you can read about him in the Pet Cemetry, putting him in there helped me cope with losing him, just to let everyone know what a star he was. We still have our female Ridgeback, Mishka, but I just don't have the feelings toward her as I did Max. I'd love to replace him, but just can't. He was a great stud dog, his brother won best of breed at crufts a few years running, but I did'nt show him. He just had great fun making puppies, I now regret not taking one of the pups for my own, but they are such large dogs, that I didn't have room for one more.

Do you have a photograph of Dylan I'd love to see one. I'm attached one of Max, my big boy, I miss him so much, time will heal my pain, but I'll never ever forget him.

Now Cracks a Noble Heart;
Goodnight Sweet Prince
And Flights of Angels Sing Thee to Thy Rest....

Ramona,

Thats a great photo of Max.

I do have photos of Dyl (for short) but not digital. So, I'll describe him ...

He is Black and Tan, black body with short hair (except for his ridge which is a bit longer), black tail, black floppy ears, white "socks" and chest, tan lower legs, tan above his eyes, and tan around his mouth.

My girlfriend and I found him at a pet shop and fell in love with him straight away. I remeber bringin him home in my car - he was so scared (Threw up in the car). About 5 years ago my girlfriend and I split up and I kept Dyl. For his whole life 13 years he has been with me every day.

Two Funny Stories.....

1. "The Acrobat"

One day when Dyl was young, my girlfriend and I were sitting on the floor eating a pizza, Dyl was up on a couch next to us. He really wanted a piece of the pizza but it was all the way down on the floor with us. There was a fair bit of clutter on the floor - the pizza, drinks, me, my girlfiend ... but he wanted to get down to get some pizza, so ....

He put his front paws down on the floor and "bum in the air" carfully walked on his hands around the clutted (about 10 steps), then gently put his back back legs down and stole a piece of pizza.

My girlfriend and I were in disbelief!

2. "Spot the Dog"

I run my own business, and used to take Dyl to work with me. As we drove to work he would often bark at dogs walking with their owners. One day I started to help him ... "there's one Dyl", he would look around until he saw the dog then bark. I told him "Dyl, we're playing Spot the Dog". I started to score - If I saw a dog first I scored a point, if he barked first he scored a point. He knew we were playing a game! After this day when we drove to work I would say "Dyl, wanna play Spot the Dog?" - he would get excited and the game would begin.

Dyl, my beautiful boy, I miss you so much!

Aw Andy that's so lovely, my photo's are not digital, I just scan them.

Here's a couple about Max.

We were living in Spain for a couple of years (I hated it) and I decided that me and my son were going back to Scotland for a holiday and left my husband in charge of the pets Max, Mishka, Boris and Azzie (my two persian cats) (that'll keep him busy), anyhow Max decided that once I had gone that he was going to take up residence on my side of our bed. Well once bedtime came around my hubby decided to get the dog off the bed, and if Max didn't want to do anything.... then he didn't. After about an hour of trying all sorts, hubby came to a compromise..... OK Max you sleep that side, I'll sleep this side ..... and no snoring. I was away for three weeks and he never did manage to get Max of the bed, the linen was ruined!

Azzie was the smallest persian tortie you ever did see, a bag of sugar weighed more, well she would pin Max down by the ears and would clean his face and inside his ears, and he loved it, if she stopped he would nudge her for more!

Andy, the healing process is starting if we can remember the lovely memories they give to us. Max and Boris went to sleep within two months of each other, Azzie about a year ago, its been tough, the hardest decisions that I've ever had to make, but I know they were the best ones for my babies.

Ramona

Ramona,

Max was quite a character :) . Don't u just love dogs!

I get Dylan's ashes back in 10 minutes. I feel a bit weird, don't know where I will put the urn yet .... Hold On ....

Just got Dylan's ashes together with a lock of his hair, and a paw print....

Sitting here very sad now

Hi Andy,

Honestly I feel so sad for you, it was the same with me, I just broke down when I had to collect Max's ashes, and like you, what shall I do with them. I sat and thought about it overnight, and decided to scatter them where I felt that Max was at his happiest, namely St. Cyrus beach. He spent many happy hours there with my son and me. Max loved that beach, it has huge cliffs and a little very winding path down to the sea, Max had a little routine there, at the start of the path about eight paces down he would just leap over the side and run down to the beach, I mean this is virtually vertical, but off he would go straight down, by the time we got down the path he was miles away, God he loved that so, he was at his happiest. So we went to the spot and and scattered his ashes from the very spot. And they just went with the wind, very much like Max.

Maybe Dylan had a favourite spot and perhaps you could take him there one last time, I cried my eyes out at the beach and in a way it helped, it was me taking Max for his final walkies, so many memories, very painful at the time, but I also remembered all the fun times. I wish I could hug your pain away. Its exactly two months today that Max went to sleep and I can still cry about it, it is getting easier and life goes on, I know that you'll find the same come time, but for just now you'll very very very sad, but it will get easier and you'll remember the fun times more and more.

Andy take care and my thoughts are with you, Ramona

Thanks Ramona,

So Dylan's ashes are on display. It actually seems to make it a little easier. I will wait a while before I decide where/when to do something else with the ashes.

I have asked a friend to scan a photo of Dylan, hopefully I will post it in a couple of days all going well. Then the world can see what a beautiful boy he was.

Andy

Here he is ...

Oh Andy what a beauty, he is just gorgeous, I just love the colouring. Such a big boy! Really just a darling.

How are you? I hope that your feeling just a little better.

Take Care - Ramona

My sympathies. Dylan sounds like he was a very special boy. I hope it comforts you a tiny bit to think on what a wonderful life you gave him.

Hi Ramona,

It's been two weeks now. I still miss my boy so much, but it is getting easier.

For me the weekends are harder than the week days - it was just Dyl and I at home, so the house is very empty.

How are you coping now?

Andy

Hi Andy, how are you, its getting a little easier? Same here, still think of Max every day, silly things remind me of him constantly, the other day his hair on a sweater! Even though I washed all his bed things I can still smell him on them, I actually go up to the attic and to do that! There are so many reminders, but I do feel much better and still love my Maxie. How are you coping? Its still very early days for your grief, but it'll get much better, little by little.

I scanned one of my favourite photo's of Max and my son, when they were both very young and put it on the computer as a screen saver. I've also contacted a very talented young girl to do a pencil drawing of him, so that I can have it framed and hung somewhere I can see him every day.

Still, a very poor example of the real thing, but its the closest that I'll ever get to him now.

Have you done anything special to remember Dyl?

Take care Andy, best wishes Ramona

Hi Ramona,

It seems to be getting a bit easier, then again it may be because i am deliberately working a lot (up to 15hrs), it does not leave a lot of time to think.

I too have found items of Dyl's to be able to smell him again.

Dont know what to do with the ashes yet. I sort of feel like I don't want to lose him again.

Hey Ramona, how is Mishka coping? I imagine she must really miss Max too. I assume you and Mishka go for walks, that must be nice.

Take Care

Andy

Hiya Andy, I'm so glad that you are feeling that things are getting a little easier, same here but I can still cry about him if I think about him too much. I took hundreds of photographs and I look at them and have a little sob, oh mummy's big boy!

Mishka is missing him, there has been big changes in her, she was a pretty aggressive dog prior to Max leaving us, but now not so, I suppose it was the pack thing. Its a sad thing to say but I've never had any real feelings towards her, I would never be bad to her and I look after her really well, but there just never was the same affinity that I had with Max. I always felt strange that I could never really like her.

Maybe its too early for you to do anything special with Dylan's ashes, I just knew where I wanted to leave him, at the beach that he loved so much, it just felt right, and its where I want to be left too. The three of us spent so much time there and it was wonderful. For all the time we spent there he never even got his feet wet, perhaps its a ridgeback thing!

I felt very sad when Max's listing on the boards finally went, it felt that he really had gone then, but he is in my heart and he always will be, and I could never ever replace him, he was my only dog in adulthood and he will be the last, how can you replace someone so special. (Crying now). I miss my big boy so much.

Andy take care, and don't work too hard.

Ramona

Hi Ramona,

I feel your pain, we both know how special some dogs can be.

No one can ever replace Max or Dylan, they are both unique and special soles.

I would give anything to have my boy back. If I could be with him now I would.

We can only be happy that they are no longer suffering, and trust that one day we can be with them again.

You are clearly a caring person, and an animal lover. I believe you should allow Mishka the opportunity to show you that she is special too, just in a different way to Max.

I wish I had another dog, not to replace Dylan, just to be able to experience that beautiful bond you can only share with four-legged soles. If I did have another dog, I know that it will always end in tremendous sadness, but it is worth it! My life is much too busy to consider another dog right now, but when my circumstances change I will get another puppy.

So, I envy you having Mishka. Let her help you through this time, I bet she wants to.

PS Dylan loved water. In his last few weeks I was taking him to hydrotherapy for his arthritis. He loved it. The people running the centre were amazed how fit this 13yo boy was, he would do a full half-hour session swimming laps and at the end his pulse was checked - normal - he didn't even feel it! Then he would find a ball and want to play. It makes me so sad that he was that fit, and yet I had to let him go one week later because something else was going on internally which took him from me.

PPS We had the best vet in the world, she tried her best to help Dylan right up till the end, she clearly cared a lot about Dylan (she knew he was special). She cried when he was gone.

Don't know why I am rambling on about all this.

Take care Ramona, and go and give Mishka a pat, you deserve it.

Andy

Hiya Andy, read your posting and you are totally correct, poor Mishka, once I write this I'll go and give her some luvvies, she's not a bad dog, I suppose that I kept all my affections for Max. She is the silliest thing on this planet mind you, she is such a coward, so scared of everything, but that is all our fault, we were living in Spain when we decided to get another puppy and had her shipped out from our breeder in the UK, and she was only three months old, I think the flight totally must have freaked her out. She is very clingy and seems to crave affection, especially from my husband, she totally adores him, but he's away lots. Also she's one of those dogs that manages to get her tongue in your mouth at every opportunity, bit of a turn off for me, its her way of saying she loves us, but no matter what I do I cannot get her to stop it.

Once the time is right I hope that you get another puppy that you'll love as much as Dyl, yes it'll all end in saddest, but the great times are always remembered, and there is another dog out there that deserves a good daddie like you. I don't know if I believe in reincarnation, but I hope so, it would be lovely if our 'big boys' managed to get back to us. I'd know that look of Max's anywhere!

Reading about how you took Dylan to hydrotherapy sessions shows what a loving and caring friend you were to him.

We will eventually get another dog, but a much smaller one and it wouldn't be fair to Mishka if we got one now, she'll be left out with all the attention a puppy would get.

And your not rambling on, its our way of grieving for much loved friends, to remember them, Max has a pocket in my heart that will be his forever (and not many humans are in there) and I know Dyl has the same with you.



Take Care, Ramona

Andy, just thought that you'd like to see one of Mishkie. There is a strange cat in the garden!!

Ramona,

Mishka is such a cutie, love those floppy ears. You can just see the concentration - she wants to have a quiet word with that cat ;)

You'll just have to keep your mouth tightly shut to avoid the tongue. We know she will keep trying though.

Reincarnation ... its a possibility. If I ever find Dyl, I'll be a happy man.

Stay happy

Andy

Thank you Andy, great words of advice, Mishkies at my feet as I write, she's still doing the licking bit, but I'm making the effort to train her. She seems to be very happy just now, still daft as a brush, but hey!

I have a little cyber pet for you, just till you get the real thing.

Best wishes, Ramona

Hi Ramona,

Glad to hear things going ok.

Thanks for the cyber-dyl

Andy

Dont mean to intrude and I am very sorry for your loss but i needed to tell you how much your baby looks like mine. I dont have any pictures on here yet but will bring some to work to scan. The picture you posted could be a picture of him!! I will post a pic tomorrow.;)

:D :D Just so you get an idea...I will post this pic...

This is from a long time ago - 2004, i used to post on this site names kasher+tazz only kasher was stolen an i didnt have the internet so on my return to the internet I am now just stinkytaz...this is the only picture i can find in any of my old posts so here it is, i will however get you an up to date picture, you really will be amazed!

Tazz is on the right in the red collor !

Not an intrusion at all.

Wow, looks like my boy sitting there.

Looking forward to seeing another.

Thanks

Andy

Hiya Andy, just a quick call to see how you are doing? Hope your feeling just a little better.

Bestest Regards, Ramona

ps. Mishka's still doing deep throat, still trying to train her, treat for Mishka if she does not lick, treat for mummy if she does! No luck yet!

Hi there Ramona,

Thanks for checking in.

Actually, I seem to be angry a lot, guess I'm still comming to terms with life without my best mate. I put a star up for him on DogStar ..

http://www.gonetodogstar.com/star119.htm

he is on the left near the bottom. You should put one up for Max (its free).

How are you doing (apart from being the reluctant recipient of Mishka's tongue)?

That was a funny read btw

Andy

Hiya Andy, I looked up the site and its just wonderful, Maxie should be in there soon, along with Dylan and all the others. Dylan looks so lovely there!

I've been kept busy, after Maxie went to sleep, I decided to go back to work, but didnt want to go back into computing, so I decided to go for a Manager's job in the PDSA (Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals) its a charity based organisation in the UK which provides free vet treatment for people on low or no incomes. So I now run this charity shop and all the money that I make goes towards this. I really wanted to do something special in memory of Maxie and this is what I thought of, and its comforting to me that his passing away prompted me to go down this route. It wonderful when people come into the shop and let me and my staff know how an operation has helped their pets and if it wasnt for the charity they couldn't have gotten it done.

Maxie has a lot to answer for, LOL.

Mishka, oh she is so daft, she decided to steal a whole pizza that I had cooked for my son and his grubby pals, when I walked into the kitchen she was in the process of choking herself, I had to grab her round the neck and pull great lumps of pizza out. Mishka's not into chewing if she can swallow whole, why God bothered to give her teeth, I just don't know, Oh perhaps to bite the postman!


Your anger Andy, yes I suppose its just the grief, I was angry too and still am in a way and the regret, now thats the killer for me, could I have done better, could I have seen this sooner, could I have SAVED him, I know that I had little control over the events, but its still there in my head, could I .....

Each and every day the pain gets less, but the space for him in my heart gets bigger.

Take Care Andy

Hey Ramona,

Be patient with dogstar, it took about 4 weeks for Dylan to get his! Hopefully it will be quick for Maxie (I think the person who runs it may have been away when I submitted Dyl)

Small world, I used to be a computer programmer. Gave it away because you could never finish anything - old programs still get used and need support etc. Yuck!

Good on ya for doing the charity work. There are none more deserving than the pets you are helping. You are one special person!

Mishka with pizza - made me laugh out loud :)

Don't punish yourself, you did the best you could for Maxie, it was just his time I guess. He was very lucky to have had a wonderful life with you.

Talk to you soon, be happy

Andy

Hiya Andy, how are you, hope your feeling much better, is the pain getting lesser? I'm much better, but still have the odd moment when I remember Max with pain and sadness, but mostly now its with good, warm memories. But I still miss him like crazy! How are you coping without Dylan?

Poor Mishka has just been on heat, and been trying all sorts of stunts to escape out of the house or the back garden. She managed to get free a couple of years ago and ran off down to the beach, my husband had to go look for her (there is about eight miles of beach here) anyway he's off looking for the little tart and unbeknown to him she hightails it back to the house, opens the back door (Mishka is very good at opening doors) and lets Max out and off the two go together back down the beach, my husband passed them on the way back and then they just disappeared again. He looked for them for about four hours and finally gave up, and they eventually came home about ten minutes after he did. Boy did they sleep that night!

I'm still waiting for Max's star, isn't that such a lovely idea.

Take care Andy and I hope you've started to heal just like me.

Bestest Regards, Ramona

(Maxie, one winter, he was about 1-1/2 years old)

Hi Ramona,

Glad to hear you are much better. Yes, you pretty we discribe how I feel too. I have some tough times, especially when I start thinking of how I would pat him, where he liked to be scratched (he would raise his arm to give me better access to his chest). And the toughest of all - when I remember his excited bark. Yes, I miss him like crazy! - oops, sad now :sad:

Thats a great photo, Maxie was a very cute puppy!

His star will be comming, she will send you an email when she has put it up. It will be a nice suprise for you when its up.

Take Care, Andy

Hi Andy, just checking on how you are feeling now? I'm feeling so much better, well apart from yesterday. We had to drop my son off at summer camp, which is miles away in the highlands, and took a really lovely scenic route back home, we stopped off to enjoy the view over a loch, which was surrounded in dense woodland, lots of moss and ferns, and I just thought how much Max would have loved it there, it made me so sad, I just about cried. I miss him so much.

I hope that your feeling much better, I'm still waiting on Maxie's star and will let you know when I get one.

Take care, Ramona

Buddy and I are Pet Chaplains, and we do feel each of your pains. Buddy just lost his brother on friday July 28/06. He was 12 yers old. Just short of his 13th birthday. At the service we performed, we touched on this subject. Many people for several reasons, did not know this. So, i thought it may be of ease to all of you who have lost.


Defining Body, Soul and Spirit:

Body:
A body is a mortal earthly physical being. It is made of flesh, bones, blood, etc., and is distinct from the soul and spirit.

Soul:

The soul means "being". The soul is the living being of an animal or person. the soul can be part of, or apart from the physical body.....Genesis 7:21-22: "All flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beasts, and of every creeping thing, and every man, all in whose nostrils was the breath of life". The soul perceives, thinks, feels and makes decisions and choices. Animals forgive and are at peace with the world. Animals such as dogs, dolphins and baboons, also have the ability to make decisions.

Spirit:

The word spirit means "wind, breath - the living power of God's will at work". the spirit is the essence and will of God given to all animals and humans. Got put HIS spirit within all animals. The Spirits of animals and the elect angels have never been separated from GOD. As recorded in the Book of Numbers, animals can recognize spirit-beings and their spirits are tuned into the wisdom of God.

For God so loved the world that he gave HIS only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in HIM should not perish but have everlasting life….John 3:16

Hi Ramona,

Glad you are doing well - time is a great healer.

I'm doing pretty good too. Starting to have lots of dreams about Dyl which is good - nice to see him again.

If you want you could email the lady (Beverley) at dogstar : bever@istar.ca, that may speed up the process. I'm looking forward to seeing it.

Take Care, Andy

Hiya Andy, just got emailed about Maxie's star, I am so happy about it, even though it brought a few tears with it too.

http://www.gonetodogstar.com/star120.htm

Thank you so much for letting me know about this site, he's just where he should be up in the heavens. How are you, I hope that your feeling much happier, I still think about Max nearly every day and I suppose I always will.

Take care for now,

Best wishes, Ramona

Hi Ramona,

Maxie's star is perfect!

He will always be remembered, as will Dyl. I am sure we will continue to miss them, they were clearly both very special boys.

Whatever happens when we eventually go, we must see them again :fingerscr , or I'll be kicking up quite a stink :D

Take Care, Andy