Life Lessons | Find the Beauty

Last week, we said goodbye to one amazing little buddy. Wilbur was rescued from a neglect situation after he was brought into the veterinary clinic I used to work for. Dr. Darlene Cook, from The Bluffs Pet Clinic, re-attached the poor little guys ear flap that was lacerated after a tight bracelet was left on his head for far too long. The bracelet had grown into the back of his head and had cut into his ear which left only 1/4 of his ear flap attached to the body. Dr. Cook did one incredible job as the ear, and the back of his neck, healed completely! Throughout his treatment he remained in good spirits, not a mean bone in his body.

I knew that Wilbur would be a great addition to our family and brought him home shortly after his ear reconstruction surgery. His personality shined throughout his life. He spent a good 12 years in our family and brought a smile to our face every single day. He was a clown as most Dachshunds are. Not so much of a trouble maker as girls (Audrey and Tindra) were, but he was right there in the action when the time was right. He had such a peppy gait and a silly demeanor that when he would walk into a room, you just had to think… here comes Goofy or Mr. Wilbur. 😉

He was also the worlds best photo bomber:

Wilbur was the best little mole hunter ever and would be so proud when he caught one. With his head held high, he always had to bringing us his prize. Wilbur was the last of the three musketeers- Tindra, Audrey, and Wilbur. Losing the three within 6 months has been hard, but I know we will all see them someday.

Farewell little buddy, you are greatly missed.

Farewell, Spoonful of Stars (Tindra)

Farewell, My Fair Lady (Audrey)

Last week, Dan and I had to say goodbye to one amazing little girl that gave us so much unconditional love throughout her time here on earth. Spoonful of Stars, “Tindra”, was part of our family for close to 16 years- Yes, we were lucky.

I had a special bond with her since I had bottle fed her from day one. You see, Tindra came into this world via C-Section; her mother, Kayla, stopped producing milk shortly after giving birth. The munchkin was bottle fed every 2 hours in the first couple weeks of her life. I would like to thank “Auntie Krissy” who helped bottle feed her when I was unable to be with her for a couple days. Kris was actually with her when she first opened her eyes! Auntie Kris was always available to watch this little one when we needed a puppy sitter. Thank you so much Kris for your help during her life- you were always there when we needed you.

The strong bond shared between Tindra and I grew over the years; she carried me through some sad times and walked beside me in the good. She knew when I was sad and would lick my face until I started laughing, then would cuddle right up to me to make sure I was ok. Even on her last day, she mustered up the strength to lift her head to softly lick my face when I was crying.

Throughout her life, she went everywhere with our family and was socialized well by meeting numerous people and other animals. She had a very kind soul that loved everyone. Being a Dachshund, the trait of courageousness and loyalty was at the forefront of her personality. This little one has never shown one bit of aggressiveness towards any human, however, rabbits or rodents were not included on her be nice list. Tindra’s mother, Kayla, was a field champion and was an extremely good scent tracker. She inherited that trait from her mother and was always on the scent trail of some varmint, although sometimes that got her in trouble when her nose would take her places she was not supposed to go.

Her name meant “To Twinkle”, and that she did. She was my shining light at the end of a hard day; always happy to see a member of our family with her bucking bronco dance. I can never repay what she gave to me and the decision to help her along to the other side was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. As a previous Veterinary Technician, I have helped many families through this type of loss, and the family’s pain touched me every time. When the decision is yours to make, boy, it can be an emotional nightmare. I truly believe that this is the ultimate loving gift that we can give our pets in times of suffering or severe illness. For more information on pet loss, please visit the following site: The Association of Pet Loss and Bereavement.

Thank you, Tindra, for the compassion, the laughter, the unconditional love, and even for the times you were an opportunist and got into some kind of trouble (which normally involved food or Kleenex). From the early morning stretches that accompanied a wonderful array of vocals, the crazy Happy Dachshund Dance, the excitement of seeing a bunny, the way you loved your family; these memories will never drift too far from our mind. You have taught me patience and watching you explore the world reminded me that there is always something new to experience in daily life. No words will never be able to express the deepness my gratitude but I know; my little co-pilot in life will forever be by my side.

Our new one, Clover, has been with us now for 2 months today. Clover is a 6 year old Dachshund that was rescued, along with 40 other Dachshunds, from a hoarding situation in the New England area by Furever Dachshund Rescue. Clover relied upon Tindra to show her the ropes, and to teach her the courage needed to be curious and how to enjoy her surroundings. They became cuddle buddies within a day of meeting each other. Clover is heaven sent and has stepped up to fill a hole produced by losing both Tindra and Audrey.