Tails From Rainbow Bridge: Reconnecting With My Birth Sister

It was a beautiful late summer day.  I had finished a busy day of judging and found a comfortable spot under a tree, circled several times, laid down, and curled up.  Another Yorkie passed me, then stopped, and turned around “Fluffy Tail?” she asked.

This was common at the Bridge.  Dogs were always mistaking one another  I looked up at the familiar dog ready to tell her I was not Fluffy Tail when the name sparked a memory.

“Dirt Face?” I asked.  The Yorkie nodded.  I leaped up and gave her a hug.

Dirt Face was my birth sister.  We had lived together for eight weeks when my mom came to get me. Us puppies gave one another names.  Dirt Face was always rubbing her muzzle on the ground.  I had a fluffy tail.  We weren’t creative, but we were only three weeks old.

I had left the farm where we were born before Dirt Face and asked her what had happened to her.

“The very next day an older gentleman came to the farm, and I left with him.  He drove me to the big city with loud noises and tall buildings.  I was quite scared.  I was carried into this little room with lots of numbers and the next thing I knew I was lifted straight up.

“That is where I met my mom.  She was only 18 and lived in a big apartment on the top floor.  She said she was going to give me the best life ever, and she did.

“I went everywhere with her in her little bag.  There were always people taking our picture.  We went to clubs, and I got to meet all sorts of interesting people.  There was loud music, but I didn’t mind.   The next morning my mom showed me pictures of us in the newspaper.  She had named me Angel, but the newspaper was confused because the headlines said, Tramp.

“I was the most famous dog in the world.  Mommy spent thousand of dollars on me a year?  I slept in the best hotels, ate the best food, and travelled the world.  I felt very sorry when I had to leave her, and I will wait for her forever.   I am sorry you did not have as good a life, Foley.”

I hugged Dirt Face and promised to see her again then watched her scamper away.  I thought of that day, 16 years ago this month, when I first saw my mommy, and I took off running.  I had got to her seconds before Dirt Face reached her.  I jumped up on mommy, and she picked me up.  We fell in love right then and stayed that way forever.

I remember the look on Dirt Face’s snout when she saw me with mommy.  She knew she had just missed out on the best mom who would ever visit our pack.  No amount of money, food, or fancy hotels could change that.

Sorry Dirt Face.  You missed out on your dream life by a few seconds.  

Adventures in Eating by Pocket

Eating is a complicated endeavor in our house.  Some parents are able to plop food in a bowl and never give it another thought.  No such luck for our parents.

I would like to blame River Song for the obstacles our parents have to overcome to feed us but dinner time idiosyncrasies are all mine.

Foley and I used to eat on the floor near one another.  We were fed on small dinner plates because Foley was a princess who would not eat out of a bowl.  For the most part we ate peacefully.  I knew better than to mess with the legit boss.  When I did she would give me a sharp growl and a ferocious snap.

When River Song arrived I thought I was the legit boss.  When I growled and snapped at River she snapped back.  A fight would break out, our plates would get tipped and our food spilled.

Mommy decided to separate us while we ate.  We were put in different rooms.  Neither of us ate.  We were sure the other was getting something special.

Mommy decided to feed me on the couch near her.  River eats on the floor by daddy.  Since I am not a pig and take time to chew my kibble River is done first.  To slow her down I stop eating and growl at River.  She growls at me.  Mommy growls at us both and we continue eating.  We do this every meal.  At least we are consistent.

When River gets done eating I growl and bark to keep her from eating my food.  Daddy goes to pick her up but River twists, turns, and rolls on her back to keep from being captured. When she is secured Daddy sits her up next to him and gently pats her back until she burps.

I continue to slowly relish my food, one agonizing kibble at a time.  I stop eating, Mommy asks if I am done, I look down, nose some kibbles, pick up one, and chew on it like it is a piece of Big League Chew.

Finally I signal I am done by jumping on the floor.  River is let go and we both sniff the floor looking for any stray kibbles while our parents wonder how they lost 20 minutes out of their day.

They are lucky we are not spoiled.  Imagine how long eating would take if we were.

Wordless Wednesday

Beat This Capti

You guys go ahead.  I will stay here and guard the gate

Can you please vote for our friend Enzo

If you could please vote for our friend Enzo in a photo contest it will be appreciated.

If you have a Facebook account then follow this link  When you are on the Facebook page ask to be friends.

After your friendship is accepted follow this link  and like Enzo's picture.

This is Enzo

We both say thank you

Pups of the Week: Luci and Carly

Nigel was sitting up in bed.  His small arms were crossed over his chest.  He was wearing his bulldog face.  It’s a face that I can’t tell if it’s happy, sad, nervous or content.  It’s just bulldog.  But, his bottom left paw tapped on the bed.  He was nervous.

On his Parent Vision television, Nigel is watching a car, being driven by his dad, with his mom in the passenger seat, going south down the Jersey Turnpike.  In the back seat were their two bulldogs, the newly christened Lucy and Carli, ages six and seven, riding to their new forever home with Nigel’s parents.

It had taken Nigel months to find a dog to help rebuild his parents’ hearts, which were destroyed when he passed in late June 2015.  He interviewed hundreds of dogs before realizing he would never find a single dog to cure his parents.  Only a bulldog pair would do.  

Finding a pair of Bulldogs ready to adopted together was like trying to find a chicken at the turkey farm.  Nigel spent days flying unseen through the mortal world looking for the right pair.

Earlier this week Nigel was lying down on a hill overlooking Rainbow Bridge.  He was exhausted and discouraged.  He put his head down on his paws and sighed.  Suddenly there was a poof of smoke in front of him.  Our good friend, and top flight secret agent, Tommy Bond appeared.

“I have found them!” Teddy announced with great fanfare.  “In New Jersey!”

“New Jersey?” Nigel said, his stomach turning.

“That’s right.  Their mom got this terrible disease called lymphedema.  She is going to need a tremendous amount of medical care, and she can no longer take care of two female bulldogs.  Their names are Nola and Girlie, but I am sure something can be done about that.  Anyway, fly into the sun with me, we will visit these girls, and you can decide if they are right for your parents.”

Nigel followed Teddy into the sun and came out near a cage holding Nola and Girlie.  He knew from his first look that these were the dogs for his parents.  He talked to them, and they were anxious to meet their new mom and dad.  Teddy visited his mom’s dreams and told her about Nola and Girlie.  Unaware of the reason way, Teddy’s mom was compelled to look on Facebook where she saw Nola and Girlie.  She informed Nigel’s mom who called about them.  Meanwhile, Nigel had asked us angels to discourage two other prospective parents for the Bulldogs, and the rescue agreed to give Nola and Girlie to Nigel’s parents.

On Saturday Nigel’s parents drove up the Jersey Turnpike, (the name comes from the Indian term “Road of Despair.”  Once you tire of counting the refinery towers, it is a boring ride.  It took them eight hours, but the trip was worth it.  Nola and Girlie became Lucy and Carli, and they started their journey home, and life,  together.

After an exhausting day on the Road of Despair, the happy family returned home.  Nigel was right.  It did take two dogs to rebuild his parent’s hearts.  Lucy and Carli have made an excellent start of it.

As soon as his parents got home, Nigel finally nodded off to sleep.  I had not seen him sleep so soundly since arriving at the Bridge.

Tails From Rainbow Bridge: Watching Ruger Ru

This week we reluctantly welcomed two friends, Rabbit and Presley, who arrived at the Bridge before their time.  Nothing is sadder than a young dog robbed of his mortal days.

When we angels wake up, we choose the age we want to wear like humans decide what clothes they want to adorn.  I have 13 different years to pick from.  My favorite is seven, right in the middle, when I was full of sass and nothing hurt.

Sometimes, if I am feeling vibrant, I choose puppy.  When I am wearing puppy, I run, jump and play.  Honestly, I can only wear puppy for no more than an hour.  It is quite an exhausting sartorial choice.

When young dogs arrive, they have fewer years to choose from.  No dog I know has fewer ages to wear than my dear friend Ruger Ru.

Ruger joined us after a very short time on Earth.  His mom loved him with all her heart, but he got sick, and she could not let him suffer any longer. He has been here four years living with his brother, Tanner Bub, the mayor of Rainbow Bridge.

The problem is that Ruger does not have many years to choose from when he gets dressed.  He only has young years and young years are full of energy which means Ruger never stops moving.  

Tanner does his best but watching Ruger always moving and begging to play is tiring.  That means we each have to take time Ruger sitting.

I must say it is invigorating to watch Ruger playing like a pup.  And if I am wearing my young clothes I can keep up with him for about ten minutes.  If I am wearing my old clothes I just watch until my rapid eye and head movements make me drowsy and I find another friend to watch our forever young angel.

Throughout the day we work as a team to observe Ruger as he tries to burn off his never ending energy.

Truth be told, we do love Ruger’s running and playing.  A young dog is rare here, and he brings the same smiles to us that he brought to his parents.

I just wish they had more time with him.