Pip, the seemingly immortal Jack Russell/Tenterfield Terrier cross, finally flew to the big Dog Exercise Area in the sky. There, he will have been reunited with the love of his life Sascha the winsome Weimararner, along with Ruby the blunderdog Beagle and the first Ruby, otherwise known as Madame Cat. With a chance once more to run, to play, to sniff, to lift his leg without difficulty and to be enveloped by Sascha's adoring warmth.
How can I adequately say goodbye to a feisty little canine bastard who was part of our lives for sixteen years? To honour him, warts and all. To describe his personality. His never ending loyalty. I hope he understands the decision for him to fall asleep permanently before suffering became his constant shadow.
Pip was a rescue dog who arrived in my heart when he was ten months old. He had been abused before he was fostered. The mad woman who led Best Friends Animal Rescue was only interested in the best outcomes for her dogs. I had to prove to her that Pip belonged with us. And I succeeded, with only one one or two hiccups along my trial period.
Pip fell in love with Sascha on sight, and she with him. They ran together, ate together, played together and slept together from Day One. And I quickly learnt that he was fearless. He approached play with serious ambition, along with sustained noisiness and pretend nipping. He initially hated men, having been beaten as a pup and was terrified of any item that resembled a stick. In my naivety, I didn't really notice that he bit my then most unsatisfactory boyfriend twice. I should have paid attention...
What a different story when Michael arrived on the scene. Pip voluntarily leapt into Michael's lap on their first meeting. Ruby the Beagle was always vaguely uncomfortable with her canine companions as she really had little clue what type of creature she actually was. Though, she did enjoy being one of the Three Stooges, when they would all pile onto one of my oversized arm chairs. Sascha and Pip tolerated both Rubys with mild amusement, including them in their intimate circle when they showed inclination to join in.
Pip loved to run. He was like a small white streak powering alongside his beloved Sascha, their bounding rhythm accompanied by lively canine utterings. However, he never required a lead on our expeditions. He would stay by my side and always return. And he was the perfect partner for our big beautiful girl.
Over the years, as our loved fur babies aged, they slowed down. First Sascha, who lived until she was fourteen, a great age for a Weimararner. She just couldn't get up one morning and that was that. Then the simpleton Beagle, Ruby, whose pure cunning kept us on our toes for most of her life. She descended into the awful fear caused by doggy dementia. We couldn't bear for her to be so bewildered and scared. Both our girls were cremated and we have beautiful certificates as a record of how much they were loved.
About the time that Ruby died, I really thought that Pip would pass away as well. He'd injured his cruciate ligament and was housebound and miserable. We left him with a wonderful chap, who along with his wife and their dog Daizee, acted as our house sitters whilst we travelled to the north west in July 2019. I don't remember his name, but I remember his affection and kindness. He would take Pip for short walks on the lead twice a day for interest. He gave Pip lots of attention. By the time we returned in August, Pip's cruciate ligament had healed and he had rediscovered his liveliness.
And Pip had another reason to reclaim joy. We returned from Carnarvon with Stella, a four month old jet black Kelpie/Staffy cross. Once more, Pip had a companion to share his life. He returned to his former being as a doggy Speedy Gonzales, charging across the oval with Stella as they played chasey or tag. He cheerfully accepted the arrival of the crate where they were confined when we went to the Big Smoke. The next two years, they both travelled with us to the North West, revelling in the excitement of the trip and experiences.
But even our Pip couldn't live forever. His heart valves were wearing out. Medication for that, diuretics for getting rid of excess fluid, a linctus to sooth his cough. He was losing weight, turning up his nose at his dinner and even rejecting the pate into which we mixed his tablets. He was almost blind and deaf. And then he could no longer totter out for a walk to the oval. The inevitable was coming.
I chose to euthanase Pip almost two weeks ago. I wept with our wonderful vet, Doctor Graeme Penno, who had been part of our lives since 2012. I cried and I laughed as Graeme and I reminisced over Pip's records, all saved for posterity - "aggressive - muzzled", "assertive - muzzled"; the time Pip used diarrhoea as a Weapon of Mass Destruction, all over Graeme and the treatment room; the young vet who was frightened of Pip and he took full advantage; the episode I had to fetch Pip out of the kennel when he growled at the inexperienced receptionist; the gradual acceptance by Pip of visiting the vet hospital as a necessary evil.
Graeme sent us the most heartfelt condolence card, assuring me that I had made the right decision for all the right reasons. We are so fortunate that we have the most empathetic of vets and vet nurses at Northam Vet Hospital. If you are local (ish) to Northam, do yourselves a favour and get your animals cared for by this team.
Our relationships with our beloved pets and those who help care for them is ongoing. We still have Miss Stella, Mister Chop and Mister Red. And as for another dog? Stella would not do well as an only dog. Chop is a great substitute, but he isn't actually a dog. So, we are hopeful that we will become parents of a Poodle cross puppy later in the year. A very long time ago, Michael had a black Poodle/Kelpie cross named Kelly. He and Michael were inseparable, until Kelly too succumbed to old age. Like all our other pets now residing in the universe, we know they are irreplaceable. They live on in special compartments in our souls. But, we find grief becomes more bearable with the addition of a new furry member to our quirky family.
Sending love and light to you, Mister Pip.
Ruby and Pip 2018..
In his twilight...
