my dog died this morning

[Yeadon]

Very sad. Sorry Paul.

[Stiletto]

Sorry to hear that Paul.

[ChaseKenyon]

She was only seven. Sucks. . .

My condolences Paul.

It is difficult to lose a trusted friend Human, Winged, Four Footed.

We have to focus on the good times and remember them.

Those good memories will enhance our person. So we have to struggle to let any of the bad memories drift away from us forever.

[Robbie 2]

Sad news to hear Paul.

[skuthorp]

Sorry news Paul, it's a hard thing when you loose a faithful friend.

[htom]

So sorry, Paul.

[Katherine]

What Paul didn't mention is we got the news while driving to the funeral home for visitation for my grandmother who died last Tuesday. We just had our darling cat Symphony die suddenly 2 weeks ago. It's all been pretty sucky.

[Todd Bradshaw]

Sorry to hear that, and yes, it does suck big-time. From what I can tell, that's followed by things being really strange and the house being way to quiet. We lost our 110 lb. Labra-mutt two weeks ago. With the exception of about four days, he and I were together 24/7 for ten and a half years. There's more room on the window seat at nap time these days, but I'd gladly scooch over if I could have my pal back.

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Sorry for your loss Paul.

[bob winter]

Bad news. Seven is not all that old.

[skipper68]

All our pets leave prints on our hearts. I 'm so sorry to hear about both, and the funeral. Really sad. 7 is young for some breeds- my Danes I knew going in that was a general life time expectancy. Realize they loved you just as much as you loved them. Can you post a pix, or did I miss it?

[TomF]

Kat, I'm sorry. Seems like you guys have had a whole lot of death recently.

[wharf rat]

Sorry Paul. Yes, it sucks.

[ccmanuals]

A very touching story which I'm sure many of you are already aware of, that graphicly displays the feelings that we have for out pets.
******************************************
They say a dog is a man's best friend, but to John Unger, a Wisconsin resident, his dog, Schoep, means everything.

Unger adopted Schoep, named after the famous Wisconsin ice cream, when he was just a puppy, and the two have been together ever since. Now, at 19 years old, Schoep has arthritis and has trouble sleeping, the Pioneer Press reports. Unger found that water is therapeutic for his pained buddy, so he takes Schoep into Lake Superior and lulls him to sleep.

Photographer Hannah Stonehouse Hudson, owner of Stonehouse Photography and a friend of Unger's, decided to capture the relationship between the man and his dog down by the water.

"This photo was from a last minute session," the Bayfield, Wis., photographer told The Huffington Post in an email. "We had been trying to get together for weeks, but it kept not happening because of my travel schedule for Stonehouse. We finally got together last Tuesday (the 31st). I had about 5 minutes to shoot and this is what I caught -- a man and his dog. John loving his Schoep, and Schoep trusting John so much he falls asleep in the buoyancy of the water. This is in no way posed. I hate posed photos. They never, ever capture the true essence of anything."
Stonehouse Hudson decided to post the photo to Facebook, where she described the pair's loving relationship.

"This 19 year old Shep being cradled in his father's arms last night in Lake Superior," she wrote in the Facebook post, which has received more than 207,000 likes and 116,000 shares as of Wednesday morning.

"Shep falls asleep every night when he is carried into the lake. The buoyancy of the water soothes his arthritic bones. Lake Superior is very warm right now, so the temp of the water is perfect. I was so happy I got to capture this moment for John. By the way, John rescued Shep as an 8 month old puppy, and he's been by his side through many adventures," she continued.

Stonehouse Hudson never imagined the tender moment she captured would eventually go viral and touch the hearts of hundreds of thousands.
"John lives for this dog, and for the dog's comfort," she told HuffPost. "My mother has a saying, 'Everything is for the comfort and convenience of the Dog.' John is a prime example of this."
Stonehouse Hudson regularly photographs dogs as part of her profession. She offers pet sessions and often takes pictures of dogs at weddings. To give back, she does free shoots of hard-to-place animals for local shelters.
She said the photograph of Unger and Schoep is more than just a moment frozen in time; it's an everlasting reminder.
"I want people to identify with this photo, and remember a time when they felt safe, loved, and cared for," Stonehouse Hudson said. "Then I want them to channel those feelings and pay it forward! There is way too much negativity in this world - maybe with this one photo we can start to change things just a tiny bit."
UPDATE: John Lundy of the Duluth News Tribune interviewed John Unger, who described how Schoep saved his life. After breaking up with his former fiancee, Unger had been having suicidal thoughts. “To be honest with you, I don’t think I’d be here if I didn’t have Schoep with me (that night)," Unger told Lundy. "He just snapped me out of it. I don’t know how to explain it. He just snapped me out of it. … I just want to do whatever I can for this dog because he basically saved my ass.” Minnesota Public Radio reports that the popularity of the photo has spurred an outpouring of support in the form of donations to help pay for laser treatment for Schoep's arthritis.
LOOK: John Unger cradling his dog, Schoep, in Lake Superior.

(H/T Fark for the find)

[Garret]

Great story & pic - thanks!

[UCanoe_2]

Paul and Katherine,

I'm sorry to hear of your multiple losses. Our four-legged and two-legged friends are always in our hearts.

Reese

[Donn]

Fantastic photo and story! The expression on that dog's face is simply priceless.

[Paul Pless]

Thank you all. Its been a tough week.

Mollie's sickness was very weird. I, nor my staff veterinarian, nor the vets who looked at her at Auburn University have seen anything like it. That's a lot of combined veterinary experience. Over the course of 12 hours she slowly lost the use of her back legs and could no longer walk. No evident injury, no fever, no elevated blood count, just an inability to walk. She maintained normal urine and stool and appetite until Sunday morning when she died. She acted completely normal otherwise, she barked at other dogs, she crawled over to me to be petted or just be near me, she had a good appetite, etc. We're completely baffled. I hope to have necropsy results within ten days.

She was a beautiful rottweiler, somewhere around the fifteenth generation of her 'bloodline' at my kennel, obedience trained and titled, and was a completely devoted pet. Since I brought her to Hell after Bob died a few years ago, she's been at my side almost constantly.

[ccmanuals]

We lost a basset a few years ago under the same mysterious conditions. One day she was fine but in about 4 days she deteriorated to almost total collapse. The vet could never really explain what happened other than to say it's a mystery to animal care that simply happens.

[M. J. Notigan]

Paul and Katherine,
Sincere condolences in your losses. Such a painful time and I can only wish comfort for the both of you and your family in the coming days.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Really sorry Paul & Kat..... I like my pets better than I like most people.

[Dumah]

So close to losing a child, my sincere condolences, in time there will be another baby that will steal your heart.

Cheers, Dumah,
Halifax, NS

[Horace]

Paul, my condolences as well.

Could it possibly have been tick paralysis?

[Paul Pless]

Could it possibly have been tick paralysis?

No indication of that yet.

Paul, my condolences as well.

Thank you.

[Paul Pless]

Yes I know. We checked her very carefully many times for any evidence of a tick bite. There are no ticks where we live in Michigan nor at my kennel in Alabama. I cannot recall the last time that I have seen a tick, three or four years maybe. . .

[Canoez]

Paul, I'm a bit late seeing this. Very sorry for your loss. I know what your dogs mean to you - which is a lot.

[J. Dillon]

Same here. Sorry for your loss. Your memories will always be there for you.

JD

[Vince Brennan]

We may differ on a lot of things, but I feel quite confidant that she was supremely fortunate to have owned you and Kat. A good human is a pearl beyond price for any dog, and you two fit the bill.

Fair winds and many, many rabbits to chase to her.

[Michael D. Storey]

Jesse has been known to say that a good life is delineated by the dogs in it. I am most grateful to say that he was on hand in July when Elizabeth died. The Boys had named her after my mother. A year ago, she was 80 pounds of long black fur. Big. Lasted 20 years. More than I deserved.

[purri]

as someone said "dogs are the only ones to have seen their god".

[Shang]

None of us are getting off of this rock alive,
but it hurts to lose those who precede us.

[Rum_Pirate]

Sorry to hear it Paul. My father did also. His aortic aneurysm gave way.

Jimmy

How many here noted that while Paul has lost his dog, Jimmy W has lost his father. (See post 48)

Jimmy's father's funeral is today.

Sincere condolences.

[noddyone]

Sorry. Lost one of ours recently, hard.

[Old Dryfoot]

I'm sorry to hear this Paul. It's never easy no matter how it comes. What matters is that you were a dogs best friend.

[Paul Pless]

We received necropsy results on Mollie. She had a very small cancerous tumor on her spine. It put enough pressure on her spinal cord to initially cause the paralysis and a few days later to shut down her ability to breath.

[McMike]

. . . . ..

[Garret]

Wow.... You just never know, do you? Thanks for letting us know.

[Hwyl]

I hope the report eases the pain a little.