My Golden, Eli

My Eli, a beautiful, BIG, red-headed golden, was the love of my life. He was the last of the litters whelped by my Mom before she started rescuing instead. I saw him be born. I chose him because he would lay on his back and be so docile as a 7 week old, but all the puppies were sweet and laid back that way. Something said for me to take him, though.

I took him home at 8 weeks and he liked to sleep in my laundry basket when he wasn’t sleeping in my bed. Just to give you an idea of how little he was. Fast forward... he turned into a 100 pound baby and he wasn’t overweight! Just a nice, big, lovable baby.

Eli never did anything bad his whole life. He welcomed and taught the two other dogs I introduced into our household and loved them very much. He loved our cats. He loved children. He was so gentle. I got his Therapy Dog certification and would take him to nursing homes so he could love on those bedridden. I would take Eli everywhere with me. Camping in other states, swimming in lakes up north, etc. He had such a good life. And he made my life so much better. I miss my fuzzy tremendously. He will never be replaced. And he will always hold the most special place in my heart. He had a heart and a soul of not just any dog. I know I will see him again. Our bond was just too strong to think of him as “just a dog”. He was my life. Fuzzy, I'll see you on the other side, I just know it...
Amy

You will see him Amy.

What a sweet tribute. He sounds like just a wonderful dog and I know you miss him a lot. Just keep him in your heart.

Thanks for sharing.

I don't think that people who say "its just a dog" have ever had a dog's love..if they had they could never say that. Goldens are so beautiful in everything they do, with wise ol big grins of joy. I believe they are the prettiest newborn babies ever.They just glisten with gold. I am so so sorry for your loss. I know he will be always be in your thoughts. Giving you the memories of what you meant to each other to hold on to. you gave him the best life a dog could ever ask for.

Amy ~ what a very special tribute to Eli! And, you are very right, you WILL see him again. You gave him such a good life. It is the hardest thing...to lose your best friend. I didn't make it through the tribute with dry eyes. What a special baby Eli was. You are Grammy are in my thoughts and prayers.

Amy, I just kept putting off reading this because I knew I was going to end up crying. I not only firmly believe you will be reunited with Eli, I believe he will send you someone to salve that emptiness you feel. Probably when you least expect it.

Renee...I agree with you. I know Yogi sent Hunter to Amy and Eli will send a special golden to us when the time is right. Eli is missed so, but were were blessed to have him inour lives and now in our hearts. Grammy and Chip.

Yogi was my beloved yellow lab I lost just a little over a year ago... to all things, Lymphoma! 4 months later I found myself rescuing Hunter (another yellow lab) from the shelter thinking I would just foster him until I found a home. He was taken off the adoption floor due to stress and was scheduled to be euthanized. I stepped in, got him out (with the help of Grammy because I kind of double-booked the rescue of another lab in another state). Bottom line is, the lab from another state got adopted site-unseen... to my -ex, no less! He just knew she was the dog for him and he was right... they are inseparable and her name is Annie. She comes and stays with me sometimes when I'm lucky. In the meantime, Hunter settled immediately into home life at Grammy's, then later at my household with me and Eli once Annie was gone to her forever home. Needless to say, I think Yogi sent them BOTH our way and had it all figured out how it would happen! GO FIGURE! I think those babies work from above, don't you??

Amy, what is the book you have e.g. this ??? The one with great stories e.g. animals finding there forever homes ?

Oh, I've always thought they definitely must! Bimmer is definitely from Purdue. They even look very much alike; same size and everything; they also have very much the same type of outlook on life. Bimmer and I had a twisted road to each other, but it was definitely meant to be. A client knew I was looking for another GSD after Bear died and knew I wanted a rescue. He picked up a phone number at the farmers' coop in his county that a woman had posted because someone had dumped a litter of four GSD pups on her farm. The area is just full of people who have high-dollar GSDs with long pedigrees AND people who breed wolf/GSD or Husky crosses. It was pretty obvious what had happened with these pups. Anyway, when I called her she wasn't home so I had to leave a message. When she called me back she had just given the last one away, the largest male pup, to a single mom with three kids who lived about two and a half miles away. She and I talked for about twenty minutes, though.

Almost a month later, I got a phone call from her. She'd hunted through her phone bill until she found my number and called to see if I still wanted that male pup! It turned out that the woman who took him had him tied outside and someone kept coming by and throwing stuff at him to torment him, then would come by when she was gone and untie him and try to run him off. He did run off, and found his way back to that farm two and a half miles away! Of course, I still wanted him and I went to pick him up that Friday. He got right in the car with me, curled up in the front seat and lay with his head across the console touching my leg the whole two hour trip home. I talked to her a few times after that to let her know how he was doing, and she confided to me that it kind of hurt her feelings, the way he was so happy to leave with me - she'd never had a dog leave that didn't cry and whine after her. She said, though, that she realized that he was just meant to be my dog.

Omigosh, Renee... that is such a precious story. I just know things are meant to be with our babies. I have always had this "old" writing of a dog's love. Didn't want to start a new thread, or anything, but I think many on this board would appreciate it:

A Dog’s Plea

Treat me kindly, my beloved friend, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for kindness than the loving heart of me.

Do not break my spirit with a stick, for though I should lick your hand between blows, your patience and understanding will more quickly teach me the things you would have me learn.

Speak to me often, for your voice is the world’s sweetest music, as you must know by the fierce wagging of my tail when your footstep falls upon my waiting ear.

Please take me inside when it is cold and wet, for I am a domesticated animal, no longer accustomed to bitter elements. I ask no greater glory than the privilege of sitting at your feet beside the hearth.

Keep my pan filled with fresh water for I cannot tell you when I suffer thirst. Feed me clean food that I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding, to walk by your side, and stand ready, willing, and able to protect you with my life, should your life be in danger.

And, my friend, when I am very old, and I know longer enjoy good health, hearing, and sight, do not make heroic efforts to keep me going. I am not having any fun. Please see that my trusting life is taken gently. I shall leave this earth knowing with the last breath I draw that my fate was always safest in your hands.

Thank you Elin for that post..I hope Bronki understands how much I never wanted him to hurt, With his last breath went a whole section of the best part of my life...oh this just made me cry... I am sorry, I am such a bawl baby when I think of him....Thank you again for your post.

May we always remember how our hearts were touched by the special animals who came into our lives; they helped make the tough times not so hard to get through and made the good times even more special. I couldn't imagine having to come home and not being greeted by a wagging tail, the wiggle dance of joy, and all their smiles.

Guys, I'm crying...Well, here's something that made me cry AGAIN

More kleenex please...............

How touching; I've joined in the crying.................

Eli came home tonight...

I brought his urn of ashes home tonight. They've been residing at my Mom's so she could take some of his ashes to put in with all the others plus hers when it's her time. I had the urn in my big purse and when I got home and took it out, Hunter cowered and slinked away. He didn't know what to think at first. Then he came back and I talked to him and had him sniff it and told him it was ok. That our Eli was home. And he went BALLISTIC! He started tearing around the room and on and off the couch just going nuts! He'd come up and sniff the urn and OFF he was again! It was so touching, yet so sad. He knew his brother was in there and in his puppy brain, I think he wanted to play. Now he's depressed and laying at my feet. This just sucks

Amy + Hunter

When I picked up Eli's urn at the vets, Chip was with me in the car. He too sniffed and sniffed the urn and then gave me a great big wet kiss. This has happened before. They just seem to know . Hunter's glad he knows that his big red brother is home. sigh.............