Grand-Paw Crossed The Bridge

Around 1130 AM Grand-Paw crossed the rainbow bridge. We are both happy and sad. Happy he is no longer in pain and because he has been bed ridden for about a year-and-a half. Sad because we enjoyed being around him, visiting the nursing home and seeing his eyes twinkle.

We were there right by Dog Dad's side when Grand-Paw crossed. We felt Dog Dad's hand stroke our fur and gather strength from us. We were all ready for this, so we are okay. We will know more what is going on with all the different hooman rituals late tomorrow.

When Grand-Paw crossed the bridge, we can imagine Pudgy came over to lick his face. Grand-Maw was probably the first to greet him.

We are okay cyber-paw pals. We are only a little bit tired from everything.

Dog Speed,

Essex & Deacon

Grand-Paw

We haven't been posting lately, but Grand-Paw has been in bad shape and Dog Dad has been worried. We are going to be going on an emergency trip to Ohio. We fully expect Grand-Paw to be crossing the rainbow bridge soon.

Don't worry about Dog Dad, he is okay with it as Grand-Paw is 91. It has hard seeing Grand-Paw in the wheel chair and not be able to talk much when he visited in June. Dog Dad remembers a much younger and happier Grand-Paw. We traveling with Dog Dad as he refuses to leave us behind during herricane season. Besides Dad will need us for emotional support. Nothing like a face lick to make someone feel all better.

We are sure Dad's nickle dog Pudgy will be waiting to greet Grand-Paw when he crosses the bridge.

Dog Speed,


Essex, Deacon & Dog Dad

Coast to Coast Paw Pals

Good news, we got an ebark from our pals Jack & Bear in Virginie and then a sonic ebark from PJ out West in California. Wowsers, Angel Paw dogs are now coast to coast.

Zoe

Jack & Bear told us there was a change in plans as to who was going to come live with them. The pup that decided to live with the brothers is a female Border Collie & Lab mix named Zoe. Dog Dad thinks she looks a lot like Pudgy, the five scent dog that adopted him when he was just a boy. Zoe is as quick as lightning and promises to keep the boys on their toes. She should be more than be able to hold her own with Jack & Bear. The Three Pup-skateers are having adventures and enjoying cooler weather.

Zoe investigates while Jack looks forward

Jack leads, then Bear and Zoe at the tail

Out west, PJ is becoming enjoying San Francisco. The cooler weather is pawsome, though they are still looking for a house. He wanted to send us this picture of him, his Dog Mom and Hooman Sister with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. Just crossing the bridge once would be a good walk because it is is 8,981 feet long (2,737 meters) or around 1.7 miles or 2.7 kilometers. The construction of the bridge began on 5 January 1933. The bridge opening celebration began on 27 May 1937. Come to think of it, Grand Paw is older than the Golden Gate Bridge. Wowsers.

Sister, Dog Mom and PJ at the Golden Gate

It is always good to hear from Angle Paw Pals. On the home front, our kitchen should be done this weekend. We sure are looking forward to that.

Dog Speed,

Essex & Deacon

Silver Lining

We hope every-paw and hooman stay safe from Herricane Ike. We are really worried what is happening in Texas.

We evacuated to Orlando, FL on Sunday and stayed at hotel with a wonderful walking area. There was a pet friendly park in barking distance. We walked on our leash there and found interesting things to sniff.

Deacon at the Hotel
Essex at rest

Tuesday Dad drove to St. Augustine for our surprises. First we stopped by the home of Oreo & Snoopy. Those two were Essex’s favorite Angel Paws Park paw-pals as a pupster. They left in December 2005 and it has been almost three years since she had seen them. Essex uncharacteristically wagged her tail and jumped on their Dog Mom. We went for a long walk and visit.

Oreo is happy to see us.
Snoopy sez Howl-low Essex

Next Dog Dad drove fifteen miles north. Deacon smelled familiar scents and his tail wagged. Something was familiar but he couldn’t place it. Then Dog Dad turned into a strangely familiar yard. Deacon’s jaw dropped when his saw Carol, his previous Dog Mom; her mother; sister Cici and their friend Nancy. Deacon calmly received big hugs and loved the comments about what a big handsome lad he is now. Deacon was in heaven from all that attention. Essex noted Deacon’s behavior and uncharacteristically relaxed, which amazed Dog Dad.

Deacon was well behaved and went around sniffing his favorite spaces in his old home. He charmed them with his calm loving demeanor. They said Deacon was on the way to being a juvenile pup-linquent. As a puppy, Deacon would jump on people, nip and mouth hard enough to bruise the skin. He went through the screen door once and pulled really hard during walks. Once Carol’s Mom scolded Deacon, then the phone rang and when she started talking on the phone, Deacon just started barking back at her! That pup-linquent behavior led to his return to Holmhaven. It was a hard decision and Carol cried all the way to and from Holmhaven. She was upset about leaving her little boy and what would happen to him. When she told Dad that seeing Deacon again brought a sense of closure, Dad thought of his five-cent dog, Pudgy.

Deacon sits pretty for Carol

Dog Dad was proud when they exclaimed what a wonderful Collie Deacon had become. Under the calm assertive leadership of Auntie Essex and Dog Dad, Deacon fell right in line. We met Annie too. Annie is a wonderful older rescue Collie. She plays very rarely but was a pawtastic Collie. Dad was sad when it was time to leave.

Annie posses with her favorite tuggee toy

Annie liked Dog Dad

We could tell on the way back that Dad was thinking of Pudgy and he was glad he took Deacon to visit his former home. When we stopped for gas on the way back to the Orlando, we got a special hug. Life is good, we love our Dog Dad and he loves us.

Essex & Deacon

Bobby's Last Letter

Bobby - 2007

Dear Great Niece Essex and Great Great Nephew Deacon,

If you are getting this letter, I have crossed the rainbow bridge and could not be with you for my fourteenth barkday. I so wanted you to celebrate it with you. I know you will be thinking about me today. I asked Dog Mom and Dog Dad to e-bark this to you today.

First, I am proud you are my Great Niece and Great Great Nephew. You are a wonderful pair of Collies. Secondly, be kind to other animals and take care of your Dad. I know you chose and outstanding Dog Dad, just like Mac and I chose a pawtastic Dog Mom and Dad. Introduce your Dad to the good people in the world. We dogs are much better judge of character than hoomans. There are far more good people in the world than hoomans realize.

Lastly, do not feel sorry for me. I have lived a full life. I have been so tired lately and it has been so very, very hard to get around. I think of my best friend Mac a lot. We had a so much fun together. I think of the tails Honey told us about her Sam when Mac and I were just little puppies. I feel the Rainbow Bridge calling. I can see, hear and smell Mac, Honey, Sam and your(Great) Great Grand Pa Jason (my brother). In the distance I can sense Foxy and your Dad’s first dog Pudgy. I hope my Dog Mom and Dad can meet all of you someday, I know you would like each other. Thanks for being you.

Woof and Sniffs,

Great (Great) Uncle Bobby

= = = = =

Cyber Paw Pals,

We miss Great (Great) Uncle Bobby and wish this wasn’t his last letter. We are proud to have know him. Bobby has left paw prints in the snow. We are happy he is no longer in pain, that he lived a full life and had a wonderful Dog Mom and Dad. We feel for both of them. We told Dog Dad to tell them they are part of our extended family, and if they are down this way to stop by and spend some time with us.

Dog Speed Bobby, forever the hunter, we know you are chasing rabbits and deer on the other side of the rainbow bridge when you are not watching over us and your family. We never mentioned it before but Great (Great) Grand Pa Jason passed away June 2006 from dog flu.

Essex & Deacon

Bobby and Mac taking it easy
Sam and Honey

Great (Great) Grand Paw Jason

Foxy - Our Guardian Dog AngelPudgy - Dog Dad's first dog

A Five Scent Dog

The school was having a raffle for border collie puppies. Dad pleaded with Grand Ma for some money to buy a chance, just one nickel, five scents pleeeezeeee. We still say a nickel only has one scent, but we digress. Grand Ma gave him a nickel; Dad would only have one ticket, while others had hundreds. The chances were a pawzillion to one. We know Dad is one in a pawzillion, so of course he got to take a little fur ball home. The cute little black and white fur ball that adopted Dad needed a name. One of Dad’s sisters suggested the name Pudgy, it stuck.

Well, any dog is a lot of responsibility for an eight year old and a border collie is a lot of dog for even for an adult human. As Pudgy grew he started taking Dad for a walk. While, Pudgy was Dad's dog, Grand Ma and Grand Paw, cared for him. Five months later Dad’s younger brother and sister were born. With babies around, it was decided to put Pudgy up for adoption. He needed a good home, with a fenced in yard and a lot of room One June day, Pudgy left with a man who owned such a place. Pudgy was sad to go and never saw Dad again, but it was for the best.

Dad entered a nomadic phase as an adult. This period lasted many dog moons and saw Dad live in more places that I have toes. Dad even lived in Asia and Central America. When this phase ended the Great Dane decided Dad deserved a second chance. The chance involved dog sitting for friends. First an amazing sable and white rough collie named Foxy visited for a month. Next, a wonderful dog named Nicky visited for two weeks. Both sent glowing reports to the Great Dane.

Dog sitting is a good way to for Dogs to find out if you have the right stuff. Dog people hate using a kennel, and rather have someone they trust watch us. Well, have to run. Time for our Sunday walk.

Dog Speed,

Essex & Deacon