C-Myste

Those on Facebook may have seen Mandy’s post about Porter. Our deepest sympathies go out to his owner Adelle.  Porter was Baledwr Allegro Black Butte, from Quincy (CH C-Myste Heartbreak Kid) and Molly-the-first (C-Myste Hide and Seek).  He had many issues in his life, starting with a bottom jaw that didn’t grow and a seizure disorder.  In the end it was the back which did him in.  Adelle says that he may have had a tumor on his spine, but it may also have been IVDD.

Porter as a baby.

Tom thinks it’s amazing that we remember every puppy.  I guess it’s a measure of how special each one is to us.

The whole back issue is getting me down right now, with Penni’s Kip going down yesterday and Chaucer a few weeks ago.  Chaucer seems to be doing well, and I am holding good thoughts for Kip.

Recently on corgi-l there have been many losses, and currently there is a discussion of “when it is time”.   Liz Myhre submitted an article from her website at emrys-corgis.com under articles or link directly to “When Is It Time” (pdf).  An excerpt:

If a dog is not happy, not enjoying life, or is in enough pain, and none of those are going to change, it’s Time. You do no justice to a dog dragging it’s life on when it’s going to be miserable the rest of it’s life.

We lost two last year: Julie and her daughter Kacy.  Julie was 15 and had been in poor shape and fairly miserable for the last couple of years.  I kept hoping that she would go quietly in her sleep but she drug on and on until none of us were happy.  Kacy was a little over 13 and had been totally blind for several months but was otherwise in good shape until the last few days when she was having back issues.  One morning she came in and sat by me and seemed to ask me to do something for her, so I did.

The result is that most of my memories of Julie are sad ones, of an ancient, hurting, and tortured dog.  My memories of Kacy in contrast are mostly of the happy, running dog she was up until just the last few months.

Vicki, I would be delighted if you would copy your post in the comments here.  It is worth preserving.   You especially said:

The plain cold hard fact is that the dog will hardly ever “decide for you.”  Not unless you let that dog go on far longer than is kind.

I hope that I have some time before I have to make the decision again.

CH C-Myste Shepherd’s Moon
04/03/1996 – 09/16/2009

Kacy made her way into the house this morning to sit trembling at my feet a final time.   She was asking for my help, and I had to give it.

Sheep-chaser, walkabout lover, nurse to kittens, ear-cleaner extraordinaire, and good old girl.  The least alpha dog I have ever met, Kacy will be especially missed by her great-great nephew Huxley.

This has been a sad time for us all.  Yesterday I attended a memorial service which closed a chapter which began with “Family Wedding” in my blog last November.

Nine months together was not enough, but I am glad that they had even that short time.

To Moms everywhere, two- and four-footed. I’m a little late with the greeting, just home from the annual local shows which are over-the-hill in Klamath Falls these days.

And to my mom as well!

Happy 13th birthday to all of the pups from our very first Cardigan litter:

Axel, Hughie, Caspar, Dru, Wendy Sue, Tess, Jake, and especially . . .

my sweet girl Kacy, Ch C-Myste Shepherds Moon.

Kacy came to work to be the office dog today.

Julie and the puppies 13 years ago.

From front to back: Kacy, Caspar, and Dru.

Baby Kacy at her first home.

Kacy was one of our placements who didn’t work out, and I ended up getting her back at the age of 3-1/2.   The problem: Kacy chased sheep.  I continued to have an issue with her attempting to go walkabout until recently when her eyesight started to fail.

After returning home to Oregon, Kacy finished her championship at the age of 5 and had a single litter sired by Ch Spectrum Harlem Shuffle.

Awww . . . and here’s a picture of baby Axey.  Wasn’t he sweet?

I got up early this morning and met Léo in Eugene to bring Huxley home. The poor little Prius was sailing across the giant lake which is I-5 today.
I snapped this picture of ducks in the park. At least someone likes this weather.  I know, I know: we’ll be thankful for the rain in a few months.

Spring is here. The goldfinches are regaining their bright plumage and the daffodils are blooming.  Yesterday before the rain started we had our first lawn-mowing, anti-blackberry yard session for the year.

Reunited and it feels so good . . .