The Changing Seasons – April 2023

If months follow a theme then the one for my April would be – DOGS!

Some good, Some sad.

I’ll start with the sad so we can end on a happy note. My poor Tuve’ had to be put down this month. He was diagnosed with IVDD which is a narrowing of the spaces between the vertebrae and it was putting pressure on his discs and nerves. Early in the month as I watched his hind legs sometimes hitch or misstep, I just thought he was suffering some arthritis. He was 13 maybe 14 years old after all. Then the hitches turned into stumbles and the stumbles into falls. We took him to the vet and got the official diagnosis and she sent us home with a slew of pharmaceuticals that we were all hopeful would help him improve. And they did. Until they didn’t. His decline was so fast and so very difficult to watch. As his pain increased we made the decision to call Laps Of Love and give him the best passing we were able.

My heart aches and I’m filled with sadness and find myself suddenly in tears without any warning. Tuve’ came to us, because one day, I went to the shelter to give a dog a break from the kennel. I figured there would be no risk of wanting to keep him given all the cons stacked up against him. You see, he was 9, high strung and we were fresh off the loss of our last dog, Radar, he wasn’t my “type” and he appeared to have some Jack Russell in him, a breed I said I would never own. After an afternoon of hanging out with him and then dog introductions with my other two that went AMAZINGLY well, he started to make more and more sense to stay in our home. By the end of the visit I confessed to Hubby that we did not have to keep him, but that I would not be the one bringing him back. And so he stayed.

He just so happened to come to us at a very unique time. We adopted him in August of 2019, just 7 months before the world shut down which gave me way more time to be with my animals. In the Fall of 2020 Tucker was diagnosed with EPM which you can read about HERE. More time opened up as I lost the ability to ride which was how I spent pretty much ALL of my free time. Tuve’ the ever willing adventure buddy. He never said no. He had endless amounts of energy and he always wanted to go. As a result of this “perfect storm”, he was entrenched into so many aspects of my life. He ran with me. Camped with me. Hiked with me. Read with me. Chilled on the couch with Netflix with me. He worked with me and he slept beside me every night. The empty space his lack of presence has left hangs over our house. Not only that but I find myself bumping into it as I am out on a jog, strolling through the park or contemplating my next camping trip.

Nanea Hoffman said “Sometimes Grief is a friend you wish you didn’t know but that you have to spend time with because Love brought them along to the party, and the party was worth it”

People tell us how lucky Tuve’ was and what a good life we gave him, but the truth is, we’re the lucky ones. He brought so much fun and love and joy into our lives.

That party was DEFINITELY worth it and we are going to miss him so much.

On to some happier things…..

I am an official volunteer of our police department, which means that I am officially approved and now trained to walk the adoptable dogs at Animal Care & Control. I don’t think this is going to be an emotionally easy position. As a county facility, this is not a no-kill shelter and they are ALWAYS at capacity. The risk of growing attached to a dog just to have that dog put down because no one will adopt it is high. Yet still…I am looking forward to doing my part. Giving back. We have adopted 4 dogs from AC&C, Tuve’ was one of them. I have two more right now. I want to be part of the solution. Besides playing with DOGS is fun!!!!!!!!!!

So here are just a few of the cuties I have been able to spend time with this month.

Thank you Brian & Ju-Lyn for continuing to host The Changing Seasons, this is my contribution.