The Ruby Rose and the Big Little Angels 3 Blog

Do your parents have any pet names for you? Pocket:  Mine is Monkey, or Pocket Monkey Baby River:  Mine is by Bug or Bugsy

The longer I am at Rainbow Bridge, the more friends join me. I wonder if it will ever stop. I see families tragically grow from one dog to two, then three, and now, when Thor joined Brutus, Hans, and Bailey, four. Every dog, before coming to the Bridge, learns the reason why they will pass, so they can, if possible, extend their time on the mortal side. For Thor it was lymphoma, He stayed with them for every second he could, and then he gave his parents the signal that it was time. Having lost three boxers in the last few years, his parents knew how to read the signals. When a dog is well past their Rainbow Bridge due date, the repo angels come for them. If the dog still refuses the repo angels add to their burden. They struck Thor with colitis which caused him to produce bright red stools. His parents gave him medication, but the illness was another brick in a rapidly growing wall. The repo angels then took his appetite. This is usually their last

"Urgent urgent urgent." The prayer request flew across my desk. Most requests can be studied, processed, then flown up the mountain to one of the Gods so they can decide what action should be taken.   But occasionally there a prayer request so dire they need to be acted upon immediately by the angel receiving them.   I had two such requests cross my desk last week. The first was from a man begging that his dog be saved. The second was from a dog named Oreo praying that someone would help him. I decided on the spot, even if there would be ramifications and penalties for which I would suffer for acting without permission, that I would be that someone.  I flew to Colorado Springs where I found Oreo on a cliff. There was a hundred-foot rock wall above him and a 100-foot straight drop below.  Oriole was stuck between a rock and a no place. I asked Oriole how he got into this predicament. He said he had been on a run with his dad who, as we spoke was frantically looking ove

Earlier this week, I declared a state of emergency because my red ball had gone missing. I have never shown much interest in stuffies.  I don’t chew bones. I am a ball girl.  It started when I was a pup.  Papa sat on the floor with me.  He tried to get me interested in the dozen dog toys in the box. I didn’t react.  Then he selected a ball and threw it across the floor. I chased after it, picked it up, ran back, and dropped it by his hand.  He threw it again, and I retrieved it and brought it back. I had found my leisure activity. When I was young, I could chase the ball for hours.  Papa would throw it from the living room into the dining room, and I would give chase.  I played until the ball was soaked with spittle then would hop up on the couch to sleep.  Papa sat down and rested. A few minutes later I was rejuvenated. I got down, nosed my ball towards Papa, and barked until he began playing with me again. As I grew older, my ball time decreased.  Now, in my twelfth year, I

I may be about to drown, but I am going to look awesome doing it.

Are you a trip hazard?  Have your parents ever tripped over you?  How often?  Did anyone get injured

I am just one of the hundreds of Rainbow Bridge judges who give the angel oath to dogs who have just crossed Rainbow Bridge.  While I would like to greet every dog, it is impossible. I would be swearing in dogs around the clock and never get caught up.  Once a month all of the dog judges get together to tell stories of the wonderful pups they had welcomed to the Bridge. This week Rocco, one of the judges who have been at the Bridge the longest, told me of a hero dog named Zero, who he had sworn in earlier this year  I was so moved by his story that I had to meet him. There are 1,000 different dog neighborhoods at the Bridge, including my own: Doggyspace. I had to pass through Doggieville, Dogster, Doggybook, and several other settlements until I reached Dog Town where Zero lived.  Your home at the Bridge is equivalent to the good you did on the mortal side. Zero had a mansion.  I knocked on his door, and a minion answered.  I told him who I was and why I was there. He let me in t

Whenever there is a tragedy, like the recent hurricane to hit the Bahamas we angel dogs do everything we can to make sure our mortal counterparts can be safely moved from the affected areas and brought to the United States where hopefully they can find new homes or be reunited with their owners.  Our job is to work with rescuers. The humans don't know we are helping them, but through a system of ghostly whispers, we encourage those in need of help to bark so they can be found.   Once they are aboard the boat or plane, they come to America, to experience the parks,  good food, love, stable homes, and security. In America, they will be welcomed with… "Hold it right there," a chesty American bulldog said as we were leading dogs onto the plane. "Do these dogs have tags? Do they have birth records? How do we know they're not bad dogs who are going to move into our neighborhoods, dig in our yards, kill our gardens with their urine, poop on our walkways and gener

My parents are obsessed with their yard.  Every inch is well-manicured with carefully selected flowers blooming in their five gardens.  They try to keep their lawn free of weeds, which is difficult because their careless neighbors on either side have more weeds than grass. If you flew a drone over our house, you could see where one lawn ends and the others begin.  Our lawn is a bright green, and our neighbor’s yard a dull yellow. My parents spread chemicals on the lawn four times a year, trying to hinder the approaching weeds.  I don’t like chemicals.  We are not allowed on our grass after it is treated.   We have to wait for the rain.  What good is having a lawn if you can’t use it as a bathroom?  We trek over to the neighbors and pee on their dead grass and weeds which I don’t like, because of the splash factor. I try to tell Daddy that he has to be careful when he puts down the treatment.  If he puts too much, it burns the lawn. But he doesn't listen. Even though we ha

Jack:  "Rose, are you sure there isn't room.  It's getting cold in the water." Rose:  "Sorry Jack, I do have an inch to spare.  Just keep treading water.  You'll be fine."  

If they were making a movie about your life what human would you like to portray you: Pocket:  Meryl Street because she is dignified. River:  Nick Offerman

There is no disease worse, in humans, dogs, or beasts than dementia.  It robs us of everything we know. It is painful for those that suffer from the hideous disease and their family members.  Our good friend Rex Mi Amor lost his battle with dementia this week. Upon arriving at the Bridge, he got back all that had been stolen from him, but then realized he had lost what he loved the most his parents  Passing to the Bridge from dementia can be bittersweet.  He came running over the Bridge, his tail wagging in joy. He scurried up the steps and nearly jumped on my chest.  "Foley, I can remember everything," he yelped. "I am not confused any longer. I can't wait to let my parents know.”  He looked around and saw the angels. His smile faded, and he realized where he was.   “It’s the Rainbow Bridge Dementia Catch,” I told him.  “You can’t remember unless you come to the Bridge, but when you come here you remember all you forgot, and it hurts.”  For two months, it wa

When Tiara went to the Bridge, leaving her sisters Tashi, Trixie and their grieving parents behind her first inclination were to find a new pup to help her sisters rebuild their parents’ hearts. But, her parents were not sure if they wanted to make their duo a trio again.  Neither of their parents was getting younger, and they did not want a puppy. A rescue was the only option  Tiara wasn’t sure what to do. She decided to take a look around the local shelters to see if there was a dog who would fit in the with family.  Her mother, Momma Linda, volunteered at one, and if Tiara could find a dog there, that would be perfect.   Tiara spent her days interviewing dogs but could not find a pup who would fit with her family.  She was going to give up her search and start concentrating on protecting her family from Hurrican Dorian when she conducted one more interview.   She found a perfect two-year-old dog who had just been dropped off at the shelter Momma Linda frequented.  After a

From kitties to possums to the lost dog lost, it has been a stressful time at Casa Pocket.  I am naturally a jittery dog. With the additional stress, it has been hard for me to get a good night's sleep.  I consulted my therapist Dr. Vinnie Boombatz. He said what I needed was some alone time.  This went against my instincts. I hate to be alone. But sometimes what we hate is what we need the most.  The problem was when could I find alone time? My humans don't give me a moment's rest.  They need constant attention. As a dog, I'm obliged to fulfill every request.   Like most discoveries, I stumbled on my relaxation time by accident.  It started when Papa began stretching himself into a pretzel before he went to bed. It has something to do with a bad back and tight hamstrings.  Mama, River, and I would be in bed for 15 minutes waiting for him.  I have been known to be forgetful at times, especially in stressful situations. Not having both parents in bed is unusual

After two weeks of discomfort, Sophie discovered bottle-feeding

Are you a paper shredder? Pocket:  Not me.  I am a good girl. River Song:  Every chance I get

There has long been a division between dogs and cats on both sides of the Bridge. They can, if need be, live together peacefully.  To dogs, cats are like drug dealers. We yell when we see them, we want them to be away from our houses; we don’t trust them, but, if they live with us, then they are our drug dealer, and they are okay.  I understand cats feel the same about us but think of us as undocumented housekeepers, who are only welcome if we are work in their homes.  My dear friends Pippin, Tucker, who are both dogs, and Cosmo, a cat lived peacefully together with other pack members at their home.  They not only tolerated one another, but they were friends. They had grown old together. Sadly, when you grow old with a pet sibling, the Bridge comes calling at the same time for both.  Tucker was very sick last week.  His mom knew he did not have much time left.  But, Tucker was determined to stay with his mom.  He did not give her the sign that it was time for him to go.  His mom

All angels love their families, and all angels want to serve their families. But sometimes our families make us say "God, these people!"  Just days after I had to guide a group of kitties to their new home like some low rent, Moses I was called back to my parents' house for another crisis. They had a lost dog in their shed. I popped in to check on the fellow. His name was Dexter. I asked him how he ended up in a strangers' shed. "I came to this neighborhood with my parents," he said. "They were at my Nana's house. They brought me in a room so I could sleep. But then someone left the bedroom door open, and I slipped out, and then I caught a whiff of something on the air, I found the screen door unlatched, and I pushed through it and began to run.'  "Do you know which house it was?" I asked. "Not really. As I said, I'm not from around here, and all these houses look the same."  I asked him if he could pick up

A leaky outside faucet can save a life. It started when the splitter we had on the outdoor faucet began to leak.  My parents bought a new one. Putting it on was more challenging, and took longer than anticipated because the faucet was recessed and Daddy could not screw it on normally.  He had to unscrew the faucet, pull it out, and put on the splitter. What was a one minute job now took ten minutes. Then he began to water the front garden.  That is when a senior black and white lab, with a grizzled chin, came from around the corner and sat next to Daddy.  It had no tags but looked well cared for. Obviously, it was lost.   This was the third dog we have found in our yard.  The other two were tiny. Daddy picked them up and walked around the neighborhood until he found the parents. This dog was too big to carry.  There was no collar. The dog did not object when Daddy slipped a leash around his neck. They set off looking for the owner. They came upon three women walking together.

Picasso's Dog Asleep

There are seven things dogs should not do when you meet a stranger: 1.  Jump 2.  Lift your leg 3.  Go for the crotch 4.  Be aggressive 5.  Be shy 6.  Bark 7.  Nip How many do you do? Pocket:  We both bark and jump.  We are too small to do the others.  We certainly aren't shy.

Rainbow Bridge is a lousy place to make new friends, especially on your first day.    It’s like trying to make friends on a crashing plane. There is so much fear, nervousness, and emotion; it is impossible to make a permanent connection.  But, still, I try. On Tuesday, I went to Hobo’s Landing to swear in another new angel, as I have done for more than six years.  I can still remember the day I arrived. Mine was not by fate, but by appointment. I took the position as a judge at the fourth district of Rainbow Bridge after becoming the most famous dog attorney in the world.  The change from the mortal world to the immortal one is shocking.  Dogs discard their barks and speak the common tongue. Many of us choose to walk upright, emulating humans. You meet all your parents' dogs who came before you, and every human, dog, cat, or other animals you encountered on the mortal side. When I met Ranger this week, I knew this little black and white baby would have been a close friend o