Doggie Heaven VI & VII

From a puppy to a tired mama!

Even though Ginger only had 4 puppies, they

kept her busy! Below Reggie is the brindle.

At 8 weeks, Reggie's siblings had new homes.

I "potty" trained Reggie by placing him on a

pillow. About every three hours when he began

to wiggle, I took him outside and he took care of his

business! This went on for about 6 weeks and thank

goodness the hours began to stretch out longer. For

the almost 11 years I had him, he never had any

accidents in the house!

Time came when Reggie's ears were to be cropped.

His tail had been done at 4 days old. He had

really good ear strength. He never appeared

to know the difference other than the

cardboard that propped his ears up.

There was a whole lot of rough housing

going on between mom and son! However,

when mom was tired of it she let him know

and he knew "playtime" was over!

As Reggie grew, his personality did to. There

was a picture with Ginger's story that showed her

retrieving the newspaper. Reggie did so too. I

happen to not have a picture of him doing so :-(

Reggie and Ginger loved being outside. Once

Reggie got older, we fenced in our property

(even though we were in the woods.)

Reggie loved to chase the squirrels and birds.

He one time was coming up the back woods

road and had something in his mouth. I wasn't

sure until he came close and saw it to be a

rabbit! I was so upset and yelling at him

while pointing to it, that he hung his head.

Dad took it and buried it back in the woods.

He never did it again.

It was at this time that Ginger had difficulty

from an operation she had had. My vet shared

that Boxers have difficulty sometimes with the

anesthesia due to their noses. She had had some

brain damage from it and didn't know where she was,

and fell several times in the pool and didn't know

how to get out. She began to growl at us as though

she didn't know us. She had no motors skills

to climb up or walk backwards to get out of

a corner. It was with heartache that we had

to have her put to sleep due to the brain damage.

I left to work with my Ginger in confusion and

returned home with the emptiness of her absence.

*

Reggie was lost and clung onto dad during

the day when I was gone. He then stayed with me

everywhere I went when I got home.

*

Reggie spent his days outside with dad. Here

they are resting from clearing some of the

property (Reggie is laying in dad's lap.)

Mom was glad Reggie was never one to dig in

her flower beds. Maybe it was because he was

there watching when dad was doing the planting.

He may have and dad might have had something

to do with Reggie learning a lesson in leaving

the flower beds alone! He was a very smart dog

and picked up training very quickly.

Reggie was a big part in my life. He, along with

the guidance canceller's dogs at school were used

to teach the Kindergartners about manners.

(Reggie had been through obedience training.)

We put them in places giving them the stay

and come commands being sure they walked.

They also sat at a table and waited to eat their

treats until we gave them the command.

*

He went just about everywhere I went in the car.

He sat tall in the seat and looked like a great

protector. One time at home, I was walking

down the driveway when a stranger approached

outside the gate. Reggie ran ahead of me and

stopped in my path. In a body position of leaning

forward, tail up, head down, and hair raised

on his back he stared at the person. As soon as

he heard the calm in my voice when I talked

to the person, he let down his protection

mode and approached them with calmness.

Reggie was there for me his entire 10 1/2

years. He was there when dad passed away from

pancreatic cancer. He was there for dad and

stayed with him wherever he went having a

since of dad's body giving in to the cancer.

*

I was going with a group from our church to

Israel. I almost didn't go due to Reggie's

health beginning to depreciate. Mom told

me not to worry, he would be fine. I had found

out Reggie had secondary cancer. The vet

was sure the primary was in his prostate.

We had to wait for the test results.

*

I was enjoying my trip, though Reggie was a

constant thought in my mind. Then mom made

a call to me about 4 days into my 10 day

tour. He was not doing well. Mom had

to leave him at the vet for a day, but

had to pick him up due to his mental

instability not wanting to be there.

*

My Reggie held out for me to get home.

He was so excited to see me! His legs

wouldn't let him stand on the floor, but

he could on the carpeting. Mom said he

couldn't jump up anymore and she would

lay beside him on the floor with her pillow

and blanket.

At night he would come to my room wanting to get

on my bed, but he couldn't. I tried to lift him, but

he growled at me. He had never done that before.

Finally he got his front legs up and I helped get

his back legs on the bed. He lay as close to me as

he could. It was as if he knew he didn't have much

time left. I had taken Reggie to the vet thinking

I would have to have him put to sleep. Tom said

for me to not make the decision now since I

still had jet lag. The next day, Reggie had isolated

himself from us. Before, he was with me everywhere

I went, even laying on my feet. Now I had to go

looking for him in the house. He had gone to the den

laying in the dark of the room. He could hardly

stand anymore. Tom, my vet and friend, had given

me his home phone number. I called him and said

I felt it was Reggie's "time." Tom met me at the

animal hospital. Reggie mustered all the strength

he had to walk on the "slippery" floor. Walking

in the examining room, Tom's son was there to

help. As Reggie stood on the table, Tom raised

it to eye level. I told my best friend I loved him.

He touched his nose to the tears flowing down

my cheek. At that point, the life went out of his

eyes and he turned his head away from me.

Tom administered the drug and my sweet Reggie

closed his eyes and quietly slid from his

struggle to stand to lay down in eternal rest.

*

I helped Ginger birth this beautiful puppy into

the world. I help him in his old age to leave

this world. My joy shall be overwhelming to see

them in the World to come! God is so Good all

of the time; All of the time, God is so Good!