There's nothing sweet about saying goodbye.

Sadie ~ Summer 2013

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."

~Anatole France

January 6, 2014

Dear God,

Today at 2:20pm my beloved Scottie, Sadie, crossed Rainbow Bridge. I just know you were there to greet her and that she was surrounded by familiar woofs and growls. That part gives me comfort; but my god, oh my god, how much it hurt to let her go and my tears won't stop flowing. My heart feels like it has been ripped out of my chest and squeezed until I can barely breathe. I wasn't ready Lord ... and no matter how many times I told myself, it was the right thing to do, I still wasn't ready. 

Sadie ~ Fall 2009

To have been owned by a Scottish Terrier was such a blessing for so many years. She was bright, stubborn, and had such a gentle spirit. When she left the house for a potty call, she always grabbed a favorite toy (anything pink!) and carried it with her until she finished her business. We always said we were going to video her but, sadly, we never did. As I said, she loved pink and had pink coats, pink collars, and pink blankets and bowls.  Yep, Sadie LOVED pink!!

My gray hairs are starting to show
 ~ Sadie 2012

When our youngest grandson was a baby, she would sit beside him ... if he started to crawl away, she would act as a buffer. I always laughed and said she would have made a great mommy to some Scottie puppies.  In fact, when we first adopted our little rescues, she loved them and almost treated them like puppies. She would sit high on her perch in the backyard watching over them and her domain.

Our Scottie girl had class, style, and was very prissy. She had a LOUD bark that would scare the crap out of anyone approaching her house or backyard but would lick them to death once they came inside. For so many years Michael and I would remark that we wished we could clone Sadie. She was that special!!

I love my gardens! ~ Sadie 2013

Sadie was a hunter and hunt she did. As a youngster, she would bring rabbits, birds, and mice into the house and drop them at our feet as if to say, "Look what I brought you." It would gross me out but to her, she had done what she was born to do.

To get her attention, we would say, "Look at me." She would stand at attention,  her eyes glued to our faces. After a "Gentle now, Sadie" she would nuzzle our hands for a treat. Life with Sadie was an adventure ... she loved to go to Lowe's and Home Depot greeting folks with her tail wagging. Not too many Scottie's around any more so she got lots of oohs and aahs.

Hey Zeke, hear that squirrel??
 ~ Sadie, Summer 2013

A trip to the doggy beauty shop was always a treat for Sade (except for the times that she got a bad haircut and then she would hide under the bed for a couple days). She loved to show off and could match any dog in the show ring's prance. She snored and had all these little crazy things about her that made her unique and so special.

Sadie loved the cold and snow!!

Sadly, Sadie succumbed to a number of maladies and we've had a continual battle with thyroid, heart, liver, allergies to the point where she pulled out mouth fulls of fur and cried out in pain. We would head for the vet for tests and new medications. One flea bite would send her allergies in to motion. She was allergic to so many things and as she grew older, the list grew longer. We would monitor the time she spent outdoors and make sure all medications were kept up to date.

Toby & Sadie
Guard dogs on duty 2011

Our grandsons had been here for a visit in mid August and she seemed fine but towards the end of August we began to notice a steady decline in her health and demeanor. We took her in to see Dr. Arnold and Dr. Young and we worked on a plan to see if we could help her. She became food aggressive, had no patience with the other dogs, and was in misery. She got aggressive with Kennedy, Toby, and Harmony to the point where she would have killed them without intervention. We talked about Prozac ... we talked about ways we could keep her triggers from escalating. When she attacked Harmony, Kennedy, Toby and turned on Michael when he intervened (11 days ago), it was time to realize something was really wrong. Sadie wasn't Sadie any more.

Ahhhh, I love to be outside!!!

Because Sadie had bit Michael and drew blood, Texas law requires that a dog be held in quarantine for 10 days. Sadie was put under house arrest. Dr. Young gave us a sedative to help take the edge off her aggression and our wait began. Sadie would have times where she was happy and then times when she would (even with the sedative) grow agitated and angry. Michael and I had a hard time facing reality hoping for a miracle. Even today ... it was time to get ready to go in to the vet's office and I put her leash on her.  There was that moment when I looked at my princess and I said to Michael, "I can't do this, there must be another way." Toby wanted to go with us and Michael picked him up so that I could get out the door. All of a sudden, Sadie lunged for Toby ~ luckily she was on that leash and I could hold her back. Something so simple could have meant... Well, you get my drift. It was then that I took a deep breath and took her to the car.

Sadie ~ November 2013

Dr. Arnold and Katrina (vet tech) were ready for us. They were so kind to Sadie and to us ushering us into a private room in the back of the clinic. They gave Sadie another sedative and told us we could spend some time saying goodbye. Dr. Arnold and Katrina have seen Sadie at her best, her sickest, and have worked with us diligently over the past couple years ... they loved her too. When Sadie was given her injection, we were there to say how much we loved her and appreciated the time we had with her. When she was still, Dr. Arnold, Katrina, Michael and I clung to one another with tears. 

Sadie will be buried on Dr. Young's ranch along with the other pets he has treated. I had wanted her buried in the back yard but that wasn't meant to be. Father God in Heaven, please take good care of my baby til I get there. She likes it if you scratch her under her beard and if you call her Lady Sadie she will wag her tail and prance by your side.

As for me, Lord, I am left with this big hole in my heart. Toby, Kennedy, Zeke, Harmony, and Ruffy have been so attentive tonight sitting on my lap and washing the tears from my face and I love them so. I love you too, Lord, for placing Sadie in my life for a season and I know that, in time, my grief won't be as debilitating and I can move on always knowing that I shared my life with a very special sweetheart.

To you, Sadie, in heaven ~ I loved you from the moment I saw you as a six week old puppy and I will always have a special place in my heart for the beautiful Scottish lass you were and always will be. You are now whole and free from the painful sores, a liver that was failing, and a myriad of other ills.  I wish you sweet dreams and happy hunting!

Miss Dottie

PS  Lord, Mark Twain said, "Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in."  I know for sure that Sadie is ready for her new duty ... guarding heaven's gates!!!