Tails From Rainbow Bridge Baron's Great Escape

I had found a sunny spot in my yard.  I was lying on my side letting the rays heat my hair when I felt a cold nose on mine.  I looked up to see one of my oldest friends, Baron nuzzling me.

Baron was one of my first friends to ascend to the Bridge.  He has been here, away from Mama Monica, for years.  In that time he has investigated every possible means to get back to her.  “Foley, wake up, I have figured it out.”

It was not unusual for Baron to say this.  He always thought he had if figured out until he tried it.  I was ready to ignore him.  “Foley, I am serious this time.  You know how birds can fly from the Bridge to the mortal world?”

“Yes, and I remember when you tried to fly back to your mom and crashed into the river,” I said with my eyes shut.

“We can use the birds to get back home!”

“You tried riding the birds,” I reminded him.  “Same result, we fished you out of the river.”

He laid down next to me.  “I have been talking to the eagles.  I have recruited hundreds of them.  And I have made ropes using the vines in the jungle and had the small animals help me make a basket.   We get in the basket; the Eagles grab the string with their claws, they fly back out our mom’s house and drop us off.

I sat up.  As foolish plans go, this wasn’t bad.

Baron told me to follow him.  I had to run to keep up with his German Shepherd strides.  We came to a clearing where hundreds of American eagles glided around a basket with an equal amount of ropes tied to it.

Baron put his head down, gently picked me up with his teeth and placed me in the basket.  Then he whistled.  The eagles flew down, picked up the ropes, and lifted us off the ground.

We flew over the mountains, and the meadows, over my house, and finally the River itself.  I grabbed hold of Baron.  “You have done it; we are going home!” I said.  My mom would be so happy to see me.

The only thing Baron has miscalculated was how long it would take.  By the time we saw our houses, the sun had set.  Baron was about to tell the eagles to land the basket in my yard when we began to take incoming fire.  Thousands of rockets were shot at us.  We ducked down in the basket.  “I think we flew into a fireworks show,” Baron shouted.

Curses!  I hate fireworks!

The spooked eagles let go of the ropes, and we fell into the rockets.  Baron and I clung to one another sure we would be exploded.  Then we heard a splash, and the basket began to take on water.

We had ended up in the River again.

We swam out of the water and lay on the bank.  “I think we would have made it if it wasn’t for the fireworks,” Baron said.

“I don’t know,” I said as my heartbeat slowed to normal.  “I think we would always end up back in the river.”

“Yeah,” Baron said.  He stood and shook water off his great coat.  “If I can get the eagles back do you want to try again?”

I smiled at him.  “Of course.  What’s a few fireworks and a dunk in the river when you’re trying to get home to mom.”

Brought to you by your stubborn, persistent angels.  

Tails From Rainbow Bridge: Catching Up With Baron

Five years is a long time.  Many things change over that time.  Countless marriages have collapsed, young lovers have drifted apart, children have become estranged from their parents, but one thing doesn’t change: The love that parents have for their pups that have gone to the Bridge.

Five years ago we lost a giant:  Baron, also known as Bear, the dog so great he had to be named twice.  He was the model of a German Shepherd Dog:  Strong, loyal, handsome and brave.  He lived most of his life pre dog social media but when Baron joined a lost site known as Doggyspace and pups began to dominate the online world we knew we were in the presence of royalty.

Baron was an inspiration the first time we met him.  We knew if we could instill in our parents the love Baron inspired in his Mom we would have accomplished our mission on Earth.  As Baron aged his legs began to bother him and he was the first dog I met who was brave enough to go to acupuncture to keep himself healthy.

By the end Baron no longer had use of his back legs but he still had the spirit to keep moving forward.  But his lungs filled with fluid, his breathing became labored, and, under a great cloud of shared grief Baron passed to the Bridge where he immediately began running like he had when he was a puppy and was assigned a beautiful set of wings.

Meanwhile on the mortal side of the Bridge Baron’s Mom Monica keeps his spirit alive by having Baronfest gatherings at her house where the mortal dogs come together to romp, play, and remember their spiritual leader and friend.  His mortal siblings:  Kaiser and Cheyenne are doing their best to carry on his legacy as the model German Shephard Dog.

At the Bridge Baron has his own Baronfest.  He opens his magnificent home to all dogs.  The walls are lined with television screens where pups can watch over their parents.  If a parent needs help, and the angel pup doesn’t know how to help them, Baron is there with a kind paw and a word of advice.

No one devotes more time to the needs of mortal dogs than Baron.  He spends hours a day running prayer messages up the mountain to the Big Guy for his friends and Mom.  He is now the model of the perfect Angel dog and gives us all something to aspire to, just like his Mom raised him to be.

Cheyenne, Baron and the Baronfest participants are our pups of the week

As all of you know I am a very impressive dog. But I have never had a fest before. I think Foleyfest would be a grand time. But I don’t think I could top a Baronfest.

We all remember Baron (AKA Bear.) If you never had the pleasure then I am sorry, because Bear was a dog’s dog, loyal, true, joyful. His passing shook the dog world like few others. So it is fitting that dogs should trek down to Missouri to celebrate one of the best dogs we have ever met.

Now with Baron at the Bridge he couldn’t host this event. Hosting duties were passed on to his little sister Cheyenne. Cheyenne is very yo,ung, younger than even Pocket so this was a big test for a little girl. But she was like Dick Clark on New Year’s Eve, this weekend it was like she was born to host.

As great a job as Cheyenne did we have to give a shout out to her Mom Monica. She had to do all the organizing and contacting humans. I am sure the dogs could have sniffed out Cheyenne but rarely do humans trust their pups’ sniffers, and, as a decision, that is not very scientifically sound, sniffing out is what we do. So they used the unconventional mail, e-mail, and those GPS things which are nowhere near as good as a warm sniffer and a cool breeze.

But somehow the humans made it to Missouri on Friday for the kick off of Baron Fest. The first to arrive was Rocky and he was given the honor of throwing out the first tennis ball to Cheyenne. Hannah soon joined them and the party had started with lots of butt sniffs and licks. Plus it was time to sniff and give licks to all the wonderful Moms who did the driving to bring everyone together.

Summer, Kady and Sandy soon joined the band. Oh how I wish I had been there, what fun they had. The dogs took joy in romping and playing and the Moms watching couldn’t help but smile. It was the biggest gathering of cyber friends I have ever heard about.

By this time there were so many pups I lost count. I know Ruger went and Daddy stayed home, not sure about Taser. Friday night the Moms were enjoying a wonderful meal prepared by Miss Monica while the dogs romped in the yard. When they went back to their hotels Moms and pups fell into a deep sleep.

While they all slept Baron and his friends at the Bridge planned some fun of their own. Knowing that all German Shepards love tennis balls they planned the biggest tennis ball assault of all. But having no tennis balls they turned to the next best thing. Tennis ball sized hail rained down from the heavens in tribute to Bear’ for what would a Baronfest be without tennis balls?

In their over exuberance with the tennis hail they almost killed all the participants of Baronfest but they meant well. And folks from other parts of the country, who were not used to tornado alley, got a little keepsake to take with them showing off their tennis hail from Rainbow Bridge. Miss Monica swears that she will not hold Baronfest in April again but no matter what I bet the Bear will let his presence be known again. So this is for Baron, Cheyenne and their Mom and for all the wonderful dogs who traveled to Baronfest.

Hopefully more of us will be able to get together near one another. I wonder if I can talk Mom into a Foleyfest?

(And while we are on the subject of German Shepards wanted everyone to know that Pokey’s and Maggie’s Mom, and our Mom, had a brief Human Space exchange of comments with Erin’s Mom Donna.
She is still going through hard times but she is physically well.
Maybe next year she will be at Baronfest too.)

Baron (Bear) and Freddy are our January 9, 2011

Two of our dogs went to their forever homes this week.  After a long journey Freddy finally made it to Steve and Tommy's house, and our sweet friend Baron the Bear (the dog so nice they had to name him twice) went to his forever home at Rainbow Bridge to join his friends and wait for the rest of us and his beloved Mom.

Both trips required flying.  Freddy flew on pet airlines.  Bear grew wings and flew to the path that led to Rainbow Bridge.  Freddy flew in a crate, looking down at the friends he flew over, giving out a "HAROOO I am going home" bark that could barely be heard over the plane's engines.  Bear used his wings to fly, stopping by to softly lick the tears from his Mom's face, something she barely felt, before flying off to the Bridge.

It took a tremendous amount of hard work and cooperation between a great group of TB and DS Moms and Dads to get Freddy to her home.  It took the incredible will of Bear's loving Mom Monica to delay his flight to the Bridge for as long as possible.  Bear's body had given out a year ago,  but his heart, that strong heart of his, would not quit.  It was super powered because like all soul mates, his heart, and his Mom's heart beat as one.

There were many obstacles to get Freddy to her home.  There were people to be lined up to foster her, to drive her from home to home.  The forces of nature even tried to interfere with her trip by throwing a blizzard in her way but that could not deter the people determined to get her home.  It took his Mom, doctors, and all sorts of pills to keep Bear with us.  He even got wheels to help him move around.  There wasn't a single obstacle too great to keep Freddy from reaching her forever home and help Bear postponing his trip away from his Mom.

This week Bear's trip home to the bridge and Freddy's trip to her home with Tommy Tunes had began to unfold on parallel lines.   On Wednesday both Freddy and Bear began to make arrangement for their long, final trips.  Freddy got on her plane and went on her chartered flight home.  As the DS sand Tanner Brigade communities began to celebrate sad news began to arise from the North.

Our good friend Bear, who had been sick so many times before, had a good night that Wednesday, but while Steve and Tommy were picking up Freddy at the airport, Bear began to have labored breathing, and needed a vet visit.

As Freddy was walking into her new, loving home, Bear was  having labored breathing and a temperature of 104.

On Friday as Freddy was moving all her personal effects into her new home, arranging her room, and hanging her picture of her Mom Gina, Bear was at the vets, where they found that he had pneumonia, a serious diagnosis for older dogs.

Maybe, just maybe, Bear stayed to make sure Freddy got to her new home before he decided to grow wings.  If no one else could find a set of wheels to get Freddy there Bear's back leg wheels would do the trick.  When he was sure they weren't needed he decided it was time.

And I do believe Bear knew it was time.  His Mom took him to the vet.  He got some antibiotics and his fever broke but he didn't respond well.  His breathing was still labored.  His mind drifted down to Florida where Freddy was running freely and he remembered the days when he could do that.  Freddy was safe, and his Mom was now there.  He looked up in her eyes and she knew it was time to let him go.

Now understand Bear was no ordinary dog.  Loyal, strong, loving, friendly, compassionate, admired by all who saw him or read about him.  His passing to the bridge left a huge whole in the dog world.   There is no replacing Baron Bear.

Before going to the bridge he stopped by Florida, ran up behind Freddy and gave her a friendly pull on the ear.  Then Bear soared to the Bridge, and rumor is, for the first day, all he did is run, run like he was a pup.

Two dogs, one with a story that fills our hearts with joy, the other with sorrow.  One entering his forever home on Earth, one leaving his Earthly home for his forever life in the next life.  One parent laughing at the joy a new dog brings, another heartbroken at the pain an old dog passing leaves.

It is a short history of humans lives with dogs.  The excitement of a new pup, the compassion and love they inspire during their lives, and the heartache when they go.

So here is to our Pups of the Week Baron Bear and Freddy.  Long may they both run.

Baron also known as Bear is our September 19, 2010 pup of the week

One thing us dogs can agree on, we do not like to be pricked. Pricked, prodded, probed, pinched, punched: we try to avoid all of these activities. But our Pup of the Week, Baron, also known as Bear, is getting pricked for all of us,

Our poor Bear has developed some mobility problems with the onset of his Senior years. It's sad for Mommies to see us when we're no longer kids, jumping, running, humping (OK maybe not that one.) Most dogtors say there isn't much they can do about it. You can't stop time.

But not Bear's Mom and not her Dogtor. They came up with a brilliant idea to use an Asian method of healing for our boy. When I first heard of it I was scared to death for him. All I could remember was the old episodes of M*A*S*H I was made to watch and how the people joked about the Asians eating dog.

But Daddy told me they don't do that. Anymore. (Anymore?) He also told me that Mommy used to go the an Acupuncturist. I didn't believe that for a second. I have been sleeping with them for ten years and Mommy doesn't like to be probed, prodded, or pricked by anyone.

I asked Mommy and she said it was true, but it hadn't given her the relief from the back pain she had hoped. But she told me if it was helping Bear then I shouldn't judge. But gosh, that's what I do best.

So I checked in on Bear and he told me he wasn't afraid of those needles at all. He said his Mommy had promised that it would help him walk better and he trusted her with his life. So he didn't have a second of fear facing the needles.

I admire that attitude. I love my Mommy, but, when she puts me up there to have my anal glands squeezed I'm thinking she's putting me in the hands of someone who is going to pinch my butt hard.

Bear is doing this so he can walk again. He has been so brave in facing his mobility issues. He believed he would walk again, his Mom believed he would walk again, and they would never give up that belief. Plus they have proven to all of us skeptics, who might believe that acupuncture on a pup was silly, that, not only is it sensible, but someday his example may cure what ever ailments of being a Senior dog are thrust upon us.

So here is to Bear, our Pup of the Week: The dog who said "I have a dream;" the dog who said "as God as my witness I will walk again;" the dog who said "Stick me baby, I'm man enough to take it," the dog who said "I am Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die."

Here's to Bear: The pup we all want to be when we grow up