Skep, I somehow missed your post yesterday. I've never had the privilege of living with a Golden, but folks have told me wonderful stories about them. We also have held a beloved dog until the end. It felt almost sacred. I held for a while after, in case she could still hear me tell her how wonderful she was. Then I walked out of the room with the hairs on my arms standing straight up. It is not a small task.

I'm teary remembering and teary for your loss. Thank you for sharing that with us.

Lotta pollen in the air tonight or sumfin'.

I "lost" my beloved Golden a couple of times during lightening and thunder storms. The first time, she escaped the yard with our three other dogs and together they made a bee line for the busy street, where they split up.

The chow went to our friend's house to ride it out; my Sheltie/elkhound got picked up by the local constabulary and given a ticket for not having a collar and tag (yes, she did); and my Golden gamboled about in traffic until my vet happened to drive by and open her door. In hopped Alyx.

We moved and several years later they did the same thing during a storm. This time, the chow got hung up in the fence, broke his leg struggling and hung there until we came home from work; the Sheltie stayed with him in the driveway; and I've never again seen Alyx.

There was a large rock in the arroyo near our house that was the same color as Alyx. For years, every time I caught sight of the rock out of the corner of my eye my heart would leap...is she home? Sadly, no, it was always the stupid rock.

Goldens are pure love. Namaste, Skeppie.

Thank you, Kate, and I'm so sorry about Alyx.

Skeppy-
I just saw your post. Kate is right; Goldens are pure love. I'm so very sorry for your loss.

And Kate - I'm very sorry to hear about Alyx.

We learned to our sorrow that a purebred Golden could have emotional issues that could lead to physical trauma. As a pup, at a breeders outside kennel, Kate went thru a prolonged evening of severe thunderstorms. From that day forward, she reacted with such fear that she eventually had to be sedated during ANY storms, and then even fireworks; My two pre-teen boys fighting began to set her off as well.
From sudden trembling fear, a year later she would go into an epileptic fit. These fits finally took her life after 3 years. The dog was definitely wrapped too tight, since even keeping her in our bed AND sedating her eventually wasn't good enough for her emotional well being.
Our Black Lab mix J.T. is lazy, clueless and has become a 145lb. house dog because his outside whining seduced the kids. Emotionally, he's a normal dog. Whines about chasing rabbits as he sleeps. Looks at me when the thunder rattles the house with a WTF look.
But Kate was alot prettier.

One of my dogs threw up in the hall last night. I found it this morning when I stepped in it in my bare feet.

Now, if you had catz, you would be aware that that was always a possibility.

been there, done that as well.

That made me snort black cherry ice cream through my nose. I didn't even know that was possible until now.

I laughed so hard, my boss thought I was crying!

Ditto. Thanks, W4!

OMG RTH! That is so my dogs when they get bathed. They look like I'm torturing them. LOLOL

I saw this on-line and thought it was funny.
I wish my dog was that good with treats. My dog always inhales half my hand along with the biscuit.

We lost two dogs in close sucession and I was sooo not ready to have another. The pain of losing a dog last much longer than I imagined. So, when my Mista came home with a chubby German Shepherd (a breed I was also not keen on)' well...whatcha gonna do? He named her Marnie after one his favorite Hitchcock movies. I call her Marnie Fife. Sometimes on rainy evenings we sit on the front porch with her and watch while she shreds a cardboard box. In the mornings, a previously untamed wild cat comes to the back door to "invite" her out and they get on the patio couch and fuss with each other. Each morning at 7 am, like clockworks, the cat comes and meows, Marnie Fife hops off the bed and races to the back porch door. I also had to move the fridge so the door opening side is against the wall because she figured out how to wedge it open. Our lives are upside down and it's alot of work, but I wouldn't trade the aggravation or joy for anything.

Andrew Sullivan sends a Happy 5th Anniversary Instagram to his husband, "ever-sane and long-suffering."

So, Wednesday morning we had an unusual thunderstorm here in my little corner of inland central coast Orlyfornia. I needed to go to the bank and while heading out to my ride I saw an obviously panic-stricken little white goggie running down the street. I tried to lure it over, but it just kept running.

I got in my car and headed out, only to find the same little white goggie running up a much busier street...but motorists were slowing down and stopping and trying to get the goggie to come over and be safe...no joy, goggie keeps running, hangs a right, and I lose the pup.

Today, I take Mom to her weekly hairdresser appointment and, on the reception counter is a lost dog flyer...with several pics of the poor goggie I saw running away from a thunderstorm on Wednesday morning.

I called the number, told the nice lady what I saw and what direction and neighborhoods her pup was running towards. She said they'd be canvassing this rather large, rural, area within the hour.

I didn't find the goggie, but I at least knew where she was and the general direction she was headed Wednesday morning.

For the record, she's a sweet little Maltese named Lola. I hope her humans find her. Fingers crossed, peeps.