in memorandum
On Thursday, October 29th we had our dog of 13 years put to sleep.
Around the time that Jason and I started dating, I needed to get a dog. Yes, needed. This is how I end up with my pets, the feeling arrives and I know that it's time. The pets that I have had that were very close to me, I got in this fashion... but this is Martie's story.
I wanted either a German Shepard or a Siberian Husky. A dog that looked wolfish. I was working in the photo lab at Meijer. One day going into work, I saw an ad for a free Shepard/Husky around 4 months old. I still have the ad. I called that day. Jason and I went to see her. And that was it. Besides that fact that it was love at first sight, she was tied to a tree and didn't have much water. Her name was "Lady". The woman that owned her, said that her children were supposed to take care of Lady and weren't. So, she was giving her away. How small kids could take care of a dog like that, I have no freaking clue!
That evening, I walked her through our backyard, trying to think of a name. So, I talked to her 'till it came to me. When I was little, there weren't many kids in our neighborhood. So, I had an invisible friend named Marty. He was a boy and was based on a character from the original Mickey Mouse Club. So, in honor of my invisible friend, she became, Martie.
She was a hyper dog! Loved people and kids. Always slept with me. Once when rough housing, she broke my left ring finger. My knuckle there will never pop out again. And I ended up with the smelliest arm in the world, since I was in Kung Fu and aerobics! I remember Jason telling our Kung Fu instructor, Mr. Norman, that I got attacked and he should see the other guy! And me saying that, no, my dog is fine, thanks.
Martie would play ball forever. We ended up resorting to wiffle ball. Jase could hit it really far, she'd run like crazy after it and bring it back. It was her absolute favorite thing to do!
In the car, she had to sit on my lap. Not a great place for a big dog like that!
Everytime I was upset, she would sit still so that I could cry on her. She licked my face constantly! She honestly was my best friend.
When we bought our own home my main priority was a fenced in yard! We lived in East Dayton, a great area called Belmont. But I always felt completely safe that she was with me. Anytime that Jason went out of town, we would cuddle up together and keep each other company.
Then we moved again, to Beavercreek, with a bigger back yard, and larger house. By this time she had us and two kids to take care of. After my son was born (early) she would stay close to him or me. She stayed out of the bed, because I had him next to me in the bassinet for feeding. She watched over my children as if they were her own puppies.
Then, I started noticing her being much slower. She started stealing food and getting a little grumpy. After being told over and over again not to, my youngest climbed on her hind legs. He got a snap that wasn't meant to hit. Martie felt terrible. But with me, that's a natural consequence.
About 2 years ago, I felt the need again. I had to get another dog. Jason joked that I was wanting a replacement. But, that was not the case. I wanted Martie to have a friend. I wanted her quality of life to improve. On a freak trip to the pound, I found my red Dobergal, Kellie.
Kellie did help Martie. Martie started running and playing more. But you could see her legs getting stiff and they were starting to give more and more.
My vet is a great friend of mine. We started talking about when. Martie had bad arthritis in her hind legs and a degenerative spinal disorder. That disorder was causing her to lose control from the hind in up. Her front half was muscular and perfect. The back half was starting to fade.
When she could no longer control her bowels, when she went into the basement and couldn't come back up, when she fell and fell on the tile floor that she loved to sleep on, it was time.
I made the appointment before I left for Boston. I had 4 full days with her before letting her go. She fell into the splits one day (imagine an 80 year old doing that and there you have her pain) and I knew that my timing was right. She looked so sad and scared. Her fur was shedding like crazy. Her undercoat was blowing all over the place, but I didn't brush her, because she didn't like it.
I cried and cried on the days before. Then on the day of, Jason's dad came over to watch the 2 kids that were here. Emily had said good-bye earlier, then Abby and Cameron hugged her. Poor Pete (my Father In Law) he just sat and pet her until we had to go.
I sat in the back seat with my dog. I took one last picture of us together. Then just sat and cried, petting her all the while. She was whining because of the pain of being in the car. When we got there, she was so excited. But, you could tell, she knew something was different.
When the receptionist found out why we were there, she took us to an examine room. We filled out all our paper work there. Cheryl came in and pet Martie, and gave us a run down of what was going to happen.
Then, we were moved to another room, where we would all be more comfortable. Jason and Cheryl lifted her onto the table. I just cried and pet her head, trying to comfort her, as she had done for me for so many years. Cheryl shaved her paw. Then gave Martie the slow injection.
I pet her until it was over. So, did Jason. When they left us alone with her, we just held one another and sobbed. I took her collar and leash. Cheryl came back in and made a pawprint for us to keep. Then, we went to a parent/teacher conference for Cam.
I cried most of that day. Since then, it's been every so often. Kellie isn't eating much and getting neurotic on me. The kids and Jason seem ok. Jason is just hiding it though. I break down with little warning. I miss her so much.
Her ashes are ready to be picked up. We're relandscapeing our yard, and I want to scatter her ashes on the roots of a bush. She would like to be taking care of something.
That's the brief story of my dog, Martie. She touched my life in the best of ways. And even up to the end, she comforted me.
Around the time that Jason and I started dating, I needed to get a dog. Yes, needed. This is how I end up with my pets, the feeling arrives and I know that it's time. The pets that I have had that were very close to me, I got in this fashion... but this is Martie's story.
I wanted either a German Shepard or a Siberian Husky. A dog that looked wolfish. I was working in the photo lab at Meijer. One day going into work, I saw an ad for a free Shepard/Husky around 4 months old. I still have the ad. I called that day. Jason and I went to see her. And that was it. Besides that fact that it was love at first sight, she was tied to a tree and didn't have much water. Her name was "Lady". The woman that owned her, said that her children were supposed to take care of Lady and weren't. So, she was giving her away. How small kids could take care of a dog like that, I have no freaking clue!
That evening, I walked her through our backyard, trying to think of a name. So, I talked to her 'till it came to me. When I was little, there weren't many kids in our neighborhood. So, I had an invisible friend named Marty. He was a boy and was based on a character from the original Mickey Mouse Club. So, in honor of my invisible friend, she became, Martie.
She was a hyper dog! Loved people and kids. Always slept with me. Once when rough housing, she broke my left ring finger. My knuckle there will never pop out again. And I ended up with the smelliest arm in the world, since I was in Kung Fu and aerobics! I remember Jason telling our Kung Fu instructor, Mr. Norman, that I got attacked and he should see the other guy! And me saying that, no, my dog is fine, thanks.
Martie would play ball forever. We ended up resorting to wiffle ball. Jase could hit it really far, she'd run like crazy after it and bring it back. It was her absolute favorite thing to do!
In the car, she had to sit on my lap. Not a great place for a big dog like that!
Everytime I was upset, she would sit still so that I could cry on her. She licked my face constantly! She honestly was my best friend.
When we bought our own home my main priority was a fenced in yard! We lived in East Dayton, a great area called Belmont. But I always felt completely safe that she was with me. Anytime that Jason went out of town, we would cuddle up together and keep each other company.
Then we moved again, to Beavercreek, with a bigger back yard, and larger house. By this time she had us and two kids to take care of. After my son was born (early) she would stay close to him or me. She stayed out of the bed, because I had him next to me in the bassinet for feeding. She watched over my children as if they were her own puppies.
Then, I started noticing her being much slower. She started stealing food and getting a little grumpy. After being told over and over again not to, my youngest climbed on her hind legs. He got a snap that wasn't meant to hit. Martie felt terrible. But with me, that's a natural consequence.
About 2 years ago, I felt the need again. I had to get another dog. Jason joked that I was wanting a replacement. But, that was not the case. I wanted Martie to have a friend. I wanted her quality of life to improve. On a freak trip to the pound, I found my red Dobergal, Kellie.
Kellie did help Martie. Martie started running and playing more. But you could see her legs getting stiff and they were starting to give more and more.
My vet is a great friend of mine. We started talking about when. Martie had bad arthritis in her hind legs and a degenerative spinal disorder. That disorder was causing her to lose control from the hind in up. Her front half was muscular and perfect. The back half was starting to fade.
When she could no longer control her bowels, when she went into the basement and couldn't come back up, when she fell and fell on the tile floor that she loved to sleep on, it was time.
I made the appointment before I left for Boston. I had 4 full days with her before letting her go. She fell into the splits one day (imagine an 80 year old doing that and there you have her pain) and I knew that my timing was right. She looked so sad and scared. Her fur was shedding like crazy. Her undercoat was blowing all over the place, but I didn't brush her, because she didn't like it.
I cried and cried on the days before. Then on the day of, Jason's dad came over to watch the 2 kids that were here. Emily had said good-bye earlier, then Abby and Cameron hugged her. Poor Pete (my Father In Law) he just sat and pet her until we had to go.
I sat in the back seat with my dog. I took one last picture of us together. Then just sat and cried, petting her all the while. She was whining because of the pain of being in the car. When we got there, she was so excited. But, you could tell, she knew something was different.
When the receptionist found out why we were there, she took us to an examine room. We filled out all our paper work there. Cheryl came in and pet Martie, and gave us a run down of what was going to happen.
Then, we were moved to another room, where we would all be more comfortable. Jason and Cheryl lifted her onto the table. I just cried and pet her head, trying to comfort her, as she had done for me for so many years. Cheryl shaved her paw. Then gave Martie the slow injection.
I pet her until it was over. So, did Jason. When they left us alone with her, we just held one another and sobbed. I took her collar and leash. Cheryl came back in and made a pawprint for us to keep. Then, we went to a parent/teacher conference for Cam.
I cried most of that day. Since then, it's been every so often. Kellie isn't eating much and getting neurotic on me. The kids and Jason seem ok. Jason is just hiding it though. I break down with little warning. I miss her so much.
Her ashes are ready to be picked up. We're relandscapeing our yard, and I want to scatter her ashes on the roots of a bush. She would like to be taking care of something.
That's the brief story of my dog, Martie. She touched my life in the best of ways. And even up to the end, she comforted me.
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