Love and Happiness

I lay awake early on this crisp morning of December 1st because one of my dogs peed all over my floor (she’s an older pup). After cleaning the whole ordeal left me feeling tired, but, I noticed that my puppy Scout was eagerly waiting for me back on my bed. I held his little squishy body in a hug for a second before crawling back under the covers. As I sat down I couldn’t help but notice the photograph by my bed with the big bold letters BEST FRIEND and a picture of Raven. And the more I thought  about the nights events the more I thought about the unconditional love of a dog. Here are my thoughts as told from the perspective of a pooch:

HAPPINESS is being curled up by the fire place with human after romping in the snow all day

LOVE is when I must be touching human in someway at night, even if it is just my paw (or I will sit on human’s stomach)

HAPPINESS is when human gives you an unexpected treat (did I do something good?)

LOVE is when there is no room on the couch but I absolutely must be with human so I make room

HAPPINESS is rolling around in the last snowbank of winter when the days start to get warmer

and

LOVE is knowing that this is my family, my forever home and knowing that I will always keep them safe and protect them

Have a good night everyone.

 

Clara

I apologize for the hiatus in posting during the Thanksgiving Holiday! Here’s the new dog of the week.

This is Clara who will be celebrating her sweet sixteen in just a few months. She lives on the Island of Surf City in New Jersey with my grandparents Don and Carol-Sue. She has the most soulful eyes and even though her face may be graying she still plays with her sisters Katie and Ruby. I snapped this photograph this summer while she was watching us eat dinner out on the patio (she never outgrew her habit of begging!)

Sad News

I would like to take the time today to post an update on Prof. Langely’s old friend Ali that I posted about two weeks ago. Unfortunately after seventeen happy years Ali has crossed the Rainbow Bridge. It is always sad to see an one of our old friends pass away, but, it’s times like these that we have try and remember all of the wonderful times we have shared and know that it was simply their time to cross over. Sleep well Ali.

 

No New Dogs This Week

Hello friends,

This week I will not be featuring a new dog. The reason for doing this is that on the 6th of November will be one year since my childhood dog Raven passed away. It’s a bittersweet time for me thinking back on all of our memories and missing her. I lost Raven and less then a year later I lost my Grandmother, my heart has been filled with sadness in these hard times but I am so grateful to have memories to look back on. So, instead of featuring a new senior this week I thought I would share with you one of my favorite poems titled “The Rainbow Bridge” while nobody knows who wrote it it is a beautifully poem that has been spread across the world.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….

I do not own the image above it belongs to http://www.outandaboutpetservices.net/images/rainbow_bridge.jpg

Ali

Meet Ali (more affectionately known as Lee Lee Boo Boo). This beautiful senior belongs to Professor Langely. She shared with me his struggles in old age but it is completely evident that he still lives life to the fullest in home full of love. Ali will turn 17 years old (wow!) on December 17th of this year.

(Photo credit goes to Jaqueline Langley)

Forever Friends

I wanted to give some insight to those reading about this blog so here it goes:

Raven and Friends is a project I’ve wanted to create for a little while now. I want to show people that in a world focused on puppies older dogs are just as delightful. Some dogs are lucky to have had forever homes since they were puppies, but, a lot of dogs find themselves in shelters for significant parts of their life. I want to give a friendly reminder to consider adopting a senior citizen pooches out there! I want to share my story of having a puppy all the way through having a senior pup. Take care all!

Meet Honey

Honey is a small mixed breed that belongs to my Aunt Peggy and Uncle Chuck in Hatfield Pennsylvania. She is almost eighteen years old and I cannot remember a visit to my families house without seeing her.

Honey is what I would classify as “a licker”, she greets her guests by hopping onto their laps and smothering them in kisses. She is also notorious for for going into suitcases to steal underpants. Her old age may make it harder for her to run and play like she used to but it has not stifled her spirit and extremely loving attitude. I will always think of laying on the couch and being greeted by her fuzzy body laying on top of my feet, giving me all sorts of kisses and falling asleep.

Raven’s Story

Raven was born in 1999 as a stray in northeastern Ohio before coming to live with the Blueter’s. She spent fifteen happy years in the Blueter home before passing away in 2014, this is her story.

Raven and I grew up together and we spent many nights with her nestled at the foot of my bed and afternoons throwing the frisbee (Raven would probably have jumped through flaming hoops to catch a frsibee). Her golden years held some of my most fond and beautiful memories of her and I together.

One night in late August I was alone with our dogs Raven and Maple. It was a quiet night and I fell asleep with the window open and both dogs laying at the foot of my bed. I was awoken by a loud crack of thunder and the sound of the pouring rain, I switched on a light and called for my furry friends who had abandoned the bed in the midst of the storm. Raven had cornered herself in my sisters room and was frantically clawing at the wall. With every crack of thunder she would scatter and her behavior was so erratic I shut the door and held her close to me. With her old age her hearing had started to go but I knew she could feel the storm happening and that she was terrified. I tried to turn on the television to try and tune the storm out but the signal was fried. So on that night in the middle of a storm I hugged my dog and I did the only thing I could think of to do- I sang. Quietly with my voice shaking I tried to recall melodies from my childhood.

See the pyramids along the Nile/ See the sunrise from a tropic isle/ just remember darling all the while/ you belong to me

We sat as the storm raged on, her body shaking as I held her. Then at some point around 6 that morning I fell asleep on the dog bed with her. When I awoke she was snuggled close to my body, the storm had passed and all was well once more. I felt so close to my pooch at that point in time,as we lay next to one another. It was always be a story that reminds me of the bond between girl and dog and just how strong that can be.