I lost a Dear Friend today

[WinkHPD]

I know that this is not jewelry related, but it is Wink related and I feel like sharing.

I had to put down my old black lab, Flusher, this morning. I have known for months that our last hunting season was going to be the last for us. He was fourteen or so years old, which is pretty old for a lab and although we walk him a couple of miles or so every day he has been slowing down more and more.

Last year when coming out of the cattails with a duck you would have thought a train was coming through, his breathing was so loud. Still, he taught the new pup how to find a bird that went down in the thick brush, which might have taken her another year or two to figure out by herself.

My wife always worried that he would die in the swamp where we hunt, I always secretly wished he would so I could just bury him there where he spent the happiest hours of his life. Alas, it was not to be. This morning he could not even walk all the way back to his pen to eat breakfast after his walk and my wife called to tell me it was time.

I left work, came home to find him again ambulatory, threw the bumper for him a few more times. He would hustle to it in his awkward semi-rigid hobbling gate, winded after even the five yard tosses I made, stand over it for ten to twenty seconds then pick it up and slowly walk back to me with his last retrieves.

This once proud and commanding speciman of all that is good about a labrador was all done on this plane and I shall miss him. I have many wonderful memories though. Here are just a couple of them...

One year for Thanksgiving I went alone with him to the swamp where we sat and waited paitently for hours for a duck or two to come by. Nothing. Nada. Suddenly he stood up and looked behind me. A lone mallard had set its wings and was coming in. It was the only duck we saw all day, and without Flusher I would not have seen it until long too late.

Another year we were sitting quietly with my wife and a friend looking out in front of us to a beautiful empty blue sky. He started looking around, first one direction, then another, and acting very strange. At first we saw nothing, then a few specks here and another few there and suddenly the sky was full of thousands of ducks, two, maybe three or even four thousand ducks decending towards the large swamp that we were in. As they came lower and lower the sound of their feathers whistling in the wind became first a distant whisper then an almost tumultous vocal singing. The song would change, raising and falling in tempo and in sound depending on whether they were decending, turning, circling for one more look, or raising to look here and there over the swamp for that perfect landing place. Birds were landing all around us, and eventually on us. Swoosh, near silence, shish, sigh, swoosh, swoosh, sigh, splish as they finally settled into the water in a short skid to sitting from flying.

When the birds took flight and dissapeared we sat and talked long after the retrieves were made about what an incredible experience it was to have seen so many birds all at one time and in one place. What an exciting moment, and what a treasure that I have this memory of my friend to warm my heart as I think of him now that he is gone...

 

[AmberWaves]

Oh Wink, I am so sorry.

My prayers are with you..


ETA: You should read Marley and Me, by John Grogan. I can't say it enough. It's amazing. About the love and life of a Lab and his family. Just Beautiful.

 

[FireGoddess]

What a special dog, Wink. I''m sorry for you that he''s gone....it''s very clear he was loved, and loved you in return.

 

[cflutist]

Wink,

As fellow dog lovers, Websailor and I send our deepest sympathy for your loss.

Our dogs were like our children and I''m sure you felt the same way about Flusher.

Websailor had two labs that he missed dearly when his wife received them in their divorce.

 

[MissAva]

Oh Wink I am so sorry.



Pet Loss Greif Website

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh Wink,
I am so very sorry you had to put Flusher down today. You have lost a dear friend and constant hunting companion. I grew up with labs and they are the nicest most loyal dogs ever. I will be keeping you and your wife in my prayers. You did the right thing for him. I know the hole in your heart is huge right now. {{{{{Big Hugs}}}}}

 

[LizzieC]

I''m so sorry for your loss Wink. You have my deepest sympathies.

 

[rainbowtrout]

what a loyal, wonderful dog. Best wishes during this hard time...

 

[SoonIHope]

I am so sorry Wink. I too grew up with black labs, and there really is no more intelligent, caring, compassionate, noble a creature. Reading your post brought tears to my eyes remembering our old lab who finally had to go a few years ago. My thoughts are with you, and with Flusher who I know was an incredible part of your family.

 

[Rhapsody]

I''m so sorry for your loss Wink. My 14 year old golden retriever died almost a year and a half ago and its still hard every day. But i am so grateful for the wonderful years we had, he definitally made my life better and I''m sure you''re life was enriched by having Flusher in your life. That you will keep with you forever along with his memory.

 

[CareBear]

I''m so sorry to hear that Wink=( You two had many wonderful years together and Flusher lived a happy life. Stay strong!

 

[MINE!!]

Oh Wink... I am so sorry. My heart goes out to you. I actually cried a bit reading your post. I am so sorry for your lose, but so happy that you had a true friend that will always be a special part of you!

 

[Morticia]

Oh! I''m so sorry about Flusher but you did the kind and selfless thing, putting him down, so he would not have to suffer. Our pets are family. I have grown up with dogs, all who lived to be 16 plus years old. It''s never easy.

I''m glad you have so many wonderful memories of Flusher.

 

[widget]

Dear Wink...

My thoughts are with you right now. Saying good bye is so so hard...

Thanks for sharing those wonderful stories of Flusher...Bless him...and you too!

widget

 

[AndyRosse]

Oh Wink, I'm so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you and your wife.

And thank you for sharing some stories about Flusher. Whenever you are feeling up to it, I'm sure we would all love to hear more stories.

 

[mrssalvo]

Oh Wink, my heart grieves for your loss

. I too have a lab, see avatar, she''s only 5 but I can hardly bare to even think of the day she will no longer be with us. Thanks for sharing you story and know he''s running and jumping and hunting up there in doggie heaven.

 

[larussel03]

Oh, Wink I am so sorry. My parents'' dog just was diagnosed with cancer today and I think we''re going to have to go through this very very soon. Losing a dog is losing the most loyal friend you have, I beleive, because they love you no matter what, and they''re always so happy and excited to see you. I have this great memory of my dog, where I was really sick one night (bad stomache flu) and I was sitting on the floor b/c I was nauseated, and he came over and rested his head on my shoulder.

It sounds like your pup was a true companion, and hopefully you can find some comfort in knowing that he led a long (very long!) and happy life.

~L

 

[snuga]

Wink, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. It''s amazing what an impact animals can have on us. They become part of our families and our lives. My thoughts are with you.

 

[Miranda]

Dear Wink,
My heart goes out to you and your family. I know what a loss this is for you. Our precious pets become such an integral part of our lives. Thank you for sharing the beautiful stories of your dog. So so sorry.

 

[strmrdr]

Wink,
Losing a hunting Buddy is the worst.
The long hours spent together, the excitement, the thrill of a good dog on a good day hunting.
All great memories they leave behind in their too short lives.
Take some time to reflect and enjoy the memories they are the gift left behind.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I am sorry for your loss - there are so many pet lovers here and so many that have lost precious ones - my heart goes out to you and your family.

A friend of mine always tells me that if we live a life a gratitude for what we have and have had, we don''t have time to dwell on what we lost. Makes sense - sometimes hard to do.

Hats off to you for being able to be grateful for all of your wonderful times together!

 

[glaucomflecken]

wink, thanks for sharing that story. what a wonderful life you shared with flusher, and my sympathies are with you as a fellow dog lover.

 

[aljdewey]

Wink, my heart simply aches for your loss. I''ve been there too, and nothing makes it feel OK.

I hope your many happy memories of him will bring comfort and smiles in the months to come.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI Wink:

How very sad. Thinking of you/yours during this time.

kind regards, Sharon

 

[Sundial]

So sorry to hear about your dog Wink. We had to put down our 15 year old dachshund last summer so I understand just how you feel and what a loss it is.

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

Dear Wink,

I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Flusher will always be looking down on you smiling. I can not imagine the pain that you are feeling right now. I pray that time will heal the pain of your great loss.

God bless you and Flusher.

 

[WinkHPD]

Thank you all for your very kind comments. I have been asked to share another story or two. Okay, here is a very funny one for you hunters.

When the dog was still fairly new to me, about 5 years old, and very well trained by his previous owner, I received him and had a little touch up training done by a local trainer. He also trained me and recommended that I put the shock colar on him when he started breaking before I gave him permission after a shot.

We were hunting with another couple who had dogs that were pretty much on auto pilot, ie they did what ever they wanted with little or no input from their owners. (And did not take it when given...)

A huge flight of birds came in, shots were fired and seven or eight birds were down, all over the place. My Flusher sat at my feet, I lined him out on the bird I wanted him to retrieve and gave him the "Back" command to set him out. He was making a bee line for the correct bird when one of the other dogs ran in front of him with a bird in its mouth headed to his mistress who was out in the middle of the pond.

Poor Flusher lost concentration and turned to follow the other dog. I hit the button on the shock colar just about the time the other dog''s owner was taking the bird from her dog.

She came storming to shore and let me know in a very loud and aggitated voice, "Wink, you shocked the HECK our of me!"

"Oops, sorry, but what the HECK were you doing out in the middle of the pond?"

"Picking up ducks, and you shocked the Heck out of me!"

Then her husband made an error that I am sure he paid dearly for. "Dear, he''s right, we have three dogs here that get paid to wade in the pond, and having you out there scared away the other flight of ducks that was coming in Let the dog''s do it."

She turned her ire on him for daring to take my side and I was off the hook. I never forgot that shocking my dog can affect the dogs also in the water and certainly any hunter silly enough to try to beat the dogs to the birds. Of course I almost never use the colar unless I am working on a particular bad habit as it always pained me to be shocking my friends, even though I know it is probably the most humane way to get the point accross in a hurry, and that was what Flusher was used to since he had been in training for field trials before I got him. I think that actually may have been the last time I used the colar on him, as he was an exceptionally bright dog.

Resa and I laughed our heads off, later, and Flusher went on to become the very best dog I have ever had, and I have had some great dogs.

Hmm, that story doesn''t sound so hillarious in print as it was in person, but you know the look on her face was totally priceless when I asked her what she was doing in the middle of the pond. It was even more so when her husband chimed in.


Wink

P.S. I have spent a LOT of time today reminiscing about my Flusher. It has been time joyously spent. I was so lucky to get this dog, who probably had four years of intense training on him by a trainer thinking that he would make it to the national level in the field trials, but he fell just short, would not do retrieves of over 300 yards consitantly. I never in my life would imagine sending a dog out on a 300 yard plus retrieve so I was very happy to get him for basically the promise of giving him a great home and enjoying him to hunt. My dad had been a shooter for the National Gun Dog Field Trials before his death so one of his friends had gotten the dog and gave him to me for a very low price.

Any of you who have ever hunted with a dog that you could blow the whistle for when he was seventy or eighty yards out, have him look at you and sit, then go to where you pointed to find the bird know what a pleasure working with a dog that will take hand signals is. I had to give up on that this past couple of years, ''cause he could not hear the whistle any more, but by then he rarely needed any help from me anyway.

He was smart too. I take the dogs for a walk every day, usually about 1.5 miles for me, so you can imagine for them it is much larger. One of the places that we walk has a fenced in baseball field for the local high school. One day I noticed the gate was open on the far corner of the field from where we were walking along an irrigation ditch.

I threw the bumper out into the middle of the center field and of course Flusher got to the fence and could not get in. I blew the whistle. He turned, looked at me and sat.

I motioned him to go to my left. He ran about 35 yards to just past the corner of the fence. (Chain link fence, not that I think it mattered much to him.) I blew the whistle. He turned looked at me and sat. I pointed paralel to the fence line and called out "Over". He took off down the fence line, totally trusting me, even though he could see the ball in the middle of the field. When he got to where the gate was I blew the whistle, He turned, looked at me and figured it out, I had to blow the whistle again to make him sit, but he did. I pointed, took a step in the direction I wanted him to go and again said, "over". He gleefully charged through the gate, now at full speed, picked up the bumper, came to the fence, I said, "back", and he turned and sprinted to the gate and around the fence to me to drop the bumper in my hand.

Two days later I was walking with my wife, Resa, and I said, "hey let me show you how well this dog works. I threw the bumper and he took off at the "back" command but flew straight off around the corner to the gate, he remembered so I did not really get to show off how well he would take the hand signals.

Dang, I ''m gonna miss that braniac dog!

 

[MissIndecisive]

Dear Wink,

Oh I''m so sorry to hear that

Everyone else here has put much more eloquently what I wish to say.

I know how hard it is to cope when we lose our best friend and I hope that you continue to remember Flusher for the top dog that he is.

Labradors are just lovely loyal dogs and you should know that he loved every moment he spent with your family.

I hope you can smile again soon

 

[moon river]

So sorry for your loss. Sounds like a great friend.

 

[icekid]

so sorry to hear that your Flusher has left you, Wink. Losing pets is so terrible. My family has a chocolate lab, and he is the most loving, loyal, and smart dog I''ve known! We love him to bits, he is getting up there in age- 9 now.. and I can''t imagine what my family will do without him!

sending you lots of thoughts and prayers.....