Rest In Peace, Blossom

Little Blossom passed away Saturday night in his sleep. He had not been eating and had blood in his urine, which the vet attempted to treat with antibiotics. He had just completed the course of antibiotics when he passed away, so I do not know what she would have tried next. I knew he was doing poorly, but I truly did not expect him to die.
The day I got him.

That night he had chosen to lay under the table in the kitchen where I type. There is a thin cushion under there, but since it is on hard wood, I knew it couldn't be very comfy. So I put the round dog bed on the carpet and carried him to that softer bed, where I found him the next morning. I am so glad I went out of my way to make sure he was comfortable for his last night. Usually he would find somewhere comfy himself, but I guess he was feeling poorly enough that he did not want to move when I got up. I didn't let him sleep in my room any more since he needed water in the middle of the night and if I left the door open so he could wander out and help himself the noisy drinking would wake me up.

I only had Blossom since June, but I think that almost makes his passing harder. I expected him to be around a long time. Bloom had not been himself for almost a year when he died, so even though he died suddenly also, it was almost like he had been dead a long time. Blossom was doing good, eating kibble with no wet food, then started refusing his kibble, and went downhill and then was gone.

He was such a sweet, gentle dog. I don't know if he had children in his previous life (before he came to me) but he was very tolerant of pets from Laura. He never, ever tired to bite me, even when I poked him with a horrible huge needle to give him sub Q fluids when I first got him. He sat next to me on the couch, just like I enjoy, and he learned some cute tricks. The only trouble he ever gave me was the times he ran away. I couldn't understand this since he seemed to want to be with me so much. I think maybe it was a miswiring in his brain.

He would hear my voice and come looking for me if we had been separated. Fancy and Pie are great dogs, but there is just something so special to me about a sweet, gentle old dog, especially one as cute as Blossom. I really liked his poodle hair cut, especially with the little poof ball on his head.

I remember the day I got him, convinced he would be euthanized before I could get there. I remember dragging him along on the hikes in Big Bear, walking him in the hills behind my house and carrying him as I would run up the hills. Running for the exercise and carrying him since he didn't "do" hills. Trying (unsuccessfully) to teach him rear crosses in agility and then deciding to get a CD on him to help the running away problem, then down grading that goal to a rally novice title when I could tell he was older than I originally thought, then quickly giving up all goals as he lost interest in food. I think the two things I will remember most about Blossom is all the times with him laying next to me on the couch (because that is what I like best about old dogs) and how much he really, truly seemed to love me. I know Pie and Fancy also love me and seek me out, but they will also go off and do their own thing in the house. Blossom always had to have me in his sight and would make all kinds of noises if he knew I was in the house, but he was separated from me. And I will always remember his cuteness. Blossom was my special little particolored poodle.

I miss him very much. Just like the poem "The Power of the Dog, " says "Beware of giving your heart for a dog to tear." Because now he is gone and my heart is torn. His ashes come back tomorrow. All the happiness a dog brings you, all the comfort, and when they die you are left with a sad heart and a little box of ashes.

But now Blossom is free of pain, so I can't be selfish.

I found him online. This was his picture.

Hiking in Big Bear.

At the lake. Look! He got his feet wet.

Putting up with my picture taking. In the trailer behind the jeep.

He only went a head on the downhill sections.

He was more of a bed dog than a hiking dog.

He was a really cute agility dog.

An all around cute dog. I really like this picture. He was having so much fun just zooming around.

On another walk. He jumped off soon after I took this, with no ill effects, luckily.

For some reason I feel as if I ask nicely enough, he'll come back. Like maybe he's being boarded somewhere because someone thought I had too many dogs, but once they see how much I miss him they'll let him come back home. I don't know why I feel that way, but the sooner I can get rid of that feeling the easier it will be.

Goodbye, little Blossom.