Good news from commentor William F: A few weeks ago I emailed from NYC with a request to help me find a good home for my dog Richie. I got a few responses from your readers and one of them happened to be the perfect guy for Richie. Thank you for helping him find a good home.
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From commentor Jim M:
When my wife and started dating, she owned a 147-pound German Shepherd Dog, “Duke.” Duke was an awesome, brilliant dog. He died in August 2006 at age 8 from gastric dilatation and volvulus. 4 months later, we were watching the local all-news cable network New England Cable Network (NECN) when the morning show featured the monthly Boston Animal Rescue League adoption candidate.
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There she was, thin, scared but alert and clearly with it – Perdie, a shepherd/greyhound/collie mix. She had been in the ARL shelter in Boston for 2 years. This was her last chance. We looked at each other and nodded. It was time to get another dog.
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We met with her at the ARL shelter. She was skinny, but healthy, and at age 9, just recently spayed. Her previous owners had hit some financial difficulty and had to give her up, we were told. That day, we hung out with her in the shelter’s auditorium (it’s a former elementary school). We put her through her paces: sit, lie down, speak, stay, paw, come – all perfect.
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We took her home and began to integrate her into our family. Luckily our daughter Kate – a vet tech – was home for Christmas to provide some welcome advice and counsel. Of our 2 cats, Stop-It was the most affected, hiding out in the cellar for 2 months, emerging at night to eat and go out. Eventually my wife, Roze, put her territorial foot down with Perdie and made it clear that in this house, the female HUMAN was the leader of the cats, not Perdie. And things were great from then on.
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We knew going in that at 9 years old and eventually 55-60 pounds that Perdie would be a part of our family for 4-5 years at best. But that was OK with us. We were moved, and Perdie has proven to be a wonderful pet and companion. Stubborn, quirky, but loving and loyal.
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On Thursday, Feb. 24, our son called to say he thought Perdie was having a stroke. Turns to have been the first of 5 seizures over the next 24 hours. The vet says most likely a brain tumor, meningioma. She’s on phenobarbital, and seizure-free since then. But clearly this is the beginning of the end for our poor old gal. She has moments of lucidity through the drug haze, and can still walk – albeit slowly and shakily – eat, and is still mostly house-continent.
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Prognosis is 2-4 months, according to Teh Google. The cats, Storm and Stop-It, act as her escorts as she paces around the house, and when we walk outside. Every once in a while she’ll walk up to us and look at us with recognition and the smile you see in the attached pic. She’s not in pain. We know we’ll have to say good-bye soon, but not quite yet. Our mission was to give her a good quality of life for whatever time she had left starting on that day in 2006. And here we are 4.5 years later, mission accomplished, but not one we’re eager to see end.
Mary G
What a blessing Perdie is and has in your family.
stuckinred
It’s a difficult time for all of you, love to Perdie and you.
JPL
Jim, You did good bringing home Perdie. The smile on her face tells it all. Of course, you will miss her but that’s the price we pay.
Yeah, for Richie finding a new home.
Southern Beale
Aw what a great story.
Puppies are too much work. From now on I’m adopting senior citizens!
satby
Bless you and your family for taking Perdie, and giving her the kind of home they all deserve! It’s a brave thing to do, and I wish more people were capable of doing it. Love to you and Perdie.
debit
Thank you for sharing her story. Blessings to you and her.
jenn
Thanks for the good cry this morning. That’s how I lost my old girl, with a series of strokes over about 24 hours, and I start bawling every time I really let myself think about it.
And thanks for giving older dogs their chance! :-) Perdie’s a beaut.
And William F, glad to hear that Richie’s found a great home.
geg6
First, let me say how glad I am that Richie found a new home. BJers are the best.
And on to Perdie. So wonderful that you gave her a wonderful home in which to end her days. My eyes have welled up a bit, being that my niece’s German shepherd is also named Perdie and she’s getting a bit long in the tooth (Tori got her at age 4 and is now 17, so…). You’d never know it to look at her, though. She’s a wonderful doggie and the whole family will miss her when she’s gone. Just like your Perdie, Jim M.
Carnacki
Such a good dog. Such a beautiful, good dog.
Peace be with you and thank you for making her last years good.
Carnacki
@Southern Beale: Adopting a senior dog has so many rewards. You know the real reason why you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? They don’t need them
gogol's wife
I’m so sorry about Perdie. She is really beautiful. Best wishes to you for getting through this.
Yay for Richie. His eyes have been haunting me ever since his picture was posted, so I am so glad.
Just Some Fuckhead
Pretty dog. There is no more noble companion than the German Shepherd Dog.
wonkie
Thank you for highlightg an older dog. I voluntgeer at a dog rescue and it is soo frustratig to see the older dogs get passed over time after time.
Ourt collie joey died of a brain tumor. The progressio was like Peride’s: fits, walking difficulties, diagosis, drugs, a window to say good by in. We probably let Joey go on a little toto long.
Perdie is a beautiful girl and she looks happy.
Kristine
Perdie’s a beauty.
I am so sorry.
comrade scott's agenda of rage
I’m so sorry but she’ll have a Forever Home in your heart.
You’ve done good. Please be there with her when you finally say good bye.
ruemara
She’s a beauty and damn happy to be with you. Just unwrapped my Smudge’s ashes so I’m all cried out but this story darned near unleashed waterworks again. You did a great job.
whenpiggsfly
I’m crying for Perdie AND you. May her final days be as good as possible, and may you come to terms with her going as best you can.
asiangrrlMN
Perdie is beautiful. I am so sorry for your sorrow. I hope her journey to the other side is smooth and painless.
I’m really glad Richie found a good home.
@ruemara: Aw, I’m sorry for you, too, on the loss of your Smudge. My deepest condolences.
John - A Motley Moose
Losing a companion is always hard. I lost my friend Al during the holidays last year. He was 6 when he came to live with me. We formed a bond that was as strong as it would have been if he’d been with me since he was a puppy. Here’s a poem I found after he died. Rudyard Kipling obviously knew what you are going through.
There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.
Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie–
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart to a dog to tear.
When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet’s unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find–it’s your own affair–
But … you’ve given your heart to a dog to tear.
When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!)
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone–wherever it goes–for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear.
We’ve sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we’ve kept ’em, the more do we grieve:
For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-term loan is as bad as a long–
So why in–Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?
Rudyard Kipling
CatHairEverywhere
So happy to hear that Richie found a home, but so sorry about sweet Perdie. I completely agree that adopting older dogs is a wonderful thing. My Jasper was 4 or 5 (according to the shelter, so who knows?) when we adopted him, and he has been a blessing for us.
path
Sorry to hear about Purdie.
We just adopted a 9 year old last month as well in order to try and give her a happy golden age. I already know it will be hard when that day comes.
DPirate
Great looking dog in that pic.