Every pet has a special place in the heart of its human companions. Shadow, the first g helped me get through some difficult times during my longer than normal single life.
My future wife, Angie, decided early in our relationship that a guy who had a collie couldn’t be too bad a guy. Like me, she had grown up with cats so I knew the perfect gift for her first birthday after we were married would be a kitten. I just knew that Shadow would accept the adorable fuzz ball which he did. That was 1989 and they became constant companions until that fateful fall day in 1995 when suddenly we had to say good-bye to our 12 year old canine buddy.
Within months I was ready for another puppy. I had always loved dogs and was partial to collies since the earliest Lassie movies. (I have virtually every one on DVD). Angie agreed but didn’t want another sable and white dog since it would remind her too much of Shadow.
We had saved an abandoned tri-color collie months earlier but couldn’t keep him permanently. Angie had temporarily given him the name “Bandit”. So when we (I) selected our new puppy the next summer, his name had to be Bandit. My wife selected the name and I selected “the one with the white tipped tail” and to top it off, he was born on March 14, my birthday!
We went through the usual trials and tribulations of life with a new puppy and whereas Shadow licked Buster’s ears and kept them clean, Bandit loved to chew on them. Over the years they became good friends and we felt Bandit helped keep Buster young. They affectionately became known as “big nose & little nose”.
In 2004 we moved from town to a quiet subdivision just outside of town. Our daily walks changed from an extraordinary long block to the one half mile circle of the subdivision or the longer walk down a hill, past the horses (with occasional pauses to greet them), past a cornfield, and to the conservation district woods. He usually didn’t want to go into the woods except in the winter when I would take him cross-country skiing. Well, I would ski and he would follow behind until we headed homeward; then he took the “point”. By then I was partially retired, teaching 3 days a week at a two year college 35 minutes away. Needless to say, we both enjoyed the additional time together.
In May, 2007 we had to give up Buster after a long gradual decline. Sadly we buried him under the pines of the front berm. Less than two weeks later we almost lost Bandit to pancreatitis but with the aid of some very good iveterinarians he pulled through. Dr. Lendman spent virtually all day every day over a long holiday weekend with Bandit because he was determined we weren’t going to lose two pets in 10 days.
In March or April 2007, I noticed that he would sometimes drag his feet on the pavement as we walked. In June Sherry, the groomer, called and said Bandit was having a lot of trouble. We had to carry him to the car. We took him to the clinic and after a few tests Dr. Frost wanted to get X-rays. They confirmed that he had a form of neuropathy in which the spinal cord was deteriorating. He said that Bandit would eventually lose control of his hind legs. He told us that there was an experimental medicine that we could try. But Dr. Frost said to be prepared for 2-5 months. That devastated me.
Shortly after that he also started to exhibit strange behavior like getting confused and going to the wrong side of the door to get out. Internet research led us to believe that he was also suffering from canine cognitive dysfunction, the animal equivalent of Alzheimer disease. So we started him on a very expensive pill for it. We were already giving him a pill for arthritis. His appetite started going downhill and in late August I stayed home with him while Angie went down to her folks. During this time he was barely eating. Then he started circling a lot–a new problem. Dr. Frost then began to suspect that he had either had a mild stroke or had a brain tumor. To help with the arthritis, his appetite, and to reduce inflammation in case of a tumor, he suggested taking him off the arthritis medicine and putting him on a steroid, prednisone. Now he started to eat like a pig, gained some weight, and began walking again, eventually back to 1/2 mile every couple days. This was October now and we had hope even though the confusion and circling became progressively worse. Around Thanksgiving he really took a turn for the worse and we just hoped to get him through the holidays. Angie’s parents, bless them, agreed to come up for Thanksgiving and when they saw how bad he was said they would come back up for Christmas. December was horrific. By Christmas we (usually I) had to help him outside and carry him down the step to go to the bathroom. We had a lot of snow in December and I would scoop out areas for him to go. The last few days we just let him go out on the deck and I would cover it over with snow or scoop and throw it. Even though he was a large dog, he loved to sleep on the bed with us (if you can imagine two people and a large dog on a bed). I would sleep with my head at the foot of the bed to keep him from falling off. Someone had to be nearby most of the time. Finally, we decided that the day after New Year’s Day we would have to end his misery. Yet, he was eating well, was taking all his meds, and still loved and recognized us. But his circling was almost constant and had to be guided everywhere. So on January 2, I gave him his last treats-one for every year of his life and took him one last time to State Street Animal Clinic and we said our last good-byes to our wonderful friend and companion. Angie collected some of his fur left from the shaving procedure and saved it. We had already made arrangements to have someone dig his grave near Buster’s grave.
During the fall I prayed that he would get better but then I realized that God had given us one miracle a year and a half earlier to enjoy him more than before. In addition, he had too many other health issues. On that last day the vet told us that because of the limited success with the experimental drug, they were now trying it on another patient. We like to think that Bandit paved the way for other dogs, at least at our local animal clinic.
SHADOW
Shadow my friend your were so dear
From the beginning this was clear
You looked just like the hero Lassie
And to us you were just as classy
At first there was just you and me
Then came Angie to make it three
And when we got that fury kitten
You were not the least bit smitten
You took him in like a little brother
And sometimes acted more like his mother
For you washed his ears and kept them clean
And to Buster you were never mean
When the sirens screamed you howled like a wolf
They nearly drove you through the roof
You were so patient, devoted, and kind
You are still in our soul and mind
It’s been a long time since we had to part
But you will always be in our heart
You were the very first dog we had
And for that we will always be glad
God rest your memory for eternity
And for the dog you will always be.
Bandit
Bandit our Bandit you’re still the one
I knew it from the starting gun
With your tail so pure and white
I just knew that you would be right
Your fear when the weather got stormy
Seemed to us a little bit corny
The only one that you loved to fight
Was Buster the cat whom you liked to bite
He hissed and kicked to no avail
For you were soon back on his trail
We went for walks in all the seasons
You and me for many reasons
And in the winter we would ski
Alone together just you and me
You chewed right through the trimmer cord
Because you were mischievous and bored
You are so handsome and so bright
Everyone thinks you’re a beautiful sight
And now you’re old and a little bit frail
But we still love your pure white tail
And when you’re gone you will have left your mark
In everyone’s life and in their heart
You’ve been so devoted, kind, and true
There will never be another you
You’ve touched our lives and made them whole
With your eyes as black as coal
You made us laugh, you made us cry
And we will love you till we die
BUSTER
He is a present, a gift from Larry
He makes us laugh, he makes us merry
He is a tiger, a little kitty
And oh his coat, it is so pretty
He has a huge vertical leap
A secret he just can’t keep
He runs the stairs and jumps the wall
To the great amazement of us all
He sometimes stays outside at night
And comes home after a fight
He once went into the storm sewer
We thought his days would be fewer
Of his nine lives he’s used a few
But if you were he, you would have too
His first canine friend washed his ears
The second one only brings him fears
He’s older now, and sleeps a great deal
And sometimes doesn’t eat all of a meal
But that’s OK, we love him still
We just give him a little pill
The best cat he will always be
To both of us, Angie and me
The subject of this poem you know who
Of course, it is our Buster Boo
With a heavy heart I must announce that today, Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 11:42 am CST we said goodbye to our precious girl Brandie. I have almost finished my tribute to her and expect to publish it tomorrow.