Sarge is our February 25, 2018 Pup of the Week

There are various ways that souls pass over the Bridge.   Some arrive as the result of a tragic accident, some linger and suffer for years, some succumb to a sudden illness, some live far beyond their life expectancy, some nowhere near it, and some just slip away in the middle of the night.

My Blogger friend Sarge passed in his sleep this week without a sign that he was sick.  I have heard it said that this is the way to go.  No pain, no suffering, just drift off to sleep and wake up on the immortal side of the River.  But such a passing leaves questions on both sides.

Sarge’s poor parents have no idea what happened to their beloved boy.  He had some problems but none that seemed life-threatening.  His parents were left to wonder why this happened and if they missed anything.  But they didn’t  One of the lessons the heavenly Group Of Dogs teaches us is that we only have so many heartbeats and sometimes we run out.   That is what happened with Sarge.

It is traumatic for those dogs who pass over.  They went to bed happy and content at their parents’ house then woke up surrounded by angels at Rainbow Bridge.  Sarge went to sleep in his bed, and upon awakening, he saw his immortal friends standing over him.  He was embarrassed, wondering how all these angels got in his room, and then realized he was on a cliff looking over the River of Life. 

I have seen many dogs pass over quickly and the result is always the same.  The pup tries to get back home, unable to accept their time on the mortal side had come to an end.  Sarge ran down the knoll and jumped into the river then swam to the other side only to find we angels waiting.  “No matter how far you swim you come back to the same spot,” I told him.

Sarge tried to get home four more times before we convinced him that he could not swim back.  He tried to run over the Bridge, but when he reached the other end, he was right back where he started.  He sat down distraught.  It took several angels to explain to him that there was a way for him to go back to his parents, but they wouldn’t know he was there.  Sarge took lessons and easily passed the test in record time.  

Sarge got to do something that few angels can do.  Because he passed over in his sleep, he was able to be there as an angel when his parents found him.  I don’t know if they could sense that Sarge’s paws were on their shoulders, his muzzle pressed up against them, as they grieved, but he was, and I do believe he lessened their incredible pain.

Sarge’s parents are still hurting because the wound left from his passing is still fresh. 

 We are sure it is going to take a long time for them to adjust to the new Sarge-less normal.  Their funny, quirky, loving boy is greatly missed, and his blogger friends will no longer read of his mischievous adventures.


The angels have helped Sarge adjust to him suddenly becoming an angel.  It is the hardest transition for people and dogs.  We angels will help Sarge.  We are going to need some humans to help his parents until they are all together again.