The idea for this blog started with email from me to Norma. I sent her the information about Bobbi's passing. Bobbi was a Black Lab cross with who knows what. She was a puppy from a litter produced by Alan's Black Lab, Samantha. Mother and Daddy had been on their annual summer trip in 1993 in the motorhome, camping in the mountains and visiting family. They picked up Bobbi at Bastrop when they were on their way home. She was the second puppy they had with them, as Baby, a Cocker cross, had been born at the farm on Taylor Road in November 0f 1992.
Bobbi was not really my dog. She was always Mother's. Mother and I moved to Capitan in 2003 on the "orders" of the rest of the family, as they thought we lived too far away from everyone, living in Pharr. Norma and Jeff were in Indiana, Kathy and Mike were in Roswell, Alan was in Capitan, and Carole was in Austin. Kat (Penni to me) and Kristi, Steve, and Avery Lea were the only members of the family left in the Valley. After Mother passed away, Carole came from Austin to live with me here in Capitan.
Mother passed away in December of 2004, and Baby and Bobbi became my dogs. Baby died about a year later, and so Bobbi and I were alone. Mike put in a doggie door in the back door so Bobbi could come and go as she pleased. Before Baby's death, the dogs were definitely outside dogs, but when Bobbi was left alone I allowed her to become an inside dog. She and Baby had been inseperable and I was afraid she would be too lonely to be left outside to sleep alone, etc. Bobby was a very good inside dog most of the time. As she got older, she had a few accidents in the family room, so we set up a child's gate in the hall which prevented her from going into the living area of the house, but which allowed her access to the doggie door. After that, there were no more accidents.
Bobbi was diagnosed with a heart problem about two years ago, and the vet prescribed medication. Every thing was fine until about two weeks ago when I noticed signs of her failing. She would not eat. I ended up cutting up a hot dog for her each evening, but , at the last, she would not even eat that. The fact that made me decide it was better for her to go as peacefully as possible was that she had gone outside, and when she came back in she seemed to collapse before she could get to the office where I am always sitting. I worried about it all night, and finally concluded that the best thing for her was to join Mother and Daddy and Buttons and Baby. I called the vet the next morning and made arrangements. David and Carole took her to the vet's office that morning and left her. They returned in the afternoon, brought Bobbi home, and buried her close to Baby in the back yard. I could not bring myself to go with them to the vet, nor to go to the grave. I watched from the porch. I miss Bobbi very much right now (she wasn't there to slip the last bite of ham from my breakfast to), but I know this will pass.
My joyful memories of Bobbi and Baby include their walking with Mother in the mountains. Mother would get up every morning and walk from the campsite to the corrals and back, about a mile. Bobbi and Baby would go along with her, running up and down the sides of the mountains, back and forth along the trail, never getting out of sight of Mother. I think the exercise was probably one thing that prolonged their lives. Bobbi was born the same year as Baby, 1992, but I don't know the month. This made her at least 17 years old.
We have had many beloved dogs in our family, and probably these will be written about later. This is my story of my beloved dog.
Dot
Bobbi was not really my dog. She was always Mother's. Mother and I moved to Capitan in 2003 on the "orders" of the rest of the family, as they thought we lived too far away from everyone, living in Pharr. Norma and Jeff were in Indiana, Kathy and Mike were in Roswell, Alan was in Capitan, and Carole was in Austin. Kat (Penni to me) and Kristi, Steve, and Avery Lea were the only members of the family left in the Valley. After Mother passed away, Carole came from Austin to live with me here in Capitan.
Mother passed away in December of 2004, and Baby and Bobbi became my dogs. Baby died about a year later, and so Bobbi and I were alone. Mike put in a doggie door in the back door so Bobbi could come and go as she pleased. Before Baby's death, the dogs were definitely outside dogs, but when Bobbi was left alone I allowed her to become an inside dog. She and Baby had been inseperable and I was afraid she would be too lonely to be left outside to sleep alone, etc. Bobby was a very good inside dog most of the time. As she got older, she had a few accidents in the family room, so we set up a child's gate in the hall which prevented her from going into the living area of the house, but which allowed her access to the doggie door. After that, there were no more accidents.
Bobbi was diagnosed with a heart problem about two years ago, and the vet prescribed medication. Every thing was fine until about two weeks ago when I noticed signs of her failing. She would not eat. I ended up cutting up a hot dog for her each evening, but , at the last, she would not even eat that. The fact that made me decide it was better for her to go as peacefully as possible was that she had gone outside, and when she came back in she seemed to collapse before she could get to the office where I am always sitting. I worried about it all night, and finally concluded that the best thing for her was to join Mother and Daddy and Buttons and Baby. I called the vet the next morning and made arrangements. David and Carole took her to the vet's office that morning and left her. They returned in the afternoon, brought Bobbi home, and buried her close to Baby in the back yard. I could not bring myself to go with them to the vet, nor to go to the grave. I watched from the porch. I miss Bobbi very much right now (she wasn't there to slip the last bite of ham from my breakfast to), but I know this will pass.
My joyful memories of Bobbi and Baby include their walking with Mother in the mountains. Mother would get up every morning and walk from the campsite to the corrals and back, about a mile. Bobbi and Baby would go along with her, running up and down the sides of the mountains, back and forth along the trail, never getting out of sight of Mother. I think the exercise was probably one thing that prolonged their lives. Bobbi was born the same year as Baby, 1992, but I don't know the month. This made her at least 17 years old.
We have had many beloved dogs in our family, and probably these will be written about later. This is my story of my beloved dog.
Dot
2 comments:
Thanks for sharing the story of Bobbi and Baby. How amazing to have a family pet live so long.
If my memory serves me right, The dog I remember most was Buttons. I can remember Grandma and Grandpa talking to Buttons like one of the kids.
Tears are filling my eyes. Thank you so Aunt Dot and Aunt Norma for doing this family blog!
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