Blaze- 5 year anniversary

She was our littlest 24 Paw.

She was an avid hunter and full of spitfire.

She had an hyper anxious electricity about her.

We have always been grateful that her previous owners brought her back to us.

She had quite the fascination with Boxer and Leia.

She was loved.

She was Blaze.

And she more than fit her name.

and then some.

Can't believe it has been five years that she has been gone.

Love you Sweet Pea.  ♥

 

Princess Leia~ August 10, 2006-March 4, 2026

 

This past Wednesday I had to make the hardest decision I've ever made.  I had to let go my little Princess Leia.  We got her when she was 3 months old and she lived for 19 years and 5 months.  She had kidney disease for the last 7 years of her life and we managed it with special food and supplements.  The last month she was not doing well and she went into renal failure.  She was the longest living animal I have ever owned, besides Boxer, who's a year older.  I really struggled with making THE decision, but knew in my heart I could not let her go on this way.  And we did the only kind thing we could do for her, by letting her go.  I know she is at peace now and free from her ill-ridden body.  

Run free, baby girl.  I love you ♥

Zappa's 3 year anniversary

 

The first thing I remember about Zappa after he was born, was the mouth he had on him.  OMD!  He had no problem belting it out even as a wee little thing.  lol  He was always running that mouth for whatever he wanted.  The second thing was that he was a momma's boy.  He loved his Momma Dog Silver.  He could always be seen hanging close to her mouth or in her front legs as a newborn.  He remained tight with Silver her entire life.  I have several pics of just the two of them together. 

The third thing I remember about Zappa is when he had stolen the toilet paper roll and when I called him from the lieu, he actually brought it back!  I still giggle over that one.  

The fourth thing I remember was how many times he outsmarted Brut when it came to their challenges.  Zappa knew how to get Brut in trouble, even if he had instigated the situation. It took me a while to catch on to his game.  

There are several other memories and moments with Zappa, but the time period that sticks out the most for me was after losing Blaze, Chance and Fiona in less than 60 days.  How suddenly he was all alone and it was just him and I.  I often wondered why it was that Zappa was the lone survivor.  We had kind of a rough relationship and didn't really know each other.  He was Mark's dog and Brut was mine.  It was a struggle after the loss of the dogs and being alone with Zappa.  That first day after Fiona died, I shared my turkey sandwich with Zappa and it was the beginning of a peace offering.  Together we slowly began the healing process and grieved together.  That one-on-one time with Zappa became precious in so many ways.  I couldn't be more grateful for his strength and endurance to carry on through even after the losses he had.  I got to know him in a way I couldn't with the other dogs around and it was a blessing.  

Zappa was always a mystery to me.  Fiona and him were the only dogs out of the six who had never been abused or neglected.  And with my childhood abuse it was hard to relate to him.  He was on a higher plane, spiritually, and I was sort of intimidated by him.  So, in these last moments of his life, we were actually able to bond and find each other.  Like I said, it was a blessing.  That time gave me a chance to call him friend, which was the best gift of all.  And I've never forgotten.  ♥

Zappa-Dappa-Do.  

Love you forever buddy.  

Dodging the bullet...for now

Had a scare with Boxer this past week.  He wasn't doing well and I had to make THE decision.  The next day I woke up and there he was acting fine and lively.  It turned out he had been constipated and pooped that night and was fine.  Talk about freaking me out!  Constipation is one of the symptoms of anal gland cancer because of the tumor partially blocking the passage way.  This is what my life with Boxer's cancer consist of, monitoring whether he poops or not.  At some point the tumor will get big enough to block the opening  and he will not be able to go.  The scare he gave me this week means we are closer to that point and will try to make THE decision before that happens.  

Boxer is a fighter.  He is the most strong-willed animal I've ever had.  Even compared to Brut.  I have no idea what kind of cat he is, but I know his father was a wild tomcat.  And believe me it shows.  This boy is all out determined to live for as long as possible.  And I am willing to help him until he tells me different.

        

Confessions of a grieving dog mom #4-No one told me I might have resentments

Chevy and the roses of the 24 Paws of Love

The first month with Chevy was bliss...and then I found myself with resentments that I wasn't prepared to have.  I was suddenly in the anger stages of my grief over the 24 Paws of Love.  I loved Chevy, but he wasn't Brut, Silver, Zappa, Fiona, Chance or Blaze.  I didn't realize I had an expectation of finding another Paw.  What made it even more difficult was that Chevy was a complete opposite of the 24 Paws.  In almost every way.  I felt like every day I was losing the 24 Paws faster and faster with Chevy being here.  I never missed six dogs so much in all my life and I struggled to keep my focus on Chevy.  It was a bit of a trying time with Chevy settling in and my resentments.  If it wasn't for the structure Chevy and I were building with feedings, downtime, training, playtime and walks, it would have been a whole lot worse, but we carried on together. 

It wasn't Chevy himself that I was angry at, it was just the fact that we were here at this point in our lives.  The 24 Paws ending and Chevy beginning.  It opened a new wave of grief over the 24 Paws.  Angry for what would never be again.  Angry for what we had and angry for grieving all over on an entirely different level with Chevy here.  I felt like I was in the middle of the Paws and Chevy and couldn't decide which way to go.  My loyalty was being stretch in both directions and my first devotion was always to the Paws while struggling to give my heart to Chevy.  

Chevy was his own dog with his own personality and quirks.  For some reason I thought that Chevy would be part of the 24 Paws of Love in some way, shape or form.  That I would "see" the 24 Paws in him or signs that they were "there" in Chevy.  But I didn't and that made me sad and angry.  Chevy was a total stranger.  As we were to him and that made it harder to not feel disappointed. 

I was looking for an instant spiritual connection that never came and I was crushed.  Except for the color of Chevy's fur matching Zappa's, Chevy was the exact opposite of the 24 Paws.  In mannerism, behavior, spirit, dog breed, disposition, and temperament.  You name it, he was as far from being one of the 24 Paws as could be.  And I was angry about that.  That fact alone took me to a place in my grief I never thought I could be.   

Then the next big bombshell hit...the anniversaries of the deaths of the 24 Paws.  From Silver in January to Brut in June, with the pups in between. Almost every month had an anniversary in it.  I sunk into one of the worst depression I'd had in a long time.  Going through that period of each of the dog's death's and having a new dog.  It was awful.  (I will note that I'm prone to depression.  So, this wasn't new to me, but the combo made it more difficult.) 

At the same time, Chevy and I were bonding through walks, training and playtime.  It was the highlight of my day being with Chevy, through these dark times.  

Then the strangest thing happened in May, after Chance's and Fiona's anniversary's, I started to feel a shift in my mood, that continued to lift me out of my depression.  And I tell you what, normally I'm depressed in the summer as well, but this past summer was one of the best I'd ever had because of Chevy.  He made everything worthwhile because he was there for me and I was there for him.  

My patient, gentle boy

I have come to a place of harmony with the 24 Paws and Chevy.  The 24 Paws can't be Chevy and Chevy isn't the 24 Paws.  It was a difficult discovery to make and was painful on many levels.  To be honest I still have shots of the anger flare up.  It is there, but I talk myself through it and it doesn't last long.  The 24 Paws were in my life for a reason.  They were a lifestyle.  My entire life was consumed with those 6 Husky-mixes.  It has been hard to let that go and let another dog in.  Oh, that doesn't mean they aren't here or I never think about them, the 24 Paws are very much part of my every day life, but expecting another dog to be part of them...isn't going to happen.  The 24 Paws were who they were and Chevy is exactly who he is.  And if I really think about it, I'm very, very grateful for that.    

My two favorite boys

These two....

are so bonded.  

It is incredible and so adorable!  Chevy will follow Mark around the house and give me this quick look that says, "Yep, that's my dad!"  It is so cute.  

Over Thanksgiving and Christmas, they got quite a few hours on the couch together that bonded them even more. 

Chevy isn't one to wake Mark up in the morning, instead Chevy sleeps in with him.  

And when they are together, all rules and discipline go out the window!!  lol  They have a language that is all their own.

Just a boy and his dog.  ♥

  

Silver-9 year anniversary

We had her for three years before she became Momma Dog Silver.  Those first few years were a bonding time.  She was part Husky, part Black Lab and even though she looked like a Lab, she acted like a Husky.  A complete free thinker. I had no idea about Huskies and I went in blind. I tried to treat her like the Lab she looked like.  Boy, did she teach me a thing or two or three or four!  I still never really understood the Husky in her until we got Brut.  

Silver and Brut were never legally married, but they might as well been.  They were made for each other.  One year after we had Brut, we let them have their way with each other.  Silver gave birth to 10 beautiful puppies.  She was a gentle mom.  It looked to me that she never disciplined her pups.  She was always wanting to play.  She was a good mom who took care of her pups.  So much so, that we had to separate her from her puppies, because she wouldn't wean them.  She was a happy mom.  I'll never forget the first I knew she was pregnant.  It was the skep in her step and the way she protected her body from Brut.  We were so blessed to have be our Momma Dog Silver. 

 

And when we became the 24 Paws of Love, Silver always put the kids first.  She stayed in the back, quiet and waiting for her turn.  It was her gentleness that she passed down to her pups that took the rough edge of Brut in them.  She was patient, loving and a stronger force then Brut.  When Brut died they lost their leader, but when Silver died the pups fell apart.  Silver was the glue that held everyone together.  I hadn't realized by how much until she passed.  

Nine years ago today, we lost our girl and all she stood for.  My heart will always ache for Silver 

  

Merry Christmas 2025

 Wishing our readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Thank you for being part of our lives.

We appreciate every one of you and hope the season brings much joy and love.