Black Friday

Black Friday. It's an interesting name. It sounds so melancholy but shoppers know it's a day filled with excitement. Our Black Friday was just that-- Black.

Garth had been slowing down for some time but the last few weeks had gotten a bit harder for him. First it started with him not having energy for walks and that slowly turned into him not wanting to eat his food. We had resorted to making chicken and rice which we would have to warm and drizzle with chicken stock to entice him to eat. He was losing energy and weight.

                                      

But the past several days Garth started to have extra problems. He began having accidents, became winded when he was eating, would wake up in the middle of the night needing to go to the bathroom. He wasn't just aging but was starting to have kidney failure (something we had been trying to treat for the past year). He was dehydrated, sad and just not himself.

                                               

On Thanksgiving Day we had decided that Garth would make his last trip to the vet the next day. We told Elise how happy we were that his doctor was able to send him to heaven with Brutus. Afterall, they were always best friends and brothers. 

We like to believe that dog heaven is like the book we gave to Elise: a place where dogs can run and run and run and no longer are old and sick. That heaven is a place filled with dog biscuits and fluffy clouds act as dog beds. And most importantly, dogs come down to check on us. Once they are satisfied that we are well, they go back up to heaven. One day they will waiting for us. 

                              

We knew that Brutus would be there waiting for his faithful best friend... we knew there would be a lot of butt sniffing, tail wagging and racing around when they reunited this morning. Now they would have each other for Christmas.

While we are sad and heavy hearted, we gave another great dog the best gift we could-- peace. It is with that gift that we are able to rest and know we did the right thing....                                    

                                             

December 2008

Pregnant with Elise (about 32 weeks)

This is shortly after the infamous Santa beard eating disaster-- when Jeff and I came home

only to find that Garth and Brutus had decapitated all of my Santa collection to eat the beards.

We guessed they anticipated Elise's imminent delivery and were stressed with her upcoming arrival.

The evidence was in the poop.

Garth and Brutus always by each other's side

Gentle giant Garth-- always so sweet and calm around Elise

Garth sporting a purple bow that Elise placed on his back to make him look pretty. 

I think he kind of liked it.

May 2010

Garth enduring another loving gesture from Elise

July 2011

Happy 13th Birthday Garth

Summer 2011

The pack going for a walk

Summer 2011

Never the swimmer but enjoyed watching the water

December 2011

Last year's Christmas picture with Brutus

Ironically Garth was just diagnosed with kidney disease and Brutus still

looked handsome and healthy.

February 2012

First encounter with Demi

Hard to believe that when Garth retired as a seeing-eye-dog, he'd have 8 wonderful years with our family. He was 14.5 years old! We are blessed to have had the privilege and honor to have enjoyed his golden years with him. They sure don't make dogs like this all the time. He touched so many lives as a service dog and later an assistance dog with us (he loved when kids read to him in the library). He truly was our best friend. Sleep tight G. You are once again healthy and strong. Go and run with Brutus...

Garth Kaiser

July 13, 1998- November 23, 2012