Lost my boating buddy

TomS

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After almost 11 years as a constant companion, I had to put my loyal Irish Setter, Riley to sleep yesterday. He has been the only dog, among several cats, birds, and horses, in our 34 years of marriage. He took part in everything we did as a family, both daughters showing horses many weekends on the road, family vacations, and most often, boating here on our lake. He never missed a ride on the pontoon, at least if he had anything to say about it. He was brave, happy go lucky, friendly, and protective, all at the same time. I built a boarding ramp for the Benny because he struggled so mightily to get on board the new boat, and I took him for his last boat ride, as he looked through the front gate, ears flapping in the wind, just last week.

We will miss him dearly, but he brought us great joy and taught us not to take life so seriously all the time. Dogs are full of good lessons.



 
Sorry for your loss Tom. We had to put our Great Dane (Zeus) down a couple of years ago and it was one of the worst days of our lives. He hated the water but wouldn't let us out the door without him if we were going on the toon.
 
Sorry to hear of your loss ,I know it is not easy .
 
Sorry for your loss and have been through it a couple of times and it never gets easy.

Jack
 
You brought tears to my eyes. I'm sorry from your loss, please accept my deepest sympathy.

My first pup was a setter, almost 30 years ago. The memories will remain and the pain in your heart will mend with time.
 
Being doggie lovers ourselves we completely understand the loss of a good family member. Sorry for your loss of Riley.

Steve
 
Sorry to hear about your loss, Tom. Riley sounds like he was a great dog. We have two Dachshunds and a great Dane, and they love the boat. He left you with all of those lessons and some great memories! All the best.
 
Sorry to hear that Tom. I'm a big dog lover myself and am already dreading the day when our lab (5 years old) gets to that point. We don't have kids so he is our baby. I know how attached you get and they are definitely family. It sounds like he had a great run. I was at a house fire yesterday where their dog didn't make it out. I couldn't bring myself to walk into that room to get pictures for my file. Let me know if you need anything.
 
Tom SO SORRY for your loss of your best friend. I know my Brittany is 10 now and he immediately goes past me on the dock, enters my Bennington and quickly assumes his place on the sun deck of the boat. My wife and I finally ended up having kids just 18 months ago so our dogs were our kids for a long time. Dogs just don't live long enough.
 
The unconditional love of a dog is a special bond. You will always have the good memories. We lost our lab after 14 years and waited 2 years to get another dog. Got a 2 year old shelter dog and it has been great. It has been special for us to give this dog a home.
 
Very sorry Tom.............. When our dog Darby died when we lived in Maryland it hit us so hard we never got another dog.............Just didn't want to go through the pain of losing another "family member"............
 
Tom, so sorry to hear about your loss. I can't fathom losing my best friend, he's my constant companion. People ask us why we don't have "kids", we tell them we do, they just have four legs and fur. They are OUR KIDS !!!
 
Riley would want you to let another dog into your lives, hearts & pontoon!
 
My heart goes out to you. Losing a best friend is hard to accept. We had to put our 13 year old Golden down 8 months ago. It's the hardest thing I've had to do in a long time. Time will heal the pain and the memories will last a lifetime.

Again, so sorry for your loss
 
Tom, Sorry to hear about your loss! Pets can certainly become family members. Our little dog Abbie, loves to watch after our grandson. She spent a night this weekend sleeping next to him instead of us, when he stayed over.

May the time for your heartbreak be short, and may your memories last forever!

Dan
 
Thank you all for your kind words as it's been a long day. I work from home and Riley was always there with me as I run conference calls from morning until night. He knew the routine like a clock and was always a good sport to wait for lunch, potty breaks, and play time, never disrupting my work.

I took him in to the vet for more work Wednesday and decided to board him there while I drove to Savannah Georgia and back Thursday and Friday, about 13 hours each way. We had to keep him at the vets facility over the long weekend as I couldn't get back in time before they closed. My road trip was to pick up my youngest daughter's 9 month old Victorian Bulldog, Florence, for the summer, since she is working as a counselor at a youth camp in Topsail, North Carolina. Florence sat in the passenger seat the whole way, just doing what bulldogs do. Derrick, they you go!



So far she has not settled in very well, though I'm sure she can't figure out where her favorite girl went. She is definitely a handfull, but hopefully she'll adjust soon and we'll get into our own routine and fill the void for a couple of months.

Thanks again, it's meant a lot to me.

Tom
 
In Ernest Hemingway’s novel For Whom the Bell Tolls a ragged group of peasants has just done battle with the Fascist soldiers in the Spanish Civil War.



Among the dead is the loyal horse of an elderly farmer who had joined the fight. Knelling over the body of the fallen horse, the farmer whispers in his ear “Eras mucho cabello,” which Hemingway translates as “Thou wert plenty of horse”



That line had always struck me, a single sentence that contained multitudes. Therefore I say “Eras mucho el Perro"
 
Thanks Tom! Once again, It saddens me greatly to hear of your loss. As a dog lover/ owner I dread the day it happens to me. It will be SO hard to pick up my big fella and carry him away. It's kind of making me tear up just thinking of it now. Put your energy into that gorgeous Bulldog, I truly believe dogs can understand our feelings and know just what we need to brighten our mood. Whether it be a lick on the nose or a nudge with their head, they seem to know that we need the comfort more than they do.
 
Every time I read this I get teary eyed ......

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.

There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...
 
Yes, me too. It's posted on the wall in my vet's waiting room.
 
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