Goodbye My Friend by Linda Ronstadt | Dog Song Saturday

If you've been with us for awhile, you know that our favorite dog songs are original songs about dogs.  However, sometimes we come across a music video using another song that just works perfectly to describe the human canine connection.

Today is one of those days.

Goodbye My Friend is performed here by Linda Ronstadte.  It is a great accompaniment to this nice video tribute to a dog named Wolfie who died in 2007.

Have a listen to Goodbye My Friend and see if you don't agree that this is a great dog song!  Then fetch some more genuine dog song music videos at Talking Dogs.  You'll be surprised at how many we've collected over the past few years. 

Do Animals Grieve - I Say Yes

Jeffie and the Dog Daddy

Today marks the one year anniversary of Jeffie's death and tomorrow will mark two weeks since my husband Gary's death.  Naturally, I'm thinking about grief.

Awhile back I wrote about missing Jeffie and Kim (Team Beaglebratz) left a comment which included:

" I was wondering something - is there a chance your other dogs would still be grieving a little - or were they never close to Jeffie?  Just a thought."

My answer is yes.  Especially Rudy.

And it got me thinking about other animals we've lost and the reactions of the ones they left behind.

I firmly believe our pets do grieve.For both their animal and human companions.

I shared Tim and Tom's story with you last week (Burying Tom and Going Home)   Our Belgian draft horses Tim and Tom spent their whole lives together.  Born on the same farm and matched up as a team, they ate, slept, worked and played together.  When Tom died at age 29, Tim was present as our vet administered the euthanasia drugs.  He was present as we buried him 

And Tim stood guard at Tom's grave for weeks sending heart breaking whinnies into the skies.  Tom was never the same and there was never any doubt he spent the rest of his own life missing his partner.

Tim (left) and Tom (right)

When we lost Cakes this past January, Ditty - who never even bothered to answer Cakes whinnies for her - spent more than a week in grief.  Calling for her friend.  Like Tim and Tom, Ditty and Cakes had spent their whole lives together.

Most of our dogs have been present at the deaths and burials of their canine friends.  There has always been a very subdued mood and they've always spent time visiting the graves.

Rudy has lived through the loss of Tucker, Lucy Jeffie and now Gary.  He was really just a puppy when Tucker was dying.The last two days we most often found Rudy sitting vigil with Tucker.   He still visits Tucker and Lucy's graves.

Rudy sitting vigil with Tucker.

Rudy and Jeffie had a very close relationship.  We'd jokingly told Jeffie that Rudy was his puppy, but Jeffie took that very seriously.  Rudy really did become his.

I started to say that Rudy hasn't been the same since Jeffie died, but the truth is that he hasn't been the same since Jeffie became ill.  Both Rudy and Rosie were very upset, nervous and worried.  Rudy more so.

And when we came home without Jeffie - after that fateful mad dash to the vet when Jeffie died in my arms before we could get there - neither Rudy nor Rosie looked for him.  

They knew.

Since then Rudy has become more my dog than ever.  He's been by turns what I would call depressed and what I would call manic.  When we're outside playing he pretty much goes crazy.  I have no doubt his misses his hairy brother and the rowdy play they loved.

Rowdy boys Rudy and Jeffie

These days both Rudy and Rosie are missing their Dog Daddy.  They periodically check the house for him.  Rudy sometimes stations himself at the front door watching for him.  They examine and sniff things that were his.

Rudy waiting and hoping.

Yes, they're definitely influenced by my own angst and heartbreak - in all these instances of loss.  However, their behavior leaves no doubt in my mind.

Do animals grieve?

Unequivocally, I say yes.   

Burying Tom and Going Home #Throwback Thursday

As I think about the coming day when I will spread my husband's ashes upon the graves of his beloved horses, I remember when Tom died and want to share with you a poem I wrote at the time about burying him.

It was years ago I wrote this poem.  We live on a different farm now and Gary's ashes will join horses that joined us later in life than Tom.  However, I have no doubt that Gary was welcomed "home" and I like to think he's mowing hay or plowing with the horses he loved right now.

 

Gary waving from the hay mower with Tim and Tom. The dogs are Sherman & Spanky

Our Belgian draft horses, Tim and Tom, spent their whole lives together.  Born on the same farm and matched up as a team, they ate, slept, worked and played together.  

When Tom died at age 29, Tim was present as our vet administered the euthanasia drugs.  

He was present as we buried him 

And as we mourned, so did Tim.

Tim stood guard at Tom's grave for weeks sending heart breaking whinnies into the skies.  Tim was never the same and we had no doubt he spent the rest of his own life missing his partner.

Burying Tom

Before we covered him with the sheets,
we pillowed his head on fresh cut cedar boughs.
And carefully arranged his legs
that ran like fire across these fields.
A thick covering of cedar boughs,
their feathery softness more for us than him.

Stepping out, we lean hard against the shovels,
our breath coming in frosted clouds,
then gather ourselves and continue with picks and shovels
down through the ice and snow
through thick oak and thin persimmon roots.

Before we shovel him out of sight, we talk to him.
We invent our own mythology, his and ours.
We tell him when it's our turn
to enter the darkness, unlike that fierce dog
who guards the gates of Hell,

He'll be the welcoming one
at the dim edge of the other side.

When we are still stunned and smelling of earth
he'll come and lead us the way he did
when we took our long hayrides
and he turned us out of the tangled woods
into the wide bright fields
toward home.

He Wasn't Just A Dog by Robert Storment | Dog Song Saturday

Another Saturday, so another dog song!  This one is an original song by Robert Storment.  

He Wasn't Just A Dog is a country ballad and a barking good canine tribute.

He wasn't just a dog. He was my best friend.

Sit. Stay. Relax and enjoy He Wasn't Just A Dog.  Then fetch some more genuine dog song music videos at Talking Dogs.  You'll be surprised at how many we've collected over the past few years.

Missing my Hairy Boy Jeffie

It took me about a month to run the vacuum.  I couldn't bear to vanquish all the stray Jeffie hair.

There's still a spot that hasn't seen the vac.  Just a little slice between the bed and the window wall in my office.  It's where Jeffie liked to nap stretched out.  There he could easily keep an eye on me, yet be handy to the window and his security duties.  

I'd often glance over and see him watching me.  If something upset me while I was working, he'd immediately come over, put a paw on my knee and rest his head against my arm. After comforting me or making me laugh, he'd head back to his spot.

It's full of Jeffie hair.  On the carpet. Stuck to the wall. Clinging to the bed's dust ruffle.

Today marks 6 months since Jeffie died in my arms.from Leptospirosis.

  

When I awake each morning there is no longer a soft furry head sharing my pillow.  

As I head to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee there is no doggy head pressed on the outside of my right knee.

As I dish up the dogs' breakfast, there is no longer a pup who can't contain a little woof of excitement.

In fact, there is a whole lot of silence in my house. No one barks at the UPS and FedEx guys. No longer does anyone care that the trash service is stealing our trash.  Coyotes in the pasture? The current crew just watches.

Not only is there a hole in my heart, but there is a very large hole in my life where Jeffie used to be.  By my side and with me like an extra limb.

I know.  I know.  I cannot collect enough of the fur Jeffie left behind ...  but sometimes wild hope, though bittersweet, can be a joyful thing.


[Click the arrow in the upper left to listen]