Friday, April 18, 2014

A very good dog

Since I can't seem to do much today other than think about my Sophie, here are some pics of our sweet girl who left us too soon.



She was holding her sit for me so I could take her picture, but she really wanted to run!



This was taken just after the dogs arrived at our farm in November 2007. Sophie was a kissy girl from day one! You can read about how they came to us here. Because of the dogs, we have two great friends and a godson. Our godson's mother fostered the dogs for two weeks before handing them over to us. We have been friends ever since. As Patrick (godson's Dad) pointed out to me yesterday, that's Sophie's legacy. A fine one it is!



She didn't like dressing up, but she wanted to please me so she tolerated hats. :)



Sophie liked to herd ducks and chickens.


She loved her daddy a whole lot.



She and Tristan always had their noses to the ground!



And she loved to run. My, how she loved to run!



I think winter was her favourite time of year. She truly seemed to love the snow.



And I loved her.


I loved her blonde eyelashes and big brown eyes.



And her expressive ears!




I know that look. That was the "Please let me out of this sit-stay so I can come kiss you!" look!



She gave great doggy kisses.


Because she was a great doggy.



My walks won't be the same without her. She took such pleasure in them!


She was bossy with her buddy Tristan, but they were together almost their entire lives. Tristan was just a month younger than Sophie, and was adopted by their former owners when Sophie was three months old. Tristan seems to be doing okay without her. I think he's trying to cheer me up.


Sophie was always with me, whether outdoors or snoozing on her bed next to my desk.



Nothing made her happier than the prospect of a walk, except maybe the prospect of a swim! I only had to say the word "walk" and she'd go crazy.

She liked her food, too. We usually fed her outside, because she was on a raw diet and it was less messy to feed her there. She had a whole pre-meal ritual. As I carried her bowl outside, she'd launch herself off the porch steps (literally flying off the top and down to the ground, rather using the three steps!), spin around once, then wait expectantly for her meal.

I knew something was wrong Wednesday when she padded down the steps slowly, and didn't do her little spin. But she still wanted her supper.

Three weeks ago, on March 24th, we took one of our last walks together...


...she was so happy and energetic! I can't believe she was already full of cancerous tumours.


She adored the woods.


Tristan needed to lie down for a rest halfway through the walk. Not Sophie!



It won't be the same for any of us without her. 



She often found a cat in her bed, and would just stare at me beseechingly until I removed the offending feline. She sniped at the cats a lot, but she knew who was really the boss!


And there were always kisses! So many sweet kisses.


And mud. So much mud! And she was great at bringing me stinky dead things! And she LOVED butt scratches. Her favourite thing.


But most of all, she loved to run. Especially towards me. I'd call her name and she would come running, no matter where she was. Usually she delivered kisses upon arrival.

This week she really wasn't feeling well...


...but she kept her good nature. 

Every morning, the dogs and I had another ritual. I would eat my toast in bed, but leave a crust for each of them. Every morning, as soon as Sophie finished breakfast, she would tear up the stairs and sit next to my bed, waiting for her crust. Even yesterday she did that, albeit a bit more slowly. But her ears pricked up as soon as she saw me handing that crust to her, and down the hatch it went. I wasn't supposed to feed her anything before her vet visit yesterday, in case they needed to sedate her for x-rays. But I completely forgot when she came for her toast crust. I am SO glad I did. So glad she got her last little treat.

This morning Tristan got both crusts. He seemed pretty happy about that.

On March 24th, just before we went on our trip, I took a series of photos of Sophie running towards me. Today I figured out how to make an animated GIF with them:


You can see the joy etched on her face. She adored being outdoors and just running, running, running. It's so hard to believe that three weeks after these photos were taken, she's gone. This is how I will always think of her: running towards me with a big doggy grin, ready to give me kisses.

Our hearts are broken but we'll always treasure the memories we have of our Sophie, a very good dog!

Sophie, September 2002 - April 17, 2014

18 comments:

  1. Natalie, my heart goes out to you and Gordon with the loss of your precious Sophie. It's never easy losing them because they are family, XOXO

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  2. I am so sorry to hear about your sad loss. Sending you some *hugs*

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  3. Anonymous12:10 pm

    What a beautiful tribute to your beautiful Sophie. It made me cry...

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  4. I apparently missed your post yesterday. I'm so sad to hear about Sophie...I shed a few tears for her. She was obviously very happy with you two and the farm family.

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  5. So sad!

    We know what it is, and we go on adopting pets! But each of them has his special place in our heart...

    I hope Tristan will go on living happily without his sis...

    Hugs to you and smoochies to Tristan and the kitties and Ophelia and the ducks and... and...
    looloo

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  6. Run free in heaven beautiful Sophie! ♥
    That was a very nice tribute. So heart wrenching when they leave! with big ((((((((((hugs))))))))))) I wish you and Gordon and Tristan will find some comfort in knowing you provided her the best and happiest life possible!

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  7. I suggest you use that first picture for a 'caption competition'.

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  8. I think this must be very comforting for you, to tell the precious story of Sophie. It is also healing to tell the story of any lost one. Blessings on you and my prayers go out to you for your healing. We animal lovers do understand. It is not easy though.

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  9. A very beautiful and deserving tribute to your darling Sophie. Through your photos and posts we have all come to know her and feel your tremendous loss. I have thought so much of all of you this weekend. Each day will get easier, Natalie and you can feel so happy and proud to have given her such a wonderful home. She will always remain in your heart. Rest in Peace Sophie.

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  10. Grief is the price we pay for love...and Sophie was loved.
    None of us can take away your pain,but we can hold you in our hearts as you grieve.
    Jane x

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  11. I'm in tears. Good bye, good dog.

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  12. Sophie was a very fortunate to live with people who cared for her and loved her. On the other hand you were fortunate to have one fantastic dog.

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  13. Sophie had one of the most delightfully expressive faces I have ever seen. You were all so lucky to have each other.

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  14. I am so sorry about Sophie, Nat. It's so very sad.

    I love your animated gif!!!!

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  15. Lovely pictures on your lovely Sophie ♡♥♡

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  16. I am so sorry to hear about the passing of sweet Sophie, the photos show how much positive energy she always have, she is now saying "Daddy, Mommy, I may be gone but please keep the spirit up"..

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  17. Anonymous10:42 pm

    So sorry to hear of your loss. Sophie had a good life with you...

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  18. My turn to be late sending sympathy. My thoughts are with you. Such a lovely, and lucky doggie to have had a life with you both.

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Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!