Tails from Rainbow Bridge: Max and Tupper Find a Macy

I had not seen my friends Max and Tupper running in the mountains nor playing by the river nor eating popcorn at Tommy’s nor ice cream at Otie’s for days.  Their seclusion concerned me.  I needed to investigate.

I knocked on their door, but no one answered.  I could hear movement inside. I opened the door.  Their house was a mess.  There were papers and folders strewn across the floor.  On a bed on the far side of their house, Max and Tupper slept snuggled together.

I softly called their names.  The both leaped out of bed. 
 
“Foley!” Tupper said.  “Sorry about the mess, we have been very busy.  We have been interviewing dogs.  Mom finally decided to get a new family member.  We had to find the perfect dog.” 

Max got down on the floor.  He began moving papers around with his paws.  Printed on the paper were descriptions of dogs.  Tupper and Max had scribbled notes on the reports.  Max found the paper he was looking for and pushed it towards Tupper.

“Macy!” he said, showing me the report.  “This is the dog we decided was best for Mom.  She is a rescue.  Her first mom had dementia and was forced to surrender Macy.  We think she is perfect.”

“How many dogs did you interview?” I asked.

“Eight thousand,” Tupper responded, yawning.

“Eight thousand dogs?” I asked stunned.

“Yes,” Max said.  “We wanted to do more, but Mom was getting anxious for a pup.”

“And how long did you interview them?” I asked.

“Six hours,” Tupper said.

“Six hours?  Eight thousand dogs?” My eyes were bugging out of my head.  “That’s,” I tried to do the math and gave up.  “A long time.”

“Well, we are here for eternity,” Tupper reminded me.

“You must have interviewed that many dogs when you found River,” Max said.

Sure.  I had interviewed Eight…..Teen.  Maybe.  I meekly nodded.  “I am glad you found the right one,” I said.

Max sighed.  “I hope so.  Do you think there could be a better dog out there?” he asked Tupper.
A look of concern crossed Tupper’s face. “You’re right.  Maybe there is another dog.  Hop into Mom’s dreams.  We need to keep looking.”

I hopped between them.  “Boys!” I said holding up my paws.  “You have done your job.  You have gone above and beyond your duty.”  I picked up Macy’s picture.  “Look at her.  She is beautiful.  And she is going to make your mom happy.”

They grumbled.

“I have this friend,” I told them.  “His name is Michelangelo.”

“The turtle?” Max asked.

“No, the painter.  He painted the Sistine Chapel.  It is considered one of the greatest works of art ever.  He told me he looks at it and wishes he had done something different.  I think you have found the Sistine Chapel of dogs.  So relax.  You have found a masterpiece.”

Tupper put his paw on my shoulder and thanked me for my kind words.

“But how hard is it to paint a Chapel?” Max asked.  Before they began looking for more dogs for their mom Tommy and Otis, also worried about our friends, appeared with popcorn and ice cream.  They kept the brothers occupied long enough for their mom to bring Macy home where Macy is building a brand new chapel in her mom’s heart.

So please relax, Max and Tupper.  You did a great job.  Your mom knows how much you helped her, and Macy will be a great dog.

Now have some more ice cream my friends.  You deserve it.

Minnie is our November 15, 2015 Pup of the Week

Being an angel can be an exercise in frustration.  Most of the time all we can do is watch over our loved ones, carry prayers up the mountain to the Big Guy for them, and fret.  But occasionally we are able to directly help.

Which brings me to Minnie and her angels Max and Tupper.  Minnie has had a terrible month.  She developed a very itchy rash that would not respond to any treatment.   Antibiotic pills, salves, nothing her regular vet gave her worked.  Her Mom decided, after more than two weeks of Minnie suffering, to try a holistic approach.  

Minnie’s Mom changed her diet to home made which she hoped would help cure Minnie of her terrible rash (and Minnie’s brother Boris was the happy co-recipient of the home cooked meals.)  Making the food took their Mom a long time and cost more than then kibble but she is a Mom who would do anything for her sweet babies  

But, like all other attempts, the new diet did not work either.  The disease spread into her ears and all down her undercarriage.  He prescribed a new antibiotic a new ear medicine, a new pill, and most scary of all the “B” word that scares all parents and pups very much.  .There was also the possibility Minnie had an autoimmune disease called Canine Pemphigus.  It is a group of autoimmune skin diseases involving ulceration, crusting of the skin and fluid filled sacs.  The treatment for this would be very expensive and would take years of follow up appointments.      

During all of this Max and Tupper could only watch from above.  They carried thousands of prayers to the Big Guy for their sister but they were in as much in the dark as we were.  Us angels like to think we can control things but mostly all we can do it try to provide comfort .

But on Friday something very bad and scary happened and the only reason it had a good outcome was because Max and Tupper were able to intervene.  Even after her biopsy, with stitches in three places, one quite delicate, Minnie, a beagle, insisted on going for a good stroll and sniff on the walking trails behind her house.  Having been cooped up Minnie was rearing to go and since she is a good girl who always comes when called she was not leashed.  But on this day she did not come.  

Minnie’s Mom repeatedly gave her “come” call but there was no sign of Minnie.  It soon turned pitch black and her Mom was begging God for mercy and help while crying and continuing with her “come call.”   She called her sister and her nephews to help in the search.  The boys began calling Minnie’s name and they heard a bark in the woods.  They followed it and found Minnie’s horrible fate.  Her leg was caught in a hunting trap.

Minnie’s Mom, because of physical issues, could not get to Minne.  She tried 911, and the DNR, but it was Minnie’s Dad and her uncle who got there first.  Minnie’s Dad saw her back leg was caught in the trap.  There were pins on either side of her leg and he pushed them in and pulled her foot out of the trap.  From there Minnie was taken to the emergency vet and miraculously there were no broken or crushed bones.  There was just some swelling and Minnie was given medication.   She needs prayers for her recovery from being trapped and for her rash.

But that’s just the part of the story her Mom knows.

Max and Tupper were watching over Minnie when she got her leg trapped.  They flew down to Minnie and told her to lie very still.  They cuddled up with her and told her that everything would be all right.  Minnie wanted to struggle and get free but Tupper said she would hurt herself more.  The two angels made rustling noises so the nephews could find Minnie and they told her not to struggle when she saw friendly faces.  The made sure she did not move when her leg was removed from the trap, and kept her calm through all the xrays and tests that came afterwards.  They stayed with her right up until the time she got drugged up and no longer needed to be kept calm.

So, when you are giving thanks to the heavens for Millie being safe don’t forget to thank Tupper and Max.  It isn’t often us angels get to help out directly.  I know Tupper and Max are very proud of their work.

And they hope they never have to do it again.

Ask Aunt Foley: From Max - Update on an elevator at the Bridge

Dear Aunt Foley:  Why are there so many stairs leading from Rainbow Bridge to where we reside.  Why can’t there be an elevator or an escalator?  Angel Max

Dear Angel Max:  I received this question several days ago and responded to it immediately   I thought it was a capitol idea.  In fact, when I first arrived at the Bridge I was met at the top of the stairs by Max’s Aunt Ladybug.  I always assumed the stairs were her idea and was too polite to tell her the climb was exhausting.  But, after Max’s, query I asked Ladybug and she said she did not know why the stairs were there either.

We formed a committee including our mortal friend Hobo Hudson and drew up several designs for a luxury elevator to lift newly arrive angels to the top of the Bridge in style with treats and drinks.  I designed an elevator that was like Willy Wonka’s and could fly over the Bridge so the newly arriving angels could see everything. (Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka, not Johnny Depp’s.  There is nothing here based on Johnny Depp.)

I flew the ideas up the mountain to the Big Guy.  I told him about our concerns and showed him our plans.  He glanced at them and then went back to writing in the big book he is always working on.

“What do you think?” I asked.

“The stairs have always been there and they always will be.  It is written,” he said as he kept writing.

“Where is it written?” I asked.

“In this book,” he explained.  “This is where everything is written and once I write it it is written.”

“But you are continually writing in the book, which means the book can be modified.  Surely you can make a modification for a simple elevator.”

He put down his pen.   “I record what has happened, hot what will happen.  I have given all my creatures free will.  My creations can change the book, and then I write it down and it is written.  If some of my beings were to build an elevator, and I liked it, I would write it down in this book, and it would be written.”

“So we can build the elevator?”

“As I said, you have free will.  You can do what you like.”

“And if you don’t like it?”

“I will hit it with a lightening bolt and destroy it,” he said, then he picked up his quill and began writing again, a sure sign I had been dismissed.

So Max let’s get started on that elevator.  And when it is done it will either be written and become part of the book or will be smoted and then we can get marshmallows and toast them then get back to the drawing board.

Thanks for reminding us that we all have the free will to change the book if we are strong enough to stand up and ask “why not?”

For more Ask Aunt Foley click HERE 

 

Max is our March 22 2015 Pup of the week

Some long time readers may have heard me tell tale of Daddy’s Aunt Bev.  When Mommy and Daddy were first married Daddy wanted a dog.  Mommy was reluctant.  One Saturday afternoon Mommy mentioned she might like a small dog.  Daddy knew his Aunt Bev had small dogs her whole life, and knew Mommy respected Aunt Bev’s opinion a great deal, so he hurried Mommy over to the house Aunt Bev shared with Uncle Bob.  Aunt Bev explained to Mom how wonderful a little dog could be, and that they were virtually no work.  Yes, she lied.  But she did so because she knew her nephew wanted a dog and that Mommy would be a great dog lover, and she was right.Aunt Bev and Uncle Bob    no longer had a dog.  They were at an age when they knew the dog would outlive them, and they were right.  But we will always owe our lives and happiness to Aunt Bev and Uncle Bob and they have a special spot here on the immortal side of the River of Life.

Angel Ladybug, and our newest angel Max have parents who remind me of our Aunt Bev and Uncle Bob very much:  They are kind, generous people in their golden years who have always had a place in their hearts for wonderful dogs.

Because of this profound faith Ladybug, after crossing the River of Life, was awarded with the job of fitting the new angels with their wings and teaching them how to fly.  Meanwhile her parents were not looking for a new dog, but a series of unfortunate events caused their daughter to move in with them, and when she moved in her dog Max came with her.

Max’s grandparents fell in love with this sweet, caring, low key, little gentleman.  Their home was filled with a dog’s heartbeat once again, and that sound made their home come alive.  When their daughter was ready to move out but had to leave Max behind she knew that Max was in the best of hands.

Max didn’t just bring a calm demeanor and deep loving eyes, he brought a sense of joy and comfort.  No matter how many times the bad news rolled in there was Max, telling his grandparents it would be all right.  While the scars of Ladybug’s passing were still there Max eased their pain as all new dogs do.

But what happens when the dog who healed the scars crosses the River of Life too?   That happened this week.  Sweet Max quickly took ill, and before the thought of losing him could be properly digested by his grandparents he was gone.

When he arrived Max was treated like a prince.  I did my duties, and passed him off to Ladybug who took him into her loving wings  She told him he could have anything he wanted.  He was at the place where all wishes come true.  But all Max wanted was a place in the sun to be warm and at peace.  And so many young pups, who never knew calm, peace, and love, joined him each day, snuggling with him and enjoying his greatest gift, the gift of love.

On Sunday morning Max joined Ladybug at the Cathedral and sat dutifully at her right paw as she told young pups and old how faith, love and belief had brought us all here, and how it will sustain us until the day that we are with our human families again.

As for Max’s grandparents who are once again going through one of life’s most painful losses, they know they are lucky, even if they don’t feel it right now, because they can hear Ladybug’s preaching, and feel Max’s presence through their strong faith, and when that presence reaches across the River of Life to touch the souls on the other side it eases the wicked pain..

I do hope that faith helps Max and Ladybug’s parents.  And if it does I hope more of our parents find it.  

January 11, 2015 Pup of the week: Prayers Needed

          I have only one New Year’s resolution for 2015.  Unfortunately it is one I have no control over:  I want to do less swearing in of friends who crossed over the River of Life this year than I did last year.  But I have been inundated with prayers for pups and parents in the first ten days of this year and the only way to make my resolution a reality is to get even more prayers.  I would gladly spend all day flying prayers up to the Big Guy if I didn’t have to swear in any pups or parents this year.  So what we need is prayers.  Lots and lots of prayers.  Especially for the following pups and parents.

          I don’t know how many of my DS friends remember Jake the Shih Tzu.  He has not been very active on the site lately but his Mom is a good friend of ours on The Facebook.  She recently took sick and the doctors began to run all sorts of tests on her and the results were very troubling.  She has a tumor on her spine and is starting chemotherapy.  She has a very long and difficult road in front of her and is going to need every single prayer and good thought so please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.  Just as a parent should never outlive a child a dog should never outlive a parent.  If you would like to send her a card you can send Bentley or Pokey a PM for the address. 

          Speaking of Pokey he is going to be 14 this year and he is slowing down like all older dogs do and needs some prayers to keep the old legs and heart pumping.  And his Mom has had more healthy problems than the population of a small Polynesian island.  Back problems, arm problems, leg problems.  If it supports weight and bends it is causing her pain.  Please says prayers for many more healthy days for Pokey and for his Mom’s pain to ease so she can live the normal life that has eluded her for so long.

          We have been asking for prayers for Nigel for some time now as he still is suffering from a bad heart so please keep them going.  This past week his Dad David spent several days in the hospital with terrible back pain and a high fever that baffled his doctors.  Nigel’s poor Mom was nurse maid to her husband then running home to be nurse maid to Nigel.  As of this writing Nigel’s Dad is back home.  The doctors have determined he has a viral infection of unknown origin and both he and Nigel need some prayers to get, and stay healthy.

          Another pup with heart problems is Paco our friend from Italy.  Each time he goes to the vet we receive news that his heart is growing weaker.  But Paco is a fighter who desperately wants to stay with his Mom, especially at this time when her own Mom is very ill and needs our prayers.  So please included sweet Paco and his Grandmom in your prayers.

          Our friend Max’s grandmom needs some prayers for good health too.  Some of you may remember her as Ladybug’s Mom.  We aren’t sure of her specific medical issues but we know they are serious and any help she can get will be greatly appreciated.

          Our friends Chelsea and Ashton’s Mom took a fall on the stairs this week.  She is from Texas and as you know everything is bigger in Texas so it must have been a bad fall.  Please send prayers her way.   

          Our good friend, the Triple T’s Mom, Aunt Linda, is trying to take positive steps to improve her health by stopping smoking.  This is one of the most difficult tests a human can undergo.  She’s determined to make it but she is going to need lots of positive prayers and pup energy.

          Also needing prayers is Daisy Mae’s Mom who is currently quite sick and is on oxygen.  We don’t know the specifics of her disease but know that she too needs all the prayers and positing pup energy she can get to get over this illness.

          And we still have plenty of pups in need of prayer whose parents are healthy, but very worried about their beloved babies including Smoochy, who is still suffering from MRSA and now has an ear infection, MacDougal and Ju Ju who are still undergoing tests and Sandy who is recovering from a stroke.  I am looking for lots of prayers for all of them.

          Please keep the prayers coming in.  I would rather be flying prayers up the mountain for 1,000 dogs and humans than swear in a new member of the Bridge.

Boris, Minnie, Angels Max and Tupper are our December 14, 2014 Pups of the Week

Thank the Big Guy it was a quiet week here at Rainbow Bridge.  I did have to do a lot of flying up to the mountaintop to deliver prayers for friends including Smoochy, Sandy, Aran, Ju Ju and many more.  But we don’t mind delivering prayers.  Prayers are a sliver of hope and when you build enough slivers you can move a mountain.

Two dogs who flew prayers up the mountain with me were my two good friends Tupper and Max.  They were members of the same pack who came to the Bridge very close together this fall.  Their dual parting left their Mom crushed and no one would have blamed her if she decided to spend this Christmas hiding under the covers.

But that is not the way that Tupper and Max’s Mom operates, and if she had given in to the, intense pain that came with losing two heart dogs in the same year their siblings on the mortal side, Minnie and Boris, would not let their Mom stop spreading her usual Christmas cheer.

As Benjamin and I discussed last week humans are the most resilient species on the planet and they have solved the mystery of how you live broken hearted.  They are much better than us dogs who fall apart if Mom and Dad come home late or dinner is not served on time.

And the Boyz Mom showed that resiliency this year by keeping with a long held tradition of going to the Michiana Humane Society with donations of dog and cat food and supplies for the homeless pups at Christmas, plus blankets.  I am so proud of her for doing this because making Christmas special for homeless dog is a cause that is very important to me.

She posted that she could feel Max and Tupper with her and I can verify that she was correct.  The two flew down to be with her and see the happy expressions on the shelter dog’s faces when they realized they were loved this Christmas too.  And their Mom decided to forgo spending money on humans this year and spend it on dogs stuck in shelters waiting for their forever home.

You see Max, Tupper, Boris and Minnie’s Mom is really Mrs. Santa Claus.

I stole the picture on the top of this blog from her Facebook page.  She is standing outside of the shelter with Boris and Minnie, and, if you catch it just right during the sunset you can see Max and Tupper beside them.  

I wanted to personally thank The Boys’ Mom for providing a wonderful Christmas for those dogs who need it the most.  We are wishing her the Merriest Christmas ever

We know it won’t be without Max and Tupper, but you are resilient Aunt Pam so anything is possible.

Max and Raider are our August 24, 2014 Pups of the Week

I knew this day was coming.  As I have written before all dogs have only so many heartbeats, and they are never enough.  I knew Max’s song was ending soon.  His brother’s arrival two weeks before was a terrible shock but Max….well,  he was expected.

And now he was coming.  When I got to the top of the stairway leading from the Bridge his brother Tupper was already there.  He silently nodded at me.  He was being a good angel, observing proper protocol, but I promptly broke it, gave him a hug, and licked a tear from beneath his eye.  

Max waited to be sworn in, which I did quickly, and then he had Tupper hugged.

“How is Mommy?” Tupper asked.  Max just sadly shook his head.  They hugged again and there were more tears than even my curved tongue could clean.  They let go of one another and Max asked what was expected of him next.  There were wings to be fitted, a cloud to be found, the reams of unnecessary paper work to be filled out, but that could wait.  I motioned them over to a tree so we could sit and talk.

“You’re passing was so hard on Mom,” Max said.  “I don’t know if she will survive my passing.”

“She will,” I assured them. “I have sworn in thousands of dogs who have left heartbroken Moms behind, and all those Moms have recovered, including my own.”

“But the two of us so close together,” Tupper said shaking his yellow head.

“It wasn’t fair,” Max agreed.  We sat in silence for a minute then Max asked “Why do you think they do it?”

“Do what?” I asked Max.

“Let us dogs live with them.  When we pass over we cause them so much misery.”

I thought this over.  “But when we live with them we bring them such joy.”

“But is it enough joy to make up for how much hurt we cause when we go?” Tupper asked.

I thought about this some more.  “I think we are like the dutch boy with his finger in the dyke,” I said.

“The who with his what in a where?: Tupper asked.

“There is a story about the dutch boy who saw a hole in the dyke.  The dyke was filled with water.  If the hole wasn’t fixed the town would flood.  So he put his finger in the dyke stopping the flood.  Us dogs, we are the finger, and the water, that’s all the pain and suffering in the world, and our Moms are the town, and when we are gone all that pain and suffering overwhelms them.”

The brothers thought this over.  “Or like in the Catcher in the Rye.  You know how Holden wanted to catch the kids before they fell off the ledge.  We are like that with our Moms,” Max said.

Max was surprisingly well read.

“We live too short a life,” Tupper said.

“Or humans live too long” I said. “They live about 24 more years than they did 100 years ago, that’s like three more lost dogs.”

“That’s a lot of suffering,” Max said

We heard the sound of a dog clearing his throat and looked over to see Raider standing there.

“Jesus Christ!” I said, stunned.  Then realized my mistake and said “No, no  Jesus Christ, not paging Jesus Christ.  Cancelling the page.”

We ran over to Raider who told us that his human form could no longer sustain him on the mortal side of life and his mother helped him to cross the Bridge.  After being sworn in he joined our conversation.

“I don’t think my Mom would change having my in her life for anything,” Raider said.  “I know how much she loved me and I felt terrible when I left her.  We were both sobbing. Plus your Moms were lucky, they had other dogs, my Mom is all alone.”

We sadly thought about this.  There is nothing worse than being a dogless Mom. I suggested we go down to the River of Life.  When we got there Raider caught his Mom in a wave and he pawed at her, then lay down on the grass and let out a soft whimper.

I sighed. “I went to see this play,” I said.  “It was by some guy named Shakespeare.  He is writing plays for dogs now.  He says they are much easier to work with than humans.  In the play he said it is better to have love and lost a dog than to never have loved a dog before.  I think he’s right.”

“So what can we do to help our Moms?” Raider asked.

“We can’t fix their broken hearts,” I, the most experienced said.  “I don’t know if you were alive on September 11, 2001 but bad men knocked down two big buildings in New York.  Those big buildings, like our Mom’s heart, could never be replaced, but they built a great big strong building where it once was.  When your Mom is ready, you will help her find a new dog.  It won’t help replace the destroyed building that is your Mom’s heart, but the new dog will help her build a new strong building there.  People admire the new building, but never forget the old.”

They all nodded.  “I hope that day comes soon for my Mom,” Raider said.  “I hate her being alone.”

I gave him a pat on his head.  “She will.  She is a wonderful dog Mom.  One of the best.  And there are so many dogs out there who need a good home.  When she’s ready you will connect them, and they will start to rebuild their new tower of love.  Then some day she will join you here but until then there are millions of things to do here, so many things you can’t even imagine, and you will love all of them.”

“Why are there so many things?” Max asked.

“To keep us from thinking about how much we miss our [parents.”  All three dogs nodded, then Tupper took Max with him to show him their new cloud and meet some old friends.  Radar, who I befriended the first day I joined Doggyspace, stayed near me.  Even though he was a New York dog he was a big Red Sox fan and he asked me, since we were angels, if we could fix them.

“I think so,” I said to him as we walked into the perpetually setting sun.

“How about the Raiders?” he inquired about the team he was named for.

“We’re Angels,” I told him, “not miracle workers.”

And together we slowly left the grass and walked in the air towards the sun.

Pokey, Max and Jake are our November 18, 2012 Pups of the Week

It is Thanksgiving week and one of the things that I am very thankful for is that I have met one of the sweetest dogs, and sweetest owners ever, Pokey and his Mom Laura.  I don’t know a single pup who doesn’t know the name Pokey Lunn.  He is a sweet friend, a gentleman, and a kind soul.

Everyone know his Mom Miss Laura who has devoted her life to saving dogs even though she had to have several operations after one of the dogs she rescued, tormented by memories of past owners, turned on her and ripped her arm open.  Such a tragedy only redoubled Miss Laura’s efforts to adopt another dog, and give time to transport dogs to new homes.  She recently gave a home to another rescue, Toby, and helped heal him through a bad case of heartworm (he is not totally in the clear, so if he have extra prayers, please send some his way.)

In the past two weeks we learned very distressing news.  Pokey began coughing and his Mom hurried him to the vet.  He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.  This sent a tremor throughout the dog world.  Pokey is the loyal glue that holds us together.  Everyone who has met him in person or online loves him.  The prayer brigade began in earnest.

Pokey had an appointment with a specialist last week so his Mom would have a better idea what was going on inside of him but what was going on inside of the dogtor was even more important because he had his appendix burst and couldn’t see Pokey pushing the appointment to next week.  Pokey, as he always does, took this in stride, but his Mom is very nervous worrying about her baby.  It is going to be a hard Thanksgiving for her this year so she when we give thanks this week let’s also give prayers for one of the best dogs and one of the best pup Moms in the world.

We are also in need of prayers for our friend Max, brother to Tupper and Boris Karloff.  Through the human networks we learned that Max was both throwing up and had diarrhea.  We did not like the sound of this at all.  We prayed it was just allergies.  What the dogtor found was not good news.  Max had a large mass that was growing in his throat and closing off his trachea.  The news just devastated his family.  The dogtor told his Mom it didn’t look good.  But like Pokey Max took everything in stride.  They are both cool dudes.

Max went in for a procedure on Friday morning.  He has the mass removed.   He ended up with a big mean incision.  He has bounced back like a champ but his family has to spend Thanksgiving praying for good results, and like Pokey they will have a very uncertain Turkey Day, so let’s mention Max in our prayers too.

Finally, and sadly, prayers are needed for Star’s brother Jake, who will be spending his last Thanksgiving with his family.  Star misses her little brother, and he hasn’t been feeling well, so after this Thanksgiving they will be sending him to be with Star.  It is going to be very hard on their parents losing two beloved pets so close together so prayers for Godspeed to Jake on his trip to the Bridge and to heal his Mom’s already broken heart.

And the rest of us should be thankful for our health and our wonderful families.

Max is our June 24, 2012 Pup of the Week

I always get sad when my friends go to the Bridge.  I feel bad for them, knowing they will miss their humans, and their friends, and I feel bad for me.  Because when friends go to the Bridge it can be too painful for their Moms or Dads to revisit their page and talk with their friends, so we lose contact with the entire family.  So I am always excited when the parents who lost their pup are chosen by a new one.

One of my best friend was sweet Ladybug.  When she was taken away from me to the Bridge I lost contact with her and her family and this made me very sad.  Ladybug’s parents never did get a new pup but they did have one thrust upon them when their human daughter moved in with them with a pup named Max.

Max soon started social networking and what a fine chap he turned out to be  Not only did we get to meet Max but we began to hear from Ladybug as well, and, when Mollie went to the Bridge Ladybug left the most lovely post.  You can read it here.

“Keep coming Mollie... I know the steps are sooooooo LONG TO THE RAINBOW BRIDGE... I made them with a little help from a friend.... There... didn't I tell you.... now look at you... WOW.... the guys up here will go crazy for you... and let me tell ya... I know.....Here.. let me help you that last step... Oh Mollie... Please don't feel bad... I know... I cried too... I hated to leave my Mom & Dad.... It was so hard...... Here..... take my paw and I will show you around... Mollie looks around with awe!!!! " I didn't realize that it would be so beautiful".. Oh my Gosh, she explains... and look at all the lakes, rainbows and mountains.....Hey I think I know some of my friends here.... Mollie waves.... and everyone looks and waves back.. they are so happy she made it up those LONG STEPS..... but they know how sad... the many tears and the heartache that has been left at her earthly home and so many friends there...Angel Ladybug is showing her to where there has been a wonderful feast for her arrival.... She tells Mollie that she will be stuffed when leaving the buffet this evening.... Oh... and I must tell you Mollie... I will be the one to teach you how to fly with your new wings..... They trot together down Rainbow Ave. to where Mollie will be fitted with her beautiful wings this evening... Lets see... Ladybug exclaims.. we have to get just the right fit..... "WINGS for US" is the best store to be fitted.... but some of Ladybugs friends roll their eye's as to whether or not SHE is the Best one to teach Mollie how to fly....Ladybug assures her that all will be well and that when she tells her to turn RIGHT... well...... sometimes she means LEFT!!!!

ANGEL LADYBUG knows how much Mollie is missing her Mom & Dad..... But they trot off down the street after she has been fitted for the LOVELY WINGS, meeting many that have gone before her.. they greet each other with much wagging of tails and sniffing of noses... and in the air.... is the fine smell of "Roast something or another" and Mollie knows that she is at THE RAINBOW BRIDGE where there is LOVE, BELLY RUBS, PATS on her head and she is healthy again... and there is LOVE IN THE AIR TOO....”

Now Max has problems with his boy’s bits.  When he peed. like Lebron James, he would both dribble and lick himself.  I guess this is quite a concern for boys.  Max was also giving clues that his pepe hurt, like pointing at it with his paw and saying OHHHH  MY PEPE HURTS.  His grandmom called the doctor who said Max should be seen right away and they scheduled him for the next morning.  

When he got to the vet they flipped him over like a carp ready to be gutted and there was a small red marble thingy on top of the red rocket.  The vet talked to Max’s grandmom like Max wasn’t even in the room.   I hate when humans do that.  Hello.  
We’re right here.  They said this little marble thing had to be removed from his most precious boy parts and sent it away for someone to analyze it.

Then they stuck a catheter into him.   Those are actually called Foley catheters.  I invented them a joke to stick it, literally, to our Daddies.  I never thought my evil genius would come back to hound my friends, hounds and non.  So sorry about that one big guy.  I guess that’s one on me, and on you.

On Friday the doctors removed the one on him.  In the morning Max was brought into the vet with his stuffed hedgehog.  I used to have a stuffed hedgehog.  To get me to play with it my parents would move it around the ground going ho hedgehog, ho hedgehog, ho hedgehog, ho.  I am in therapy.  But at least therapy is better than someone poking in our privates.  

Max’s only company was a Spanish pup who told Max that he would not feel anything until he woke up, which was not the most comforting words, because who feels things in their sleep?    

Max came through the surgery fine.   He was sent home with the cone of shame but his Grandmom took it off to help him rest.   His friends sent get better messages and a very welcome message about an inflatable cone of shame.

Now we all  must gather together and pray that the doctors come back with our favorite bingo call “B9.”  If not then there will be more tests and more operations and more who knows what.  We are due some good news and let’s hope that the good news finds it way to sweet Max.  Having just got back in touch with Ladybug, Max, and their wonderful parents I would hate for there to be radio silence again.

As you can tell from Ladybug’s comments their typists certainly know how to write what is in the heart of a pup.  We love you Ladybug, and we love Max, and we don’t ever want to lose touch with you again.  So let’s all pray that your test come back B9.

And I promise I will never stick anything up your man parts again.

Erin and Max are our February 26, 2012 pups of the week

We recognize two pups this week.  Two pups who will probably never read this.  Two pups whose Moms won’t be able to read this either.  If a pup of week is recognized in a forest and they aren’t there for the ceremony do they know it?  Doesn’t matter.  When it comes to pups of the week I go by my heart.  

One of these pups you have never (excepting one.)  The other you know well but haven’t seen in a long time.  And I owe tracking them down to the intrepid Hobo Hudson.  If you are unfamiliar with his wonderful writings you can read them here, and his Mom’s columns here.  Both are very informative.

While Hobo is as good a dog who has ever barked a tree we are here to thank him, not to honor him.

The first is the dog we have never met.  His name is Max.  He doesn’t have a computer profile anywhere.  He is Interneterlly homeless.  But when it comes to real homes he is very lucky.  His name is Max and he is the brother of one of our most beloved Bridge friends:  Ladybug.  Since Ladybug went to the Bridge we haven’t heard much from her.  But sometimes these sites are too painful to come to for our Moms after we go to the Bridge.



But Max’s Mom hasn’t been able to get on the computer.  She has had family problems, and she has had bad arthritis.  The kind that keeps are Mom’s off the computer.  The kind that keeps her from all the friends she has made in the social dog world.   I can’t imagine how sad that would make both my Mom and me.  To know that all our friends are just on the other side of that keyboard but not being able to get to them.  My Mommy has bad arthritis in her legs and back.  It hasn’t reached her hands yet.  Sometimes the Bridge separates us from our friends.  Sometimes it’s the pain of Earth that does.  If Max ever reads this I want him to know that I was Ladybug’s friend and even though we haven’t barked, I am his.

Our second Pup we recognize is well known on The Tanner Brigade, in the blogging world, and for those long time members of DS.  She is a German Shepard called Erin and her mother’s named is Donna.  Together they taught many of the older members of DS, and many other dog  bloggers, the ability to design their own pages.  She showed an enormous amount of patience with us bloggers, who weren’t very smart.


It seems to many of us that there wouldn’t be any dog blogging if it wasn’t for Erin.  It’s like she created the entire medium.  She certainly did a lot to improve our blog pages.  Her Freedom to Bark blog is still up here.

She too, because of physical problems has not been able to be on the computer.  Erin not being on the computer is like Michael Jordan not being able to play basketball.  Like Max’s Mom we miss her friendship and her humor.  And I know it is hell for her not to be able to bark at her good friends.

So this is for Max and Erin and their Mom’s.  You are in our heart always and hopefully you will be on our pages soon.  Until then we will keep praying.