” TASHA “
Born October 7 1970 in Mason City Iowa
Entered into heavenly rest on July 11 1997 at our home in my arms.
“Gone but forever with us as her paws left happy tracks on our hearts”
Tasha came into our lives on Thanksgiving Day in 1970. She had been born
October 7 1970 in Mason City Iowa and when we met that November day
it was love at first sight. She originally was to have been our son’s dog
and he paid $35.00 for her; however it wasn’t long before I knew she
and I had bonded for life and I quickly reimbursed him the $35.00 so she
could belong to me. She came home with us that day and never once whimpered
for her mother or brother – she was ours and we were hers.
Tasha traveled most everywhere with us. She took a long trip to the west coast
and played in the Pacific Ocean along the Oregon shore. She took another long
trip with us to Boston when our son came home from college and she saw the
Atlantic Ocean. She went fishing in Canada with my husband and I and wore
her life jacket like it was nothing unusual. She made many trips to South Dakota
to visit Grandma and Grandpa and to Iowa to visit her other Grandma.
She visited friends in Red Bud Illinois with us and made many family reunions in
Montana Washington South Dakota. She took a ski vacation with us in Michigan.
She was our constant companion and stayed home only when she absolutely
could not go with us such as three cruises and a trip to the Rose Bowl.
We never put her in a kennel. We always had someone to come to our home and
stay with her – usually Mother and Daddy drove in from South Dakota to stay with her.
She did not like being left behind and usually wouldn’t eat for several days.
She let us know when we returned that she was miffed at being left behind.
One particular incident that we will never forget was on a trip out west.
We stopped in Missoula Montana to eat. I brought a piece of steak out for her –
it was wrapped in tin foil and in my purse. The minute she saw me she attacked
my purse and started clawing at it to get it open. Thus the phrase
“The nose knows!” Also on that trip we stopped in Wallace Idaho for an
ice cream cone. As I got into the pickup Tasha leapt up and bit into the ice
cream right as I was taking a lick of it. Needless to say we shared the cone.
She had such a loving personality. She never strayed from our yard and
always stayed close. If we were inside she wanted to be there too.
If we were outside then that is where she wanted to be. She was a perfect traveler
and never gave us one moment of concern while on the road. She just laid her head
on my husband’s leg or mine and was content.
Tasha was also content in the boat while we fished. She loved it when a fish was
landed and was flopping in the bottom of the boat. She’d bark and try to grab it,
but we always prevented that so she didn’t get hurt.
She took several operations in stride and made rapid recoveries.
She was spayed had a hernia repair done twice and had hip surgery to repair
a torn tendon. It was no wonder she hated going to the local Pet Hospital!
She was always anxious for me to take her home and once here was happy again.
She also hated going to the groomer so I finally decided I could bathe and clip her
myself. She had a few rather funny looking haircuts but we finally got it down pretty
good and she looked presentable. The very last bath and haircut she got was shortly
before she went to Heaven and she just laid in her basket and slept while I clipped her.
Her nose could always find special treats whether they were in my purse wrapped
in tin foil or under the Christmas tree wrapped in paper. And she seemed to know
which package was hers under the tree and guarded it against any cat that came near.
She did not touch it until Christmas Eve when we gave it go her and
told her it was okay.
When she was younger she loved to play “Sock”. We’d tie a knot in one of my
husband’s old socks and have tug-a-wars with it. She’s find the sock if you
asked her where it was and always seemed to know where she had left it.
She had her own version of “Fetch” and “Keep Away”. We’d throw the ball and
she’d go get it (the “Fetch” part) and then she would run from us so we’d have to
chase her to get the ball back (the “Keep Away” part)
Tasha also had a favorite telephone pole in our front yard that she like to check
daily to see which of her friends had been by. She’d spend a lot of time sniffing up
and down and around that pole. Even toward the end when she was nearly blind
totally deaf and very arthritic she would want to go and check her pole.
On July 11th I carried her down so she could have her final sniffs and say good-bye
to those who passed there daily. Maybe she even left a message for them.
In March of 1996 Tasha experienced several seizures. Medication controlled them,
but left her rather lethargic. She did not appear to be in any pain.
During the next 16 months Tasha’s condition fluctuated and she suffered a
bladder infection and some sort of viral infection. Both times she responded to
medications and returned to what was then “normal” for her. She slept most of the
time but did not seem to be in any pain or discomfort. She traveled with us to
several family funerals (an aunt a sister-in-law and my father) and to a family and
an all school reunion.
With her sight mostly gone her hearing totally gone the loss of balance and it
becoming very difficult (painful?) for her to walk we were faced with the hardest
decision a pet owner has to make – should we have her put to sleep? Is she in pain?
What is her quality of life? Does she enjoy anything in life anymore?
Am I keeping her alive just for me? What would Tasha want if she could tell me?
The questions the heartache the tears the decision.
On July 10th Tasha and I took a trip to the Vet to have her seen by the veterinarian
who had cared for her through her seizure related experience and for many of
her other health related episodes. It was decided that her quality of life was almost nil,
that the loss of balance could be due to growth of the tumor (which we surmised had
caused the seizures in the first place) and that she might now be experiencing some
pain. The veterinarian and I decided that it was time and she agreed to come to our
home so that Tasha could leave this world in familiar and loving surroundings.
The day and time were set – July 11th at 5:00 PM. I had a little over 24 hours to
change my mind. I cannot describe my feelings during those 24 hours.
I wanted to keep Tasha with me forever but I certainly did not want her to
suffer just so my selfish needs could be met. I did not call to cancel.
Tasha left this world in my arms with my tears falling on her beautiful white coat.
I will miss her the rest of the days of my life but know that we will be reunited at
some point in time. Tasha was cremated and her ashes are to be buried with me.
It is only right that we be together in eternity as we were in life.
Good-bye my darling Tasha.
I am so grateful that you were part of my life for over 16 years!
God be with you and keep you until we meet again.