So hard to say good-bye...

So hard to say good bye to our little lady, our beautiful and sweet friend Libby.  She passed quietly at home yesterday. I can't thank my vet Dr. Phil Dilts enough for coming to our home to help us end her suffering. It was time, she let me know.  So precious those last few hours, reminiscing, caressing her soft fur...telling her what a "good girl" she is and was and how I was so thankful to have had the gift of her...in my life.

I miss her so very dearly, a part of my heart went with her, but oh the flood of memories that bring me a smile and warm my heart. Libby was a lady from the start...

I remember the twist of fate that we welcomed Libby into our home.  I will forever be thankful that after a sore and sad disappointment we happened upon an ad in the paper for Jack Russell puppies and right down the road from our home.  After a quick phone call telling us they only had 2 females left, Matthew, Nicky and I hopped in the van.  When we arrived we saw two adorable little brown and white puppies.  I was smitten with Libby right away.  That sweet face and that darling smile, who could resist.  We stood there for some time while Libby was making it quite clear that she picked us. Matthew went to go to our van to get the check book and this tiny 4 inch long by 3 inch high puppy hopped through the grass, which was way over her head, and followed him the whole way to the van. She was making sure we got the message and were not going to leave without her. Oh, how glad I am that we didn't leave her behind, she jumped right int our hearts that day and brought us so much joy!

From the start she was an easy puppy.  She cried that first night in her little crate and I just could not help myself (after all I know better) but I scooped her up and put her in bed with us.  And that's where she slept every day of her life...  She slept through the night and woke me up at 5 am...I took her out to the potty and went back to bed with her.  All the while thinking this is not going to work...once puppies are up they are up.  But, not my sweet little lady...she promptly snuggled right in and went back to sleep and slept until 8:30 am.  I have never met another puppy so accommodating and one who loved her creature comforts.  So easy...and such a pleasure.

She was mentored by our beloved collie Emma.  I know Emma had something to do with her sensibility and the way she just knew the order of how things should be.  I always laughed when people would say 'wow, you have a JR...they're tough, lots of energy'.  Libby did have energy like her breed describes but she was always so sensible, intelligent and well just such a lady...

I remember the year Nicky took Billy pony to the fair.  He also decided to take Libby to the fair for his dog project.  Nicky had such a tough week with Billy...he was frightened by the pigs from the start and he lost his little pony brain.  Nicky handled it well, but it was disappointing to say the least and not what he had expected.  He had put a great deal of time and preparation into Billy and nothing went according to plan. Then Libby showed up at the Fair Dog show and every time they walked in the ring they came out with a trophy.  Libby came through big...she and Nicky had already won a trophy in their pre-fair judging. That was only the start, they went on to win the agility class, the tricks class (a trick that Libby taught us and Nicky put on cue and might I add she delighted many people with this sweet begging trick and would use it very adeptly when she wanted attention) and a trophy for the cutest (of course!) in the costume class!  She really came through and put a smile on the face of my son, she saved the day in many respects...what a sweet, sweet memory.  How do you quite say thank you...

The first time we took Libby to the beach, she was only 10 months old.  It took her some time to get use to the sand and the water was so unpredictable, seemingly to invite her in one minute only to turn back around and wash over her the next. Such fun to watch her try and figure it all out. Camping wasn't really her favorite.  I remember taking a 2 week trip, Matthew only stayed with us one week and had to go back to Ohio to work the following week. Libby made it known that she had spent quite enough time in 'that box' and jumped right in the truck with Matt.  Unmistakably she was telling us...'I'm going home'. She was quite happy to return to pick us up the following weekend.  Our second trip to the beach was way more fun...she enjoyed the beach and even dipped her tiny paws in the water.  Perhaps it was because she was older and wiser, maybe it was sharing the experience with her friend Ezra, or staying in a lovely beach house suited her better.  May be it was simply just spending time with her family! So many sweet memories that week...all of us together.

Libby was a Delta Pet Partner.  This is one of a handful of therapy dog organizations.  I was so proud of her to pass all their tests.  If you don't know Delta is much more stringent in their testing than most of the other groups, very thorough and a bit taxing for the dogs.  She passed all their many "tests" with flying colors.  She brought much happiness and many smiles everywhere she visited.  The kids in the reading program at the Mt. Vernon Library especially loved her! Her little begging trick never ceased to bring an array of oohs and aahs and giggles. She just seemed to know how to make us all smile...

Libby was fortunate to travel with us often.  Her diminutive size and her love of a road trip just made her easy to take along.  She shared a great deal of our every day life, she was just a part of our coming and going.  I guess it's why it's so hard not to see her snuggled up beside me right now, or look down to see her lying by my feet when I type.  She greeted us with such gusto when we would arrive home...I remember often her jumping on my lap and standing with her paws on my chest while I scratched her back up and down and back again...she would chortle that beautiful song she did, letting me know how very much she enjoyed me, her family...just being with us...you are never alone or lonely when you have such a friend!

Libby was our agility partner.  Nick started her, I helped her along the way and she ended up doing her very best with Matthew.  What a sight on course...my tall husband and little lady Libby.  She never ceased to  make me smile when we ran agility together.  She would chortle and bark her way around the course and I would smile and laugh so hard I would nearly forget the course.  We truly just had plain fun together.  It wasn't about the ribbons or the titles (although she earned quite a few) it was about enjoying one another and having fun and that we did!  I remember just a few short weeks ago at my training center running a small course.  She gave it her all although I know she was in the throws of her illness.  She chortled her song and ran the course and then looked for her treat...I laughed and smiled the whole time and then wondered how she had the strength...I think she did it solely for me, one last time... Another sweet memory...

Libby was my inspiration in so many ways. Her love for her family, never failing to greet those she loved with abandoned. How could such a big heart be contained in such a tiny body?! She was also a trail blazer.  I remember feeling quite low one morning on our walk around the pasture.  It had snowed quite a bit the night before and the world was pristine and white.  The snow was higher, much higher than my little Libby...yet she blazed her own trail.  She didn't wait for Alli collie to pave the way or open a path....she went first and made her own path.  She didn't hold back or wait to follow anyone and it would have seemed that that would have been ok.  After all, she was so small and the snow was so high and cold...but off she went.  After our walk I found myself no longer feeling low...the huge heart of my little friend made my heart soar that day.  I knew whatever the day held, I could do it, I could face it, I could blaze my own trail...

I used her as an example over and over again when teaching my students and their dogs.  Libby was the leader of our small pack, all 12 pounds of her. And she was a fair leader.  I remember often if I called everyone in and Alli and Ezra didn't hop too...she would head out barking and chortling and round them up, as if to say, 'did you not hear her, get in the house'!  Alli was probably 5 times her height and weight, Ezra was double and yet when she spoke, they listened.  And by speaking I mean...she used her body language, a look, a stare, only adding vocalizations if needed.  If she could get what she wanted using her body language...why could we "smart intelligent humans" not do the same.  I started using more visual cues in my training classes with much success.  Asking my students why in the world do we feel we have to jerk and push our dogs around when my sweet 12 pound Jack Russell Libby can do it all with a look.

Libby was always the first welcome anyone new to our family both canine and human. She was the first to understand my new grand lady Alli.  The first to welcome her to our home, Libby was the first to get close.  She didn't understand this new spastic kind of body language but with my guidance, she figured it all out quickly and welcomed my grand babies with her sweet friendship and special kind of love.  This past summer knowing our Libby was ill, Alli (granddaughter) and I took Libby to the "bankery" each week.  Alli got her lollipop and Libby received her cookie too.  Alli and I both delighted in taking our Libby with us...such good memories...

Libby also taught us about small dogs.  She taught us to be gentle and thoughtful when picking them up.  It is overwhelming to snatch a small dog up without any notice, thought or care.  Libby was picked up by a young person once without notice and Libby let us know in the best and kindest way that that had scared her. It never happened again. We then helped people to understand how very large we are in comparison to her.  Matthew realized if you simply asked Libby if you could pick her up, she was fine with it.  She would sidle up beside you and wait to be picked up gently. She actually loved to be held and snuggled.   (This ones for you sweet girl...helping your fellow small ones...)

Our dear canine companions, our friends mark the passage of time with us.  They share the most precious and intimate moments of our lives.  How can I be anything but grateful, thankful that my Father God would give me and my family such a wonderful gift, the gift of Libby in our life.  Sent to earth to teach us about his true, unfailing and unconditional love.

We laid you to rest last evening under the most brilliant and vibrant rainbow I have ever seen, sweet Libby.  In your pasture, your home, by Emma and Tucker so you can watch over your ponies...  I don't believe in coincidences and Matthew and I laughed through our tears and smiled once again that our littlest angel would send us such a beautiful sign...

My dearest Libby thank you my sweetest friend and teacher for the inspiration, for the smiles and the laughter, for the fun, the joy and all the love!  I have the most wonderful memories to keep me and warm my heart when I miss you the very most...happy trails sweet puppy...until we meet again...our dear Little Lady

Just 30 Minutes

I recently heard an advertisement for a new language program.  Being a lover of languages, this commercial caught my attention.  Just 30 minutes a day and you too can learn a new language.  I'm in, I should get this program.  Only 30 minutes a day and I am speaking another language fluently.

But then it struck me, I thought about the true commitment of time.  Just 30 minutes, 30 minutes is a chunk of time.  I began to count all those things I do each day that I have committed to.  They add up, feeding the dogs, ponies, cleaning stalls, cooking dinner and the list goes on.

I thought about encouraging my students to practice with their dogs just 15 to 20 minutes a day. Doesn't seem like a great deal of time. But, very often my students share with me how busy their week was and how they just could not squeak out 15 minutes a day to work with their dog.

I started to think about practicing anything for 30 minutes a day.  You name it, practice for 30 minutes each day and you are going to become pretty proficient.

So often when I speak with young people about dogs, I hear about how high energy their dogs are, how they don't listen, they bark and the list goes on and on.  I ask them if they think that therapy dogs, seeing eye dogs, bomb detection dogs are special.  Each and every one nod their head yes!

Then I explain to them how I trained my Alli collie to become a therapy dog.  How she has been everywhere with me, well socialized, had opportunity to see many sights and sounds. In other words, I have spent a great deal of time with her.  I then tell them how she used to jump on people when she was a puppy, bark at the ponies, get into the trash.  They look at me with total bemusement.  "No way!"

I also explain how seeing eye dogs are in training from puppies.  Hours and hours spent on socializing and training.  My conclusion is this, I believe these dogs are no more special than the dogs they have in their own backyard.  The difference is...time spent.

Just 30 minutes a day...and your dog can become the good dog they were meant to be and the dog you always dreamed of.

As always, Happy Trails!