The Ruby Rose and the Big Little Angels 3 Blog

They say bulldogs are stubborn.  I don’t know if that is true or not.  I have met some very compromising bulldogs.  But there is one bulldog I know who was the most stubborn dog in the best possible way. Let me introduce you to Nigel.  He arrived at the Bridge this week with a story.  We all knew the story but it is impolite to interrupt a friend when they are telling one, especially when you are meeting them nose to nose for the first time. Months ago Nigel began to have trouble breathing and was very tired.  The thing to know about us dogs is that we aren’t hypochondriacs  We are good at figuring out what is wrong and Nigel knew his heart was failing and his lungs were filling with fluid.  He loved his Mom and Dad so strongly the thought of leaving them broke his fading heart.  But he also knew we are only given so many heartbeats and his were running short. But then his Dad became very sick.  His was admitted to the hospital.  And he got one of the worst diagnosis a hum

A few weeks ago I wrote about Jackson’s wonderful mother Jane Marinello and how she helped her 100 year old neighbor Thelma and her Maltese Muffin.  The 14 year old had not been groomed in a long time and Jane got her groomed so she could see again greatly improving the lives’ of Thelma and Muffin. Unfortunately Muffin crossed over the Bridge earlier this month.  If life was fair then Muffin and Thelma would have crossed over together but life is never fair.  Now poor Thelma is alone.  How could she imagine when Thelma got a dog who was born when Thelma was 84 years old that she would outlive her dog? Muffin was quite upset when she arrived.  She was more than just a dog to Thelma.  She was her child, her best friend, her companion, her confidant.  She was her whole world.  Now Thelma was alone and Muffin felt terribly guilty.  We had to gather around Muffin and give her soft paws and kisses to calm her down. Then we parted and Muffin met a dog she had heard so much about.

I don’t know how or when it happened but apparently I am a monkey.   It’s not that I act, or look, like a monkey:  I don’t throw my feces; I don’t swing on trees; I don’t walk on two legs but I am a monkey. I don’t know why River isn’t the monkey.  She kind of looks like one.  She dances around on two feet when she is excited or wants food.  She runs when Mommy offers bananas.  I usually  turn them down when offered.  If they are on my dinner plate I will eat them but that is just to be polite. But one day, out of the blue, Mommy looked at me and said “How are you today monkey?” I’m a dog.  No matter what my Mommy says I am going to wag my tail.  Well there was something about the way my tail wagged, and my smile, that made Mommy say “You like the name monkey?  Are you a monkey?” and again, simply because of the voice, I got on my back legs and put my paws on her legs.  “You are my little monkey!” Mommy said. I knew right then I had to put a stop to this.  I did not want t

My good friend Blazer’s Mom has spoken to him every day since he came to the Bridge and she tells him the same thing at the conclusion of their talks:  She only wants one more day with him.  If you asked every pup at the Bridge they would agree:  All their parents want is one more day. But the thing about one more day is that it never arrives.  Today is today and the next day is the one more day.  So we keep reaching for something that is never going to come. Except for one dog……. More than a month ago Reyah’s Mom got the call from the vet that every Mom dreads.  They had done all they could for Reyah, it was time for her to go to the Bridge.  But Reyah was one of those rare dogs like Angel Willie.  Reyah said no, she would not go.  When her Mom arrived at the vet ready to aid her crossing over the vets had changed their mind.  Instead of helping Reyah pass over Reyah was allowed to go home.  According to the vets she had rallied but we knew different.  She had said no.  Becau

On the mortal side of the Bridge they were brothers and best friends.  One of them became sick and the other took care of him hiding a more serious issue that would unexpectedly send him to the immortal side of the River first.  They are Tupper and Max and they are still joined at the hip. Their passing, shortly after their father went through a difficult surgery, almost destroyed their Mom.  Max’s illness was long but Tupper’s was very fast and totally unexpected.  Fast and unexpected is worse. Tupper was very lost his first days at the Bridge.  We all tried to comfort him but he missed his family so much.  Then Max joined him and for a short time he was happy but then he felt bad about being happy while his family was sad.  But Max and Tupper helped one another and soon they became an unbeatable team. I always relied on Max and Tupper’s wise advice while we were all on the mortal side of the River and I made them part of my small council here on the immortal side.  Unfo

The darndest things happen when you’re not paying attention. Just short of two years ago I strolled into my new home.  I was immediately loved by my Mommy and Daddy and could do no wrong.  There was also another dog here:  Pocket.  She was five years old and had spent years happily living as Beta dog to the ultimate Alpha dog:   Foley Monster. I found Pocket to be a very nervous dog.  She was still affected from losing Foley.  I am not proud of myself but I used these two factors, plus my own experience of being in  house full of dogs in Florida, to immediately take over as the Alpha dog.  Given my height and weight advantage, and Pocket being timid, I had little worry that I would lose my position. Pocket never showed any interest in being the Alpha dog.  When she was sitting on Mommy’s lap and I wanted to sit there I would stare at her until she moved.  If she infringed on my territory I would knock her over and snap at her throat.   Occasionally, when I was being picked u

Last weekend our wonderful human friend Aunt Wendy went for a walk with her three Labbies while her realtor showed Aunt Wendy’s hard to sell house.  When she returned back home the Lab Pack had lost one member. The reason makes no sense whatsoever.  The three Labs:  Dodger, Raja and Logan all went on the same walk on a 75 degree day.  But during the walk Logan began to pant and show signs of heat exhaustion then collapsed. He was rushed to the vet who suspected heat stroke.  The vet did everything he could for Logan but he could not be saved.  He crossed over to the Bridge and the Lab pack was two. Logan did not realize what had happened when he arrived.  He was`taking a beautiful walk with his family, and then he was walking on his own, still in a beautiful place.  It was sad to see him look at his angel friends, and slowly realize what had happened, until he saw his sister Angel Reba and ran into her waiting paws. All our angel friends gathered around Logan to comfort him.

Wednesday, July 9, marked the second anniversary of me crossing over the Rainbow Bridge.  We don’t celebrate those anniversaries here.  What are we going to call it:  “Lost Ya Day?” There are many things I have learned after two years at the Bridge.  If you don’t mind I would like to share them with you. Enjoy Every Treat:  When I was on the mortal side there were times when I would get mad at my parents and I would go under my blanket to pout.  They would try to coax me out with a treat and I wouldn’t take it.  I wasted lots of time that I could have spent with my family.  I would give anything for that time now. Love Never Ends:  The marriage vows “To death do us part” should be changed to “never part” because death does not part love.  I love my Mom as much today as I did the day I left.  All pups do.  I know humans drift apart, things change, and they part, but only the wicked hearted part from their pups. Slow down:  Life is short but if you rush through it you miss eve

Today River and I saw something on our walk we never thought we ever would see:  A dinosaur.  A dinosaur under shell.  And it kind of freaked us out. At the start of our walks River and I are full of energy.  We pull on our leash, we pee every few steps, we bark loudly at anything that moves, very loudly at the houses that contain dogs, and ear shattering loudly when we see a human. We keep this up for about half our walk.  Then we get tired, especially on a humid day like today.  After this we don’t bark so much anymore.  Even when we see a human walking on our street. We were on our way back: Hot, tired and panting , when we saw the dinosaur.  It was disgusting.  It had a green head with yellow eyes.  The head was connected to a long neck that stretched a foot towards us and then a bright red tongue flicked out at us.  It was the longest tongue I have ever seen.  And I lived with Foley for five years. And it’s entire body was covered by a shell.  When Daddy saw it he stopped

Thank you for reading our blog on our new friend Angel Simon.  I am sorry that I messed up the link.  Try this one.  http://dashielove.blogspot.com/   Angel Simon is a good friend of mine.  His Mom has hard a hard time dealing with his loss and is writing about it..  I know you will all be a great support. Thank you Foley Monster

My good friend Angel Simon's Mom has started to write a blog.  I would very much appreciate if you could check it out and give her a follow.  Thanks my friends http://dashielove.blogspot.com/

I don’t see a lot of humans here.  They have their own special section at the Bridge.  When they cross the River they gather their pups and move to the human side.   Only those who truly love dogs and don’t mind them occasionally flying into their heads stay here. Gina Busch is one such Mom.   From the moment she crossed the Bridge she rejected all offers to go to the human section.  She was very content to stay in the pet neighborhood and we are very happy to have her. She has a wonderful home here.  It is one story because we insist on flying up the stairs, and, because we aren’t good flyers, we always hit our heads and knock down pictures.  One story was more practical. Gina loves to cook for us.  She feeds us steak, and chocolate pudding, all the best human food.  We eat and eat until we are full and seconds later it is like we never and are ready again.  She loves to get down and play with all the pups who come to her house and when you check on her at night she always ha

Last week I went to the groomers.  He was there.  He was on all fours, on the floor, his stubby little tail wagging.   I first met him during my wayward youth.  I was a young lolipop in heat for the first time.  I was having all sorts of feelings.  No longer a pup, not yet a bitch.  I spent a lot of time leaning against the washing machine while it was on the spin cycle.  I scooted in circles on the rug for hours.  I licked myself to keep clean, and then kept going. Then I saw him across the yard.   He slowly came over to me, spitting out a blade of grass.  He took a long smell of me then nodded.  He told me his name was Suede  He said I looked like a puppy looking to grow up in a hurry.  He told me he could take me to his room. I could tell he was experienced, and I was a young girl in my first heat.  I cannot tell you why but I went with him, through the doggy door, down a long hall.  He stood on his firm, muscular back legs and put his forelegs on the door. It slowly opened