Dog on the Blog: The Bonnie Saga - Part 5......... A Happy Ending at Last!

Mr. Gillooly filled the void left by Lloyd and then Lucas in Bonnie's life. He became her constant companion and it was obvious that she was enjoying Mr. Gillooly.


Mr. Gillooly enjoyed Bonnie, and he enjoyed being outdoors, in his own play yard, where he could bark at the chickens and smell fresh air and watch the goings-on at the farm.


And then one day it happened -- again! We found Mr. Gillooly laying still on the front porch of their cottage, Bonnie watching over him and once more a widow. Although it could not be said that his death was unexpected -- he came here expecting to live only a couple weeks -- it was still very sad.



It seemed so unfair that every elderly dog we placed with Bonnie predeceased her, leaving her old and alone one more time.

This is Clyde. It is a little hard to see in this photo, but Clyde was born blind. His eyes are just opaque and white -- no cornea, no retina, no real eyes.

He came to us just after Mr. Gillooly passed away. He had been running the streets of Corrizozo, New Mexico -- getting out of the yard where he lived. A local rescuer was worried about Clyde, since his wanderings often took him into the middle of busy streets, and Clyde seemed oblivious to the danger.


She finally got permission from Clyde's people to bring him to our farm to live, and Barbara personally drove Clyde all the way from New Mexico to Texas!


Clyde spent his first couple nights upstairs in the bed with us, as we try to do with every new dog. It was clear that he is not dog aggressive at all, and he is very loving. His blindness does not seem to phase him, probably because he was born without sight so he does not know that he is supposed to see!




Ricky and I both had the same idea at the same time... we need to introduce Clyde to Bonnie! And so we did.

Clyde eagerly sniffed Bonnie and his new play yard and wagged his tail. Bonnie was more reserved, as she has become throughout this process. I think she is becoming skeptical that she will ever have a long term partner again.

On Clyde's second day with Bonnie, one of our workers noticed a reddish brown shaggy dog out on Highway 60, sniffing along the side of the road! Understanding that it must be one of our dogs (or possibly one that was just dumped out there -- sadly, that happens a lot; local residents just dump dogs outside our gate on the highway, and leave, hoping their dog will find his way up to our house and safety!), he stopped his car and called Ricky.

It was Clyde! He had managed to climb up and over the fence in his yard! So Clyde came back in the house to live for a few days while we first raised the money to buy two more fence panels, and then Ricky created "toppers" for the fence in Bonnie and Clyde's yard out of those panels. It just adds 18" panels at a 90-degree angle to the outside fence. When the dog climbs or jumps, he hits his head on these panels, and cannot get out of the yard.

As soon as Ricky finished their yard, Clyde rejoined Bonnie and has not left her since!

Bonnie and Clyde are still getting to know one another. Clyde is somewhat younger than the other dogs who went before him. So we are hoping that Bonnie will have a partner for a while.

Today, I am looking out my window at Bonnie and Clyde in their yard. Clyde is more active than Bonnie. He is bark-bark-barking at a red and gold rooster strutting by their yard, while Bonnie watches with amusement from the porch. Later today, I know that Bonnie will join Clyde for a walk around the yard, as she has done with Lloyd and her beloved Lucas and then Mr. Gillooly.

I often wonder if, as she strolls her yard with Clyde, Bonnie's mind goes back to past months when she would enjoy this same routine with Lloyd, who had pretty much grown up with her and spent the majority of their lives happily playing and napping with one another.

Or if Bonnie still thinks longingly of the joy that Lucas brought into her life, her amusement at his playful old-man antics, the comfort she felt curled up touching Lucas' body with hers in the warm afternoon sunshine -- that in many ways, Lucas was the love of her life, found very late in the game, and ended far too soon.

Or if Bonnie remembers Mr. Gillooly and his funny rambling gait and the happiness that he brought into her life, after losing Lucas.

Bonnie is one of the oldest living dogs here at the farm. She has spent virtually her entire life with Ricky and me, moving from New Mexico to California to Arizona to Texas. She has seen a lot and done a lot.

Most of all, Bonnie is a survivor. She has had some very happy relationships with some very sweet dogs. She has had sorrow, and joy, but through it all, Bonnie has learned to accept what she cannot change and enjoy each day for what it brings.

Jay Hellerich, executive director
smiling dog farms
a 501(c)3 corporation
wharton, texas
979-257-3377
www.smilingdogfarms.org
http://smilingdogfarms.blogspot.com


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Dog on the Blog: The Bonnie Saga - Part 4......... Mr. Gillooly Intervenes

Bonnie had lost her lifelong partner, Lloyd, after twelve years together. It was a heartbreaking situation for Bonnie, and we feared we might lose Bonnie from a broken heart -- until the upbeat and affable Lucas came into her life, and helped her move on.

Bonnie and Lucas proved that love can be lovlier the second time around, and their relationship inspired joy in everyone who observed it. Although Lucas' death at his advanced age was not completely surprising, it was another tragic blow to Bonnie, whose heart had only begun to mend after losing Lloyd.

We quickly introduced Bonnie to Otto, a very recent widower. We hoped that Otto and Bonnie could fill the void left in each others' lives by the loss of a long-time companion. But before we could really tell whether this match was destined to provide the solace we wished for Bonnie and Otto, we lost Otto, too.

Bonnie had now had three partners and lost three partners in a six month period. We were afraid that Bonnie's little heart could not take much more.

But we also knew that Bonnie seemed happiest when she had a companion.

Enter Mr. Gillooly. He was talking to us when we took the picture above! Mr. Gillooly is another one of Laurine Murtaugh's elderly rescues from the Texas City Shelter. Laurine has a heart for the older dogs who are unable to compete with younger dogs when prospective adopters come to the shelter.

Mr. Gillooly was an ancient guy who was not expected to live very long. He walked slowly with tiny steps - sort of like Tim Conway doing his "old man" routine on TV! His back legs frequently failed him, and he sat down right where they gave out.

We took Mr. Gillooly upstairs at the farm house and he became an indoor dog. We expected to lose him pretty much any day. He seemed old and frail.

Then one day, Ricky left the door to the upstairs covered porch open for Mr. Gillooly to enjoy some sunshine and fresh air. The rails are several inches apart and it seemed safe to let him out there.

Ricky was working below the porch when he heard the "thud" hit the ground. Mr. Gillooly had somehow squeezed through the tight spacing of those rails and sailed down to the ground from the upstairs! Ricky dropped what he was doing and rushed to Mr. Gillooly's aid -- but before Ricky could reach him, Mr. Gillooly picked himself, dusted himself off and proceeded down the driveway, taking his tiny, close Tim Conway steps!

There were no broken bones, no fractures, no sprains. Nothing. Mr. Gillooly was completely unphased by his fall, and he didn't even cry out when he hit the ground.

It was that day when we realized a couple of things about Mr. Gillooly that we had not known.

One thing was that Mr. Gillooly really wanted to be outdoors. We thought he would enjoy some afternoon sun and fresh air on the upstairs porch. But Mr. Gillooly wanted more -- a lot more! And he wanted it badly enough to sail to the ground like the Flying Nun!

The other thing we learned was that Mr. Gillooly was not nearly as fragile as we had thought! He was probably a tough guy in his younger days, and he was still a tough old guy in his golden years.

We decided that Mr. Gillooly might just be a good match for Bonnie. When we introduced Bonnie to Mr. Gillooly, Bonnie was a bit aloof. I think she was just waiting to see if Mr. Gillooly was going to stick around, or leave her the way the others had.

For his part, Mr. Gillooly was happy and animated around Bonnie. He seemed to move more fluidly and had fewer problems with his back legs giving out when he was around Bonnie.

Soon, Bonnie was seen being escorted by Mr. Gillooly on daily walks in their yard, just as Bonnie had done with Lucas a couple months before. They had connected and become part of one anothers' lives. It looked like Bonnie finally had a partner again, and Mr. Gillooly had found his "second wind".

Or so it seemed.

Be Sure to Read Tomorrow's Blog:

The Bonnie Saga - Part 5: A Happy Ending -- at Last!

Jay Hellerich, executive director
smiling dog farms
a 501(c)3 corporation
wharton, texas
979-257-3377
www.smilingdogfarms.org
http://smilingdogfarms.blogspot.com

Please become a Smiling Dog Partner to Support Our Work
Your Monthly Tax-Deductible Gift Gives Hope to the Forgotten,Neglected & Rejected
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Dog on the Blog: The Bonnie Saga - Part 3..... Nothing But a Heartache

Lucas and Bonnie were happy together. For Bonnie, Lucas was a reason to live. She doted on him and hovered over him. For Lucas, Bonnie was loving company in the twilight of his life.



What we failed to see was how close to the end it was for little Lucas. Despite his myriad physical ailments and handicaps, Lucas was full of life and had a sparkling personality. Somehow, we just figured he would be with us much longer than he was.


One sad day, we discovered Bonnie sitting next to a still and lifeless Lucas, out in their yard. The end had come so suddenly and quickly, we did not see it coming. Bonnie was watching Lucas intently, as if she was waiting for him to get up and take their morning walk around their yard together.

When we took Lucas out of Bonnie's yard to be buried under the live oak tree, she sat perfectly still, watching as we carried away her Lucas. She seemed confused. And sad. One more time, her special friend had been taken from her, and she was once again alone.


We immediately went through our mental rolodex of which dog was older and alone and could become Bonnie's friend. We knew better than to leave Bonnie to grieve all alone, like we did with Lloyd's passing. We felt Bonnie needed a new friend -- someone to help her deal with her sorrow over losing Lucas.


We decided Otto was a candidate. Twice Bonnie's size, Otto was an Akita mix who came to us from the Texas City Shelter through Laurine Murtaugh. Otto and his lifelong companion, Erika, had lived with an older couple, who had to move in with their son because they could no longer care for themselves. The son refused to let Otto and Erika come with the couple, so they were sent to the shelter. Laurine knew they were not likely to be adopted because of their age, much less adopted together. And separating dogs who had been together for as long as Otto and Erika had been together would be criminal. So they came to the farm to live.


Just two weeks before Lucas suddenly died, we found Erika inside her cottage. She had died quietly in her sleep overnight. And from that moment on, Otto was alone.


We introduced Otto and Bonnie. Otto seemed happy to have a friend again. Bonnie did not register much reaction at that time. I think she was still numb and grieving the loss of Lucas.


But as time passed, it was clear that Otto and Bonnie were forming a friendship. How close a relationship they would have formed we will never know, because only a couple weeks after Otto moved in with Bonnie, he also died quietly in his sleep. Maybe it was just because he was very old and it was his time. Maybe losing his lifelong companion, Erika, was more than he could bear.

All we know for certain is that Otto was gone very quickly, leaving Bonnie alone again for the third time in six months.

Be Sure to Read Tomorrow's Blog:

The Bonnie Saga - Part 4: Mr. Gillooly Intervenes

Jay Hellerich, executive director
smiling dog farms
a 501(c)3 corporation
wharton, texas
979-257-3377
www.smilingdogfarms.org
http://smilingdogfarms.blogspot.com


Please become a Smiling Dog Partner to Support Our Work
Your Monthly Tax-Deductible Gift Gives Hope to the Forgotten,Neglected & Rejected
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Dog on the Blog: The Bonnie Saga - Part 2....... An End and A New Beginning -- Love Is Lovlier the Second Time Around

Bonnie had added a few years and a few pounds, like most of us old-timers. But she remained healthy and happy into her golden years -- until tragedy struck and her beloved partner of twelve years, Lloyd, died and left her a lonely widow.


We watched helplessly as Bonnie's appetite dwindled, and she lost weight as well as her will to live.

At about the same time, Ricky and I met Robert Cabral, a man of many talents who wears many hats, including that of a highly skilled dog trainer, a professional photographer and a devoted
rescuer. Robert lives in Malibu, California.

Robert was searching for a place to send Lucas (pictured above shortly after his arrival at the farm). Lucas is a Shar Pei/Pit Bull cross who had already lived the greater part of his life, but who still had a twinkle in his eye and enough personality for three dogs!

Lucas had more than three strikes against him, which kept him from having much chance at being adopted through the Animal Shelter where he lived. First, he was very old. No one ever knew for sure, but it was clear that he was a senior -- and a pretty old senior, at that. Second, he had cataracts and was losing his vision. And third, he had severe arthritis in his hip joints that made walking a struggle for him. And if all that was not enough, he was deaf as well!

Robert knew that Lucas had no chance of adoption, and he desperately wanted to save this sweet, gentle, old soul. We agreed to provide a home for Lucas to live out the final days of his life.

Little did we understand at the time what a fortunate decision that was, for everyone involved!


Robert raised some money, and then paid the rest of the cost himself, so that Lucas could fly to Houston and come to the farm. Lucas loved giving kisses. Here he is smooching with Ricky! From the moment we met Lucas, we knew he could have a friend and would benefit from having another dog around him.

As we thought about it, the idea suddenly dawned that maybe -- just maybe -- a friend like Lucas might help Bonnie get over her grieving for Lloyd.

So we took Lucas out to meet Bonnie in her play yard. Lucas was gregarious and friendly, just like Lloyd had been. Bonnie eyed him suspiciously at first, not sure what to make of this new dog come courting her in her own yard!

But Lucas' friendliness was contagious. It was impossible for Bonnie not to smile at Lucas and some of his antics, as he tried to win her over! Soon she was falling in step beside him, taking walks through their yard together.

Side by side, you could almost imagine Bonnie kibitzing Lucas, "Lucas, be careful where you step" "Walk a little faster, Lucas... You need to keep up." "Lucas, what is that all over your fur? Did you get some of your breakfast on you, and didn't even clean it off? What will you do next?"

Bonnie was being a crochety little old lady to Lucas' easy-going elderly partner... but you could see the bond growing between them every day. Whether seated on their porch together, or sunning themselves side-by-side in their yard, Lucas and Bonnie became inseparable, and each brought out the best in the other.

It seemed like they were both growing younger, instead of older. Bonnie was pulled from her grieving funk by this funny little old man from California, who brought sunshine into her days and contentment into her nights.

Lucas and Bonnie was a match made in Heaven... and Lucas gave Bonnie a reason to live once again. They reigned as the farm's premier golden couple. Bonnie and Lucas had found love and excitement at a time in their lives when most are just coasting. Love was lovlier the second time around!

Theirs was a happiness that made everyone smile... which made it difficult for most of us at the farm to see the storm clouds gathering on the horizon, or imagine the devastation that was to come -- all too quickly.

Be Sure to Read Tomorrow's Blog:

The Bonnie Saga - Part 3: Nothing But a Heartache

Jay Hellerich, executive director
smiling dog farms
a 501(c)3 corporation
wharton, texas
979-257-3377
www.smilingdogfarms.org
http://smilingdogfarms.blogspot.com


Please become a Smiling Dog Partner to Support Our Work
Your Monthly Tax-Deductible Gift Gives Hope to the Forgotten,Neglected & Rejected
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Dog on the Blog: The Bonnie Saga - Part 1: The Early Years

Bonnie, circa 1995

This is the story of Bonnie, shown above as a youngster in 1995. Bonnie came from the Albuquerque Animal Shelter. In those days, Ricky and I would bring home mommy dogs and their newborn pups, because the shelter could not keep the puppies until they were old enough to place for adoption. So we would give the mommy dogs a home in which to raise their babies, until the puppies could be placed.

Bonnie had five puppies -- all girls, one of whom was born with an enlarged skull due to hydrocephalus. We named that baby Elise. Our vet in Albuquerque, Dr. Skains, was not sure if Elise would make it. It was clear that she would have some intellectual defecit due to her condition.

Bonnie was an excellent mom to her babies. She was very attentive and always knew what her girls were doing and where they were! Bonnie and the girls had the run of our living room.

As the puppies grew, Elise seemed to "grow into" her enlarged skull. We did not place Elise for adoption because of the uncertainties associated with her condition. By the time she was a year old, Elise had a normal-sized head and she seemed to have escaped heart and lung problems, which sometime accompany hydrocephalic dogs.

Although Elise did not learn things as fast as her sisters, she managed to play with them and enjoy her life in New Mexico.

Bonnie continued to nurture her baby girl who was "different", even after Elise was weaned and pretty much grown. It was as if Bonnie understood that Elise needed extra help.

Lloyd, circa 1995

Later that same year, Lloyd came to live with us. My son, Doug, is responsible for rescuing Lloyd.

Doug met Lloyd at a grocery store parking lot, where someone had been giving away puppies. Lloyd was the last one, so Doug took him and brought him home. The people told Doug that Lloyd was a Great Dane! As you can see from the picture, Lloyd was no Dane. Fully grown, Lloyd never weighed more than 50lb.

But what he lacked in size, he made up for in character! Lloyd was a really sweet boy, who always tried to please and never met a stranger.

Because Lloyd and Bonnie were both very young, we decided to introduce them and see if they would be friends. It was love at first sight for both! They sniffed and wagged tails immediately, and then started chasing each other around the yard. They would jump at one another, each engaging the other in play!

That initial introduction in 1995 began a twelve year relationship between Lloyd and Bonnie.

Beginning in Albuquerque, they later moved with us to San Diego. From San Diego, they moved with us to Arizona, and finally to Texas in the summer of 2005.

Through the frosty winters of New Mexico, to the year-round perfect weather of San Diego, to the scorching summers of Arizona, Bonnie and Lloyd were a happy team who adapted to each new home.

When they arrived in Texas in the summer of 2005, they settled into a comfortable play yard in the shade of a century-old live oak. Both Bonnie and Lloyd were beginning to slow down, by the time they reached Texas, and they were content to sit on the front porch of their cottage together and watch the other dogs racing around their yards and playing. Perhaps they were reminded of themselves, those many summers ago in Albuqerque when they were just pups, playing in the sunshine.

Like any older couple who have spent their adult lives together, Bonnie and Lloyd seemed to anticipate each others' moves, and knew what to expect. They would sometimes meander through their play yard, side by side, often stopping to watch a squirrel up in the tree limbs or to bark at a rooster outside their fence. Evenings would find Bonnie and Lloyd napping together in the green grass of their yard.

One sad day, about a year ago, we discovered Lloyd was having trouble getting up and walking. Bonnie was sitting beside him, looking worried. We scooped up Lloyd in our arms, and allowed Bonnie to kiss Lloyd good bye, as we took him from her play yard... and from her life.

Lloyd joined us upstairs in our bedroom, in the middle of our bed. We knew he had little time left, and we wanted to be with him when his time finally came. We lost our sweet Lloyd shortly after bringing him into the house. We were able to hold him in our arms as he breathed his last.

For Bonnie, things were never the same.

The day we took Lloyd from her, she became disconsolate and began a slow, steady downward spiral. You could see the sadness in her eyes, as she walked those paths in her play yard alone, no longer with Lloyd at her side. It just seemed like losing Lloyd was more than Bonnie could bear.

She ate only sporadically, and began losing weight. We tried to tempt Bonnie with special canned dog food -- dog food she would have dived into with Lloyd in the old days, but dog food which now held no special allure because she was eating alone.

It broke our hearts to see Bonnie deteriorating that way, and yet we understood her pain and her loss. We just did not know how to help her.

But as Bonnie was slowly losing her will to live here at the farm, events in faraway California were unfolding that would impact our Bonnie in ways no one could have imagined...

Be Sure to Read Tomorrow's Blog:

The Bonnie Saga - Part 2: An End & A New Beginning

Jay Hellerich, executive director
smiling dog farms
a 501(c)3 corporation
wharton, texas
979-257-3377
www.smilingdogfarms.org
http://smilingdogfarms.blogspot.com


Please become a Smiling Dog Partner to Support Our Work
Your Monthly Tax-Deductible Gift Gives Hope to the Forgotten,Neglected & Rejected
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Good Bye, Clarice -- Our Special Girl

Clarice

2006-2008

We lost Clarice yesterday morning. I have been writing and rewriting this posting for two days, and I am still not sure I have the right words for what I want to say.

First, I apologize to our regular readers who come to this blog every day, expecting a new post. I have not been faithful with my posts, even understanding the importance of writing regularly, daily, about our babies. We have been so preoccupied with trying to find the magic cure for Clarice these past couple weeks, that I have just not been able to focus. I am really sorry.

Second, I want to thank the many, many people who read this blog and have offered helpful ideas and suggestions and prayers for Clarice. Many of those ideas were tried.

Clarice fought valiantly up to the end. The day before she died, we took her back to Dr. Stern yet again. She had lost more weight and was very weak. Her white cell count was still climbing.

One of our friends in rescue had said that perhaps Clarice had stomach cancer, and Dr. Stern said that could well be it. That would certainly explain the spiking white cell count and her inability to keep anything in her tummy.

Clarice kept her IV in this time, right up to the very end. We were able to keep her hydrated and give her vitamins and glucose in her IV. Our good friend Adele Mirshak connected us with a doctor and veterinary consultant in Illinois who practice holistic medicine for dogs. Laura Loder send us an entire box of holistic treatment materials for Clarice.

And Ricky and I both continued to hold Clarice and talk to her and stimulate her. We took her for short walks around the bedroom several times a day, believing that it was good for her to keep exercising.

But at the end, we both told her, separately and individually, that we loved her and that we did not want her to continue to suffer for us. We told her it was ok to go now if she was hurting, and we would always love her and feel her special presence with us.

We wanted her to live, if there was any miracle that could make that happen. She had a special little dance she did when she got excited, and Ricky always called Clarice his little hula dancer. We wanted so much to see her dance again.

But we also wanted to give her permission to leave, if that was the best thing for her. We loved her too much to ask her to keep suffering here.

Clarice left us at 10:37 yesterday morning, October 2. The pain and sorrow of her loss is etched indelibably on our hearts. This is a hurt that never ends.

Jay Hellerich, executive director
smiling dog farms
a 501(c)3 corporation
wharton, texas
979-257-3377
www.smilingdogfarms.org
http://smilingdogfarms.blogspot.com


Please become a Smiling Dog Partner to Support Our Work
Your Monthly Tax-Deductible Gift Gives Hope to the Forgotten,Neglected & Rejected
Just click on http://smilingdogfarms.org/Donations_Page.html