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Flick - 8-6-95 to 9-22-08


sea4th
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I'm still not over Flick's death. I'm choked up as I write this, but wallowing in sorrow, although it has it's time and place, truly wears you out. I'm tired. I want to remember Flick and share those memories with everyone. Although I have tons of photos, most are from my pre-digital days and some of those were rescued from the jaws of pups, and bear the scars -- instant antiquing, you might say. I'll scan the rest some day, but right now, what I have of Flick is what I'll post here. Eventually, I'd like to do a slideshow, set to music. Lots of pics in more than one post.

 

Flick was kindness, gentleness, perfection. I still stop in my tracks sometimes, waiting for her and it takes a moment to realize, she's no longer here. Her death has really had a profound effect on me and I feel like I need to change course a little bit. How and where, I don't know.

 

From the beginning, Flick aligned herself with me. She loved people, but most of all she loved children and above all else, she loved her job as my self appointed right hand girl. I never asked it of her. One day I just realized that that's what Flick was--my right hand girl in practically all matters. It took me longer to realize what Flick knew from the start.

 

puppy Flick:

 

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6 month old Flick with 6 month old friend.

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a natural with kids

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"Our Gang":

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If any of the other dogs broke the rules of the house, if she couldn't straighten it out herself, she'd come get me, to follow her to the scene of the crime and let me handle it. Tattle tale? Maybe, but to Flick, keeping order in our house was important work.

 

Her job, whatever it was that was asked of her, she took seriously, and when we worked as a therapy dog team, she allowed only a few moments of admiration from bystanders and then insisted that we had a job to do and pulled me toward the next room, the next patient and to watch her go to work was nothing short of amazing.

 

I remember her as a 5 week old pup, loving to run as fast as she could, ears flying back and a huge grin on her face, faster than all of her littermates. She was the fastest and she knew it as she soared with joyous abandonment, those little puppy legs of hers almost a blur beneath her body. She got that from mom, Tattie, who allowed the humans to catch the pups when they scattered in different directions.

 

Flick & daddy Pete:

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Flick made friends -- lots of them. I was often asked by friends of mine -- and Flick's, if she could spend the weekend. Once in a while, I'd say OK. By far, Flick's favorite overnight place was with a friend of mine, who kept a hamster for Flick --- Flick's own pet hamster. Flick loved all that was small and helpless and occupied herself for hours sitting in front of the hamster cage watching Hammie (over the years, there was a succession of Hammies). The last time Flick stayed with my friend was this past May and when I came to get her, she joyously greeted me and then insisted I follow her, so she could show me Hammie. This last time, I took pictures.

 

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I remember when I had brought her home. Flick was 8 weeks old. I had her out one warm evening, one last time for the night when she disappeared into the dark. She heard the neighbors a couple of houses over having a cook out. She wiggled under the fence and joined them, wriggling with joy at having found her way to the party. Flick, if she saw dogs to her right and humans to her left, there was never any doubt whose company she'd choose. It would be the humans'. I've come to the conclusion why. I think it was because Flick was so much more than a dog, a mere pet. It's hard to put into words, but those reading this, who know from the heart what I mean, for you I don't have to provide words what Flick was to me. Those who don't, no words I can write will make you understand. These things you need to find out on your own.

 

I had a dream not too long ago that I found Flick after searching a long, long time for her. I awoke in tears hoping that my awakening was the dream and finding Flick was my reality.

 

It might be nice to think that she's still with me. It's a comforting explanation why I am sort of taken aback when I walk into a room in this house, why I stop suddenly when I start something, as if Flick is so close, still here, but I mentally slap myself into reality and keep going.

 

I held Flick within hours of her birth. I held her only 13 yrs. later as she took her last breath.

After the tears have been shed, the words spoken, I consider myself among the lucky to have had such a dog, a soul, like Flick, in my life.

 

at a friends house, as an overnight guest:

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with the kids

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Life was good:

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still worked sheep, and got down and dirty if she had to:

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She cleaned up pretty good:

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February 08

SnoNoseFlick.jpg

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My very best girl:

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The last picture. She died less than a week after this was taken.

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I wrapped up her body in a blanket and drove nearly 75 miles to my vet who knew her, to have her cremated. When I got back home, I think I just walked in numbness to the back yard and saw this:

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Sleep gently, my Flick.

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Oh, another one passes. I just hate this thread. Sleep well Flick. You led a good life and have many friends waiting for you at the bridge. My deepest sympathies, The only problem with dogs, is they just don't live long enough. She had such a good life. Be proud that you gave her all you could. :rolleyes: I'm so sorry.

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I lost a treasured friend today,

The little dog who used to lay

Her gentle head upon my knee

And share her silent thoughts with me...

 

She'll come no longer to my call,

Retrieve no more her favorite ball;

A voice far greater than my own

Has called her to His golden throne.

 

Although my eyes are filled with tears,

I thank Him for the happy years

He let her spend down here with me

And for her love and loyalty.

 

When it is time for me to go

And join her there, this much I know...

I shall not fear the transient dark

For she will greet me with her bark.

 

Via con Dios, Flick...

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Thanks everyone. Bustopher, how appropriate your poem. Thank you.

 

The time we have with our dogs is all too short. Heck, all of life is fleeting. Although Flick died way too soon, I have no regrets that I didn't spend enough time with her. My only regret is that I didn't do enough to prevent her death. Both her sire's and dam's side are long lived. At 13 yrs., she died too young. But all of the could have, would have, should haves won't bring her back.

 

Anyway, that's some of the stuff going through my mind.

 

Thanks for letting me unload. :rolleyes:

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I too lost my heart dog this year. I found this essay entitled "The Death of Your Best Friend" on the "Four Legged Friends" website; I think it eloquently expresses how we both feel.

 

Those who have never known the pleasure of having their heart dog lay quietly with her head on their foot or the contentment of watching the sun go down with a four-legged friend will also never know the devastating loss of the death of a beloved pet.

 

The grief suffered by animal lovers when their friend dies is often incomprehensible to family and friends. “But, she was only a dog!”, they say in disbelief.

 

Sadly, as a dog's life span is so much shorter than our own, the pain of her passing is an almost inevitable price we must pay for the joy of having her near us for her short time on earth.

 

As a dog grows older and we try not to notice as the effects of old age creep up on her, a quiet voice inside us whispers that there is still so much that can be done to ensure quality of life. Perhaps medical intervention will help us share another year, another month, another day... but as we watch our proud old friends fading before us, we know the day to say goodbye is coming soon.

 

Those who have never known the pleasure of loving a dog will never know the heartbreak of admitting that the day has come to say goodbye. So... is it worth it? Sharing your life for so few years, knowing that one day you might have to hold your dog's head while the vet gentle eases him out of this life, into the next?

 

Only those who have never had a dog would think not.

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