poo
My sister Barb and my mama Siggie have always had special dogs - and cats too for that matter. Poo was definitely one of the best (of many "bests") and lovable (as they all are in their own way) dogs. She was a Pomeranian who they rescued after she had been starved on a farm - tied up and only able to go around in circles. She was found with some starving horses - some of them dead - with her sibling. They had maybe even had to eat some of the dead horses to stay alive. My sister and Siggie, after they heard about this, and being the kind people that they are, took both of the poms - but later one of their friends took one of them.
Poo's original name was Chance. She was pretty timid at first which is why Siggie wanted to keep her as opposed to her sister Trixie - Siggie could relate because she was a shy kid and rumor has it that she had to repeat kindergarten cause she wouldn't talk! She got over her shyness pretty much I think. I am not sure where the name Poo came from but I sort of remember that maybe it was cause she pooped a lot in the house before they got her trained? Poo was pretty much short for "Poo Poo nah" which, if you were Finn, you could say it just right. And Siggie could say it perfectly.
No one really knew how old Poo was when they got her, but Barb and Siggie had her for 13 good years. And Poo ruled the place. She was the boss. She loved cat food and she loved to ride with Barbara in the basket on her bike. She was good friends with Billy the dog, who died before she did, and then with Willi the big lab who they still have and I will write about eventually. She loved going for walks and when I visited I would take both she and willy walking - mostly separately. Maybe because of having been tied up for so long when she was young and only being able to move in a circle, she sometimes turned around and around when she was excited. She just loved going for walks, even just around the block. She developed a pretty bad cough that I guess those kinds of dogs get - something about their trachea collapsing? I don't know for sure. If I took Willi walking without her she would get really mad and she would actually pout. A few years ago she developed some sort of cancer in her mammary glands and survived surgery. She was so sad the day after the surgery that the vet called for them to come take her home - where she bounced back pretty quickly. Poo did not really like being anywhere but with Barb and Siggie.
Poo liked to strut around up town, and the few times she got loose, she would run straight for the main street, once with Siggie chasing her all the way up town. She would walk so proud - I can only imagine that she thought her life with Barb and Siggie was Heaven, after what she had been through earlier in her life. Grateful is a word I would use to describe her. She didn't ask for much from anyone. She was a picky eater and really liked cat food - pretty much she got what she wanted but she didn't want much. She wasn't much of a lap dog but I got her to sit on my lap for a while. I took her for a walk in the snow once and she got kind of cold so I carried her. She seemed to like that and seemed to gloat at Willi when we got home and I was carrying her. She knew I could not carry Willi - he weighs more than I do. Poo was happy with a kind word and a pat on the head and a place to sleep - usually a blanket on the floor but mostly with Barb or Siggie.
My brother used to take her for walks every day. Early this spring, she began having some sort of seizures or mini strokes and would just fall over. He would carry her home and lay her down and she would bounce back pretty quickly...until May of this year when I visited. I took her for a few short walks and one day she steered me up town and then walked over in the grass and just laid there - unresponsive. I carried her light little body home and laid her on her bed. She eventually got up but it took her longer than before. We figured her time was close and she got whatever she wanted. I don't know anything about dogs, being a kid nurse, but it seemed to me like she had had a stroke and she was maybe in heart failure - rapid, noisy breathing and a wet cough. But she did not seem uncomfortable at all.
As dogs seem to do when they know they are going, she wanted to be left alone. She went to lay behind the couch. I checked on her later that afternoon and she was gone.
I cried so hard that poor Barb and Siggie, as sad as they were, must have thought they should keep it together. I think I cried for everything that I hadn't cried about before - my mom, and my dad and all the other animals we had known and loved and are better people because of it. I cried because my daddy taught me to love all animals and old people but both of them die on you someday. Then we had several Crabby Juices (whiskey and Pepsi) and remembered her life - a tradition in my small town.
I was glad that Poo died when I was there. At least someone waited till I came back. I didn't make it for my mom and dad - but in the end we pretty much all die alone anyway.
It hurts when our dog friends leave us - short that their lives are...but the joy they give us when they are here makes up for it.
The next day we buried Poo in the front yard. She died the way she lived - quietly - not asking for anything and grateful for her life.
Poo's original name was Chance. She was pretty timid at first which is why Siggie wanted to keep her as opposed to her sister Trixie - Siggie could relate because she was a shy kid and rumor has it that she had to repeat kindergarten cause she wouldn't talk! She got over her shyness pretty much I think. I am not sure where the name Poo came from but I sort of remember that maybe it was cause she pooped a lot in the house before they got her trained? Poo was pretty much short for "Poo Poo nah" which, if you were Finn, you could say it just right. And Siggie could say it perfectly.
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| On my mom's porch - going in to see grandma |
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| Barb and the proud Poo, going for a ride |
Poo liked to strut around up town, and the few times she got loose, she would run straight for the main street, once with Siggie chasing her all the way up town. She would walk so proud - I can only imagine that she thought her life with Barb and Siggie was Heaven, after what she had been through earlier in her life. Grateful is a word I would use to describe her. She didn't ask for much from anyone. She was a picky eater and really liked cat food - pretty much she got what she wanted but she didn't want much. She wasn't much of a lap dog but I got her to sit on my lap for a while. I took her for a walk in the snow once and she got kind of cold so I carried her. She seemed to like that and seemed to gloat at Willi when we got home and I was carrying her. She knew I could not carry Willi - he weighs more than I do. Poo was happy with a kind word and a pat on the head and a place to sleep - usually a blanket on the floor but mostly with Barb or Siggie.
My brother used to take her for walks every day. Early this spring, she began having some sort of seizures or mini strokes and would just fall over. He would carry her home and lay her down and she would bounce back pretty quickly...until May of this year when I visited. I took her for a few short walks and one day she steered me up town and then walked over in the grass and just laid there - unresponsive. I carried her light little body home and laid her on her bed. She eventually got up but it took her longer than before. We figured her time was close and she got whatever she wanted. I don't know anything about dogs, being a kid nurse, but it seemed to me like she had had a stroke and she was maybe in heart failure - rapid, noisy breathing and a wet cough. But she did not seem uncomfortable at all.
As dogs seem to do when they know they are going, she wanted to be left alone. She went to lay behind the couch. I checked on her later that afternoon and she was gone.
I cried so hard that poor Barb and Siggie, as sad as they were, must have thought they should keep it together. I think I cried for everything that I hadn't cried about before - my mom, and my dad and all the other animals we had known and loved and are better people because of it. I cried because my daddy taught me to love all animals and old people but both of them die on you someday. Then we had several Crabby Juices (whiskey and Pepsi) and remembered her life - a tradition in my small town.
I was glad that Poo died when I was there. At least someone waited till I came back. I didn't make it for my mom and dad - but in the end we pretty much all die alone anyway.
It hurts when our dog friends leave us - short that their lives are...but the joy they give us when they are here makes up for it.
The next day we buried Poo in the front yard. She died the way she lived - quietly - not asking for anything and grateful for her life.
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| Pooh's grave - with the license plate from Barb's bike |
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