Wow Yesterday was very tramatic for me. I went for my first fill and the doc added 2.5cc's to my empty band and then had me drink Water. Well guess what? The water wouldn't budge. It was not going down. So as I laid back down on the table to enable the doc to remove some of the saline all of the water rushed from my throat to my mouth. Man this felt totally weird. Anyhow he ended up taking out 1cc and I felt much better. a 1.5cc fill in one of the large bands and I can so tell the difference.

well.......................

I get home from the Doctor and go to check on my dogs and find my sweet baby Jake dead on my patio. This was so unexpected. Just the night before the family and I were out on the deck playing with the dogs, brushing their remaining winter hair off and having Jake go thru his entire repertoir of tricks, and now he's dead. He was lying in his normal sleeping area. There didn't appear to be any signs of him struggling or being in pain. We back up against a state park and have several water mocassins invade our yard when the creek behind the house drys up every summer. They come looking for water. I just wonder if Jake had gotten biten. He was always aggressive toward the snakes. However I didn't see any signs of swelling or a bite mark anywhere. Jake was a rescued dog we got from a no-kill shelter when we first built this house. He was half yellow lab and half greyhound. Very proud dog that was lighting fast. I only hope we were able to provide him with a stable, happy life for the short 5 1/2 years he had us. And he did have all of us wrapped around his paw. Such a sweet friend.

Needless to say, I had more than my fill of yesterday.

I'm very sorry for your loss. It's a small comfort that Jake likely didn't suffer. I hope you and your family are doing okay in this difficult time.

Pansy

My heartfelt sympathies go out to you guitarman. The loss of a pet is devastating. I hope that sharing your grief with us is helpful to you. You will always have memories, and I imagine photos, of your beloved Jake!

Awwww, so sorry! Pets are like children, and it is so hard when we lose one.

I agree the pain is deep and I'm very sorry for your loss of Jake.

However the loss of a child is nothing compared to a dog. Not from personal experience but from what I have learned thru others.

All dogs go to heaven!!!

Post a pic of Jake

I tried to avoid this post in fear of what I might find. I can't tell you how sorry I am. My husband rarely sleeps in bed with me any more cause my fur babies have priority in my household, so I know your pain must be fierce.

Could you post a picture of baby Jake?

Thanks again everyone. I would love to post jakes pic as soon as I learn how to do it. Chicagoboy you are absolutely right about a childs death being more devastating. I don't think any of us were saying otherwise, only comparing the innocense of both children and animals. But then again, how many degrees of a broken heart are there?

However the loss of a child is nothing compared to a dog. Not from personal experience but from what I have learned thru others.

I in no way meant that a dog could even begin to compare with the loss of a child. They are two separate things entirely! But people do get really attached to their pet. Lots of people don't have children, and they do think of their pets as their children. I had both children and pets, and let me tell you that when I lost a pet, I felt like I lost a member of my family. I am sure there are a lot of other people on this board that would feel the same way!

I am so sorry to hear about your dog. Indeed, how many degrees of a broken heart does one need? Such a sad thing.

but on a happier note folks, check out what happened last night. I have two other rescued dogs. One is a full blood Chocolate lab named sadie and the other is half St. Bernard/ Half Bull Mastif named Bentley. Bentley is just the pup and weighs over 110 pounds ay 1 year old. Sadie is about 3 yrs now. Anyhow, Jake was the trick dog. He could do it all. Speak, Beg, High Five, etc.... I could never get Sadie to do anything other than play in the water and catch a ball. Last night I was on the deck spending time with them and I took about 30 minutes trying to teach Sadie to speak on command. Low and behold she did it. Unbelievable. She would never do this in the past no matter how much time I spent with her. It was like all she has ever wanted to do was please us but it just wasn't clicking. All of a sudden the light came on in her head and she was really focused. I know this sounds silly but it brought a lot of joy to our hearts. Thanks again everyone.

ah ha ha ha, Sadie could do it all along, she just didn't want to steal Jake's thunder.

Bently sounds like a monster! A big slobbery hairball monster "ohboyohboyohboy-someonegonnaplaywithme!" SLORP!

You know I think you're right. She is what we call country dumb, which means she is sneaky clever. Yes Bentley is a monster who thinks he is still a puppy. Try having that 110 lbs jump in your lap!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

ah ha ha ha, Sadie could do it all along, she just didn't want to steal Jake's thunder.

Bently sounds like a monster! A big slobbery hairball monster "ohboyohboyohboy-someonegonnaplaywithme!" SLORP!

Perhaps Jake is sending some of his skills over the bridge to Sadie, so she can become the "trick dog."

Pansy (feeling new-agey today)

Guitarman,

I am sooo sorry to hear about your puppy. I can totally relate as I sit hear in mourning.

I had a shepard mix that I got when I graduated high school 14 1/2 years ago. I cam home the other night and she had had a stroke. My husband and I drove her 5 hours home to my parents farm and had her put down. It was the hardest thing that I may have done thus far in my life. She was there through all of my young adult life.

I am so sorry, but so glad to hear that you have your other puppies!!!!! They make it all so much easier. My dog Boomer, a three year old brittany, much like your Sadie - put his head under the Water to find a rock for the first time last night.

I think that they are just waiting in respect for their elders Thanks for sharing your story, as it actually really helped me in what I am going through.

I am getting banded in two weeks, but now I am not sure if I am going to need it, as I have lost 4 pounds since I lost Mara. :ermm

I am in the DFW area as well - I will have to come check out your band sometime. Porbably not this upcoming show - as I am sure that I will want to keep myself away from any temptations in the first few weeks after banding???

I'm sooo sorry. I have two poodles and until I had them I didn't realize that you can love an animal so much. I believe that pets go to heaven and he will be there waiting for you when you pass over. God Bless

I think there's 2 kinds of people when it comes to loving dogs: People that have human children and dogs, and people that only have dogs.

I only have dogs. It's all I know. They are my heart and soul and would hurt just as bad as the loss of any human - maybe worse. I share my pillow with a 50 pound Pitbull, the angel of my eyes. I wake up to her face snuggled in the palm of my hand. I think you can only form this kind of bond if you never had a child.

I lost my Cockateil 2 years ago. I still keep his feathers and pictures near by and talk to him like he's still here. Anyone got an extra kid?