Wednesday, October 05, 2016

Good bye, sweet Tristan

Yesterday we said good-bye to our dear Tristan. This is the worst part of owning pets.


A couple of weeks ago, our friend and photographer Deborah Wilson came to take some photos of our boy. I am so glad I have these gorgeous shots of him.

Tristan had been steadily declining for the past month, and in the past few days, he was finding it impossible to get up, and very hard to stay standing once he was up. We knew this was coming and probably would have helped him along last week, but our vet was away on vacation, and we wanted him to come to the farm to euthanize Tristan, so we waited until he was back.

Dr. Dave came out yesterday, and our boy had a very peaceful passing on the front porch with his head on  my lap and Gordon holding his paw. he was surrounded by a trio of his kitty friends.


 He was a Lab-Vizsla mix and we used to call him our noble Vizslador.


We adopted Tristan along with his "sister" Sophie in 2007 when his owner died in tragic circumstances. We lost Sophie in 2014 to hemangiosarcoma.


She was diagnosed a year after Tristan was also diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma. He had his spleen and a six-lb tumour removed, and we expected him to last maybe another three months.


Instead he kept going for over three years!


He suffered from arthritis for a long time, and finally it became too much for him to bear.



He was a one-of-a-kind sort of dog...


...we will miss him so much.

Yesterday his friend Luc brought him a honey cruller from Tim Hortons, something Luc often did for Tristan. You can see in this photo how tired Tristan was (even compared to the photos above, which were taken just a couple of weeks ago)...


Luc also built Tristan a beautiful coffin, and used his excavator to dig a hole in our woodlot for him. Then last night, Gordon and I went out with Luc and his partner (and our friend) Debbie to bury Tristan. Before we closed the lid, we all said good-bye to the old boy. I tucked the box of Sophie's ashes in next to him. Then we loaded him onto the back of the RTV and drove him out to his peaceful resting place in the woods.

We feel really lucky to have friends like Debbie and Luc. They both do so much for us, and their kindness towards Tristan in life and death is something I will never forget. Tristan especially loved Luc, who would often lure him along with a trail of M & Ms.



A little selfie yesterday while we waited for the vet.


He had the softest ears ever!



He could be such a goofball. And he loved certain cats, particularly Redford.



And he had the best smile!

Tristan, we will miss you so much. You were a connoisseur of crullers, a lover of Tim Hortons coffee cups, a chaser of squirrels (before arthritis slowed you down.) You were so joyful swimming in the river and the pond, chasing tennis balls, and just lying in the sun enjoying the warmth of everyday life. You had the best sense of humour... only you would eat a tear-drenched Kleenex as your last supper just before passing over, as Gordon and I cried in your fur. We will never have another dog quite like you. We love you Tristan, and hope that you are once again with Sophie, running through the fields and woods like you both used to, looking for squirrels and muskrats, sniffing the farm air, seeking out your next adventure, never knowing what might be just around the corner...



Tristan, our noble Vizslador. 2002 - 2016

40 comments:

  1. Natalie, I am so sorry. You and Gordon give all your animals such a wonderful life. I imagine he and Sophie are together. Thank you for sharing his (and your) life with all of us.

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  2. Sending you and Gordon and all the kids lots of love. You and Tristan were so lucky to have found each other and it warms my heart to know that even at the end he was able to enjoy that cruller! You dole out so much love; no wonder you get so much back!

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    1. Thank you Mitchell! I wish you could have met him.

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  3. Again, I know that there are no words. Just know that you are in our hearts today. Big hugs to you and to Gordon and to all the four-legged members of your family who will also be grieving.

    Our fur kids leave footprints all over our hearts.

    Happy Tails Tristan. I am sure my father met you at the gates as the official dog walker/greeter.
    Say hi to all of our furkids who cleared the way for you.


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    1. Thank you Lori. I like to think of your Dad welcoming him!

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  4. I'm so sorry Knat. I'm writing through a waterfall of tears. You and G made a beautiful life for him and Sophie ... and all your babies for that matter. He had a wonderful long life, but that is very small consolation when your heart is broken. This is the price we pay for sharing our lives these beautiful beings.
    crying with you.
    Nancy (from PN)

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    1. Nancy!! Where are you now? Email me! info at beemeadowfarm dot com

      Thank you!!

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  5. I loved those doggies. Both such sweet animals. Tristan was a sophisticated boy. He lived a wonderful life with you guys. So sorry to hear of his passing but I can picture him and Sophie together, chasing through a grassy field. That's the way I'll remember both of them.

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  6. Hugs to you and Gordon. It is so hard to say goodbye but he was such a wonderful boy and now you know he is running again, happy and pain free. Lovely tribute and such amazing photos.

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  7. Good bye to a wonderful dog we've kept company with for several years.

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  8. What a good boy...so handsome. We will miss you Tristan! <3

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  9. what an honour it was for me,to have met Tristan,and photograph him.His spirit was noble,and it was easy to see,and feel that he had a life of love,respect and overall darn good fun,along proper spells of being spoiled.the way it should be for all dogs,and animals.Natalie and Gord..my sincerest condolences to you both.Deborah

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  10. I'm so sorry! I feel like I've lost a member of my family. What a lovely tribute to good, no, great boy, Natalie. I need a tissue.

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  11. It's unbelievable how even though we love all animals, some seem to work their way deeper into our hearts and lives. I feel Tristan was definitely one of those. He was a beautiful animal and you as well as he were lucky to have shared time together. Cherish those memories.

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  12. what a lovely tribute to a wonderful companion. we are so very sorry for your loss

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  13. That was a wonderful tribute to a noble friend. It is a high price we pay for their love.

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  14. Vizslador.. I love it :)

    my heart goes out to you and my eyes leak for your loss.

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  15. I hope like the dickens there was a trail of M&Ms to lead Tristan over The Bridge. What a marvelously wonderful soul, and how awesome that you were blessed to travel through life with him. xx

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  16. So very sorry for your loss. Sending lots of hugs.

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  18. So sorry for your loss , he will always be in your heart and memories and the hearts and memories of all of us bloogers as well . Goodbye sweet Tristan we all love you !

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  19. So very sorry for your loss! so sad now!

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  20. I'm sorry you lost a very loved member of your family.

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  21. So sorry for your loss. Tristan was a handsome boy.

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  22. Quite a tear jerker, Natalie. Tristan was so deeply loved and loved you back in return. Big hugs to you and Gordon.

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  23. Bless him xx Lovely photos to remember him, but the real memories will be in your heart :-)

    A few tears from me too xx

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  24. What a wonderful 14 years for a large dog! They take a piece of your heart with them...

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  25. I am sitting here in my wee home, on the other side of Canada, V.I., crying my face off...it is impossibly difficult for those left behind when a precious pet passes on....the joy and the sorrow of love.

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  26. What a wonderful tribute to Tristan. I've been wiping the tears as I read it. I can see him and Sophie running the grassy fields and chasing the squirrels all over the place. Hugs to you and Gordon in your time of loss.

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  27. Very sad; he was a lovely boy. I'm now shedding a few tears thinking our own Monty's funeral. I visit his grave most days.

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  28. Oh Natalie and Gordon I my heart is just breaking for you. I am so sorry to read about Tristan. What a handsome boy, what a special boy. He was blessed to be with you both, you were obviously blessed to be with such a special dog. You gave him a long and wonderful life. Sending you love, (((hugs))) and my deepest sympathy. xoxoxoxo DakotasDen

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  29. Even when you know it's coming it's still so bloody hard. Dreadful news. Take care x

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  30. So sorry to hear about your lovely boy and the wonderful life you gave him filled with happiness. What a beautiful post honoring his life - you made me cry lots.

    Julie and Poppy Q

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  31. Tristan had a beautiful doggie soul. He was there waiting for me when I visited two weeks ago, lying by the driveway in the warm sun. Your photos and tributes to him are beautiful. He couldn't have been more loved than by you and Gordon!

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  32. Goodbye Tristan! You couldn't have had a better home, and a more loving family! Have fun with Sophie now!

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  33. So very sorry to hear about Tristan. The post was just a wonderful tribute to an awesome pet. The first day, I could not read the post. Yesterday I did read the post but was crying and did not comment. Your writing is wonderful and you are such a saint to all the animals that share your home. It's so great to read about all you do for the animals. Again, I am so sorry for your loss.

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  34. Oh Natalie, I'm so sad about Tristan. We lost our 6 year old bulldog, Buck, about 6 weeks ago suddenly. That IS the hardest part, saying goodbye. It sounds like Tristan and Sophie had a wonderful life with you and Gordon on the farm. How lucky they were.

    Glenda from kansas

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  35. I'm so sorry to hear about Tristan. What a sweet boy he was--goofy and loving and just endearing. Those photos are beautiful. I'm sending you a hug and my thoughts.

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  36. What a sweet tribute. I am so sorry about Tristan. You were all lucky to have shared your time together.

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