In Search of a Window ~ Part One

You've heard of the saying "When a door closes in your life, somewhere a window will open" (yes I've taken the religious content out...). Brandy's passing was so hard for our family, that for a few weeks I had convinced myself that I could never, ever go through that again as it was just too painful. No one dared bring up getting another dog with me and rightly so...no dog would ever take Brandy's place in my heart.

Then one day a thought occurred to me. What if I had said that after Dusty, or Galen, or Mojo, or any of the pets in my life who had died?

It was then I realized that I would rather go through the pain of losing a beloved pet again, than not to have one in my life. It was clear to me, as I could see the scales tipping slowly to the side of dog ownership again, that I was going to have to look for another dog. My family of course predicted this, and were sensible enough not to interfere.

What did I want? The only thing I knew for sure was that I had to rescue a dog that needed a home. I started with our local OSPCA . They seemed at the time to only have small dogs, poodle and beagle types. Ok now I knew I wanted to adopt a dog, and I wanted a medium to large dog...and with short to medium hair...and a female, who's good with cats and kids...and is no older than 2.

Sigh...would I ever find my perfect dog? I knew in the back of my mind I was really looking for a younger version of Brandy. I even found myself lurking around the Petfinder site. Then I started emailing the shelters about this dog and that (not surprisingly many of the dogs I looked at resembled Brandy.) Nothing really panned out as many of them required a fenced in yard for the hound type dogs. We have a huge yard, but not fenced in (it will be soon).

Now I honestly can't think why the idea came to me to look into greyhound adoption. They are so dissimilar from Brandy that it is a breed I never considered. But they are hounds, and largish, and shorthaired, and most are good with children and cats. Even though I had wanted a mutt, I found out there were thousands of greyhounds that needed adoptive homes after their time was up on the track. Was a greyhound the dog for me?

To be continued...

Saying goodbye to Brandy

It has taken me awhile to get around to this post as it is not something easily talked or written about. My family had to say goodbye to our beloved dog, Brandy, on July 10th.

My husband and others think I kept her alive too long, I think she did not live long enough, but in the end, on that last morning, she gave me a gift. She seemed content, she wanted to go for a walk to the park (she had been too sick to want to walk anywhere that last week). She rolled in the grass even putting her paw over her face like she did on so many occasions when she was feeling frisky. She did not cough that horrible cough of trying to get the fluid out of her lungs. Not that morning. I took as many photos of her in the morning light as time allowed. The only other family member I could convince to be with me was my youngest daughter, and I am grateful to her for being there for me while the clock ticked it's way to the dreaded appointment of 9:15 am. She wouldn't go to the vet's office but that was ok, that was something I needed to do alone.

I don't think I can write anymore about the end. As any of you know who have been there with a pet at that time, as you feel their life slip quietly away, it is one of the most difficult things to do, even if you are doing it for all the right reasons.

So thank you to Brandy, for giving us 7 beautiful years, I wish I had twice that time with you. Thank you to Pine Grove Veterinarian for taking care of her over the years, and for making the end so peaceful. Thank you to the Orillia OSPCA for bringing her into our lives, and especially Lori who has worked there for years, and convinced me a 4 year old dog was the perfect one to adopt. (I was back at the shelter the other day and chatted with her again, putting out feelers for another dog in my future...maybe...some day...).

Of course I also have to thank the bastards who mistreated her in her early years and messed her up so much, the ones who made her cower at first when we told her to "come". The ones who made her terrified of loud noises, fly swatters, brooms, etc. I do thank you for giving her up (and the second family who also returned her because she wouldn't come to you either when you let her loose). If either of you had had the patience to stick it out with her, train her, love her, we would not have been able to adopt her. Your loss....

We will never forget you Brandy.

You can see a slideshow of Brandy's life HERE . These are not the photos of a photographer, just the moment's captured by a smitten dog owner. (Sorry I'm not clever enough to add a soundtrack... but if you play Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You" in the background, that would be my choice.