Why Do the Good Die Young

I'm still numb. I'm still in disbelief. In less than a year and half I've lost my two best boys Beckett and Keltic. It's not fair, they weren't old. Beckett was only ten and half and Keltic was only nine years, two months and few days.  This picture of me with Beckett and Keltic was taken on 17 Dec 2019; on 23 Dec 2019, I would lose Beckett to hemangiosarcoma. Fast forward to this year and on 25 May I let Keltic go as a result of kidney disease. 

Keltic should have had more years. It just wasn't fair, their lives are so short as it is.  

Keltic was born on 17 Mar 2012, St Patrick's Day. I had the Keltic on my list of puppy names and it seemed auspicious that the litter was born on that day. It's actually the name of a trucking company in New Brunswick. With Keltic, I wanted to link his name with that of his lineage, his sire was Triadic's Mach Three Turbo and there was nothing I liked that tied in with that. His grandsire was Bach's Razor's Edge, with that I came up with Triadic's Keltic Livinonthedge. "Liv'in on the edge" is a line from the song Shamrock City by the Irish Descendants. I used it in Keltic's memorial video. 

Keltic Remembered

He was a pudgy little pup but he was ready for anything.  He fit right in with Tucker and Beckett.

Keltic was quite the character. I always called him the "bad son" but really he wasn't bad, maybe a little naughty.  He loved to take things from the garbage can, something he never grew out of, so basically I ended up using the garbage cans in the bathrooms only for things he could tear up. He also never did learn to wake me up when he had to go out at night so I ended up having to sleep with my bedroom door closed so he would scratch on it. Boy, do they ever train us. He also was very opinionated. He had opinions on everything, walking down the street barking his way through the neighbourhood, barking and lunging at me because we had finished our toast or when he thought I'd handled something wrong in agility (which happened quite often and he was probably right).

Keltic did well at agility, too bad he didn't have a better handler so I could have figured out what the problem was with his weaves at trials.  We competed in the K9 Kup, a local agility league with the Snow Dogs; in our first year all the other dogs on the team but Keltic and a Keeshond were also sled dogs. Keltic qualified for Nationals at every Regionals I entered him in, except one. That year, when the Nationals were close to our home, he missed by 0.4 points; so he never did get to go to a National Championship. I think it's my one regret with Keltic. I should have taken him when I took Beckett to the Nationals in Montreal; I would have had those memories but I guess he really didn't care. I never thought Keltic would get a Masters title but he surprised me by getting a Masters Snooker title just before the pandemic hit here and a Masters Jumpers title, just last fall when things were allowed to open just a little.

I think if you asked Keltic though, he would have rather done herding or lure coursing, especially lure coursing. Keltic did his herding instinct test and was quite the natural, he loved rounding up the sheep that strayed off.  But lure coursing, after the first time, he was hooked, he would just get frantic to go and chase that little bit of fur or plastic. I would have tried chaseability with him but the problem was that the few times I let him do lure coursing, afterwards he would very nearly collapse. The first time it happened, I thought it was just the heat and the length of time he ran but it happened each time I let him try luring. 

Keltic - Lure Coursing

Keltic - Herding Instinct Test

Keltic was a real ham in front of a camera. Beckett was always seemed so serious. It was Keltic who made the photo sessions and made it hard to chose which photos to buy when we had professional photos done. 

He should have had more time to enjoy more travels, more camping trips, more walking and hiking, more trips to the beach and more agility trials. But that's not to be. 

I didn't get to spoil him on that last day but we spent a glorious day outside. We did get to take some special walks while he was still well enough. I hope he enjoyed that time together. I hope now he's running with Beckett and all the rest of the dogs at the Bridge. 

Keltic, know this, you were a GOOD SON! 

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Birthday Tucker

Tucker would have been twelve years old today. Since he was born on Halloween, I always dressed him in costume and I told the little trick or treaters that came to my door that it was his birthday.  The reaction from the littlest ones was priceless, they would tell him "Happy Birthday" and usually run and tell Mom or Dad, "It's the doggie's birthday." I'll miss that this year.

Devil Prince

Tucker's passing still brings me some worries; should I have taken him to the vet, could they have saved him, was he in real discomfort? I think I kind of knew in my heart though that it was his time and wanted to have a few more hours with him; I thought that if I took him the vet's office I might have had to make that last decision and would left the office without him and not had the chance to spend those last few hours with him.

Tucker and big brother Gryffon

I found this poem on line shortly after his passing to the Bridge. I had never seen this one before even though I looked for poems such as this when Ceilidh passed away.  Perhaps my heart did hear the whispers of Tucker's voice. Tucker seemed to have a peaceful passing and even though I was with him, he went without a sound while I was asleep so I didn't actually see him leave on the journey.

While you could not speak the words,

I could hear the whispers of your voice.

Telling me it was time to go,

to celebrate your life and rejoice.

You decided it was time to go and

find your resting ground.

You lay down your tired head and

went without a sound.

In my heart I know you loved me,

as much as I loved you.

I pray you've found the peace,

that's helped to see me through.

I thank you for all the joy in my life 

and the smiles you've brought to me.

May God guide you on your journey and

may your spirit always run free.

Anonymous

Tucker Remembered

Thank you, Tucker, for all the wonderful memories!!

Happy 12th Birthday, Tucker!!

Tucker and Ceilidh

Fly free, Tucker Boo! See you on the other side.

Tucker's Travels are Over

Today, I lost one of my best friends, my sable Sheltie, Tucker. 

He had a fearless heart, a quiet mind, was straight and true and brave and cool, everything I wish I was.

Tucker - A Fearless Heart

He began his travels in New Brunswick but at three years of age moved to Ontario where he began his agility career. He moved once more to Ottawa where he continued to be successful in the agility ring.

For a Sheltie, he had a quiet and thoughtful mind; no spinning for him.  When I would send him out to do a gamble, if he didn't get it right away, I could see him thinking about what he should do next; if my handling was good (and sometimes even if it was not that good), he would get the gamble.

I started the stories of his travels with high liver values and Cushings in Oct 2010 just before his 10th birthday.  I was so sure he would see his 12th birthday but that was not to be. When I came home from a camping trip with Beckett and Keltic, my sister called to say that he wasn't eating and hadn't stood on his own all day. I went over to pick him up and he didn't come to greet me but he looked stable enough that I decided to wait until today to take him to my own vet rather than go the 24 hour animal hospital, Alta Vista.  Late last night, he took a turn for the worst. I got him in a more comfortable position and laid down with him. I fell asleep listening to him breathe but by this morning he was gone.

31 Oct 2000 - 23 Aug 2012

I hope I didn't let him down. 

Good Bye Sweet Tucker Boo. 

Bogart - 9 Aug 1995 to 5 Mar 2010

A very dear friend had to let her Westie, Bogart go on to Rainbow Bridge today. Bogart was over 14 years old but no matter how long they are in our lives it is never long enough.

Colette had taken Bogie, as he was called, to the vet earlier in the week as he had not been eating. With some IV fluids, he was able to eat a little and seemed to perk up for a little bit. Colette was able to have him home with her yesterday but this morning the look on Bogie's face told Colette it was time to let him go.

He joins his brother-before Darcy and my two Sheltie angels, Duffy and Gryffon, now all waiting for us at the Bridge.