Ellie

I sent this report out in an email, but I thought I'd share it with the DF members as well. My ex and I had to put our beagle Ellie to sleep this morning. Here's the email:

This morning, our beagle Ellie followed her littermate Greta to the Rainbow Bridge. Both the dogs were 17. Despite thyroid problems, arthritis, and kidney disease, Ellie hung in there pretty well following
Greta's death in February. But she'd been getting slower and less steady, eating less, and waking up at night more and more often. During the last week, she was up and down a lot at night, crying. Last night Elizabeth tried everything to make her feel better, from sitting with her to taking her outside to bringing her to bed, but they were up all night until Elizabeth gave her some Torbugesic in the wee hours and she finally slept. Elizabeth's horse vet came to the house this morning, to save Ellie a trip to the clinic, and she died in the cool morning at Fox Haven
Farm, to the sounds of the birds and the murmur of the brook and the smells of the heavy spring country air she loved so much. Emma and Sophie (our two mixed breeds) stayed with her body for a while afterward to mourn.

Ellie overcame a lot in her life. Congenitally shy, she had farther to go in order to do the things that came easy to Greta. But she went from being terrified of the water to becoming an avid -- even obsessive -- swimmer and retriever-of-rubber-bumpers, shrieking with joy on the shore of Percy Priest Lake when the bumper came out of the bag. She had a hard time
overcoming her fear of agility obstacles, but once she did, Ellie ran happily and went on to earn titles--and many ribbons--in 3 agility registries, and retired Ellie CD, AX, AXJ, PDI, NAC, CGC, more titled than her littermate Greta, or any of the other dogs she lived with, consistently listed among the top ten beagles in the nation. She was shy around new people at first, but developed into our own little "slut puppy," whose
response to visitors became, "Hey, you with the hand just hanging there--make yourself useful!"

She was fanatically fond of pizza, knew what the box and the delivery car looked like. And even after going to have pizza out, I'd always have to bring the crusts home with me, because one quick sniff and she
would know instantaneously where I'd been. She always retained a winning sense of humor; one of her favorite games at night was a kind of tag game, where she would run a distance away, stand poised and tense waiting for me to blow a raspberry with my lips, at which point she'd gallop up to me to bite me softly on the nose and then run away again.

You would have to look for a long time to find another dog as sweet, loving, affectionate, brave, and willing as Ellie. Hers was a quiet, subtle, and gentle spirit who will be greatly missed. Hard as it was to lose
her, I know she is with Greta at the Rainbow Bridge--it was strange seeing Ellie without Greta these last few months, and I know they are where they belong--together. But I can still feel--and always will feel--Ellie's head pressing up under my hand, just as I can hear her shrieking on the shore of Percy Priest Lake, waiting for the bumper to be thrown just
one more time.

Rest in peace Ellie and Greta. :together: Enjoy the pizza at Rainbow Bridge.

:cry: (...and I'm not even a dog person!)

aaaaaaawwww... like SDsalsaguy, i'm not a dog person but that's the sweetest story :cry: the memories are amazing... don't lose them

My condolences GR.

Being a dog person myself I know what it's like to lose such a friend and family member.

I bow my head in silence for you.

From one dog person to the other :friend:

........been there. My thoughts are with you, GR.

I know how it feels to lose a dog.....not a good feeling

My condolences, GR. I'm really sorry to hear about your loss.

My condolences, too, GR. :cry:

Hi GR. Sorry to read this. Hey, will you promise me something? Remember to smile when you think about her. Remember her life (and cherish those memories including the games she played) and not her passing.

Big hug.

Thanks to everyone for your kind words. I know that the topic has nothing to do with dance--but in some ways, when you work with a dog, particularly in a sport like agility, there's a big dance component to it. Ellie wasn't always my best partner, and we never moved together as gracefully as I can with my Airedale, Becket--but she was responsive and talented on course, one of my first follows, and if every lady I danced with could be as sensitive to my lead as Ellie was, my lead would improve by leaps and bounds.

Thank you to all.

Genesius

Sorry to hear that GR. May they rest in peace.

My condolences GR. That's why we have DA -- to talk about matters non-dance related that somehow affect our lives and thus our dancing. It's tough losing any close relationship that you have with someone, whether animal or human being. What has always pulled me through are the memories and knowledge that the other person would want us to celebrate their memory living in the present, rather then dwelling too much on the past.

You know that somewhere, she's thinking fondly of you , too!

I'm crying now, GR -- you've reminded me of the time my sweet little cat died... It was really hard at the time, but now I can think of her without tears, and thinking about how we loved each other's company warms my heart. Ellie may no longer be with you physically but she's still with you and will always be with you.

*Hugs*