[scrapple]

When we bought our home in Colorado, we met the owners (a long realtor nightmare story). They were a hippie couple with kids and cats and dogs and were moving from the 1920 farmhouse to a trailer closer to the mountain casinos and we bonded. There was a German Shorthaired Pointer that came bounding towards me named "Chance." He was 1yo and the last family member to come along. I bonded with him immediately and half jokingly asked if we could have him when discussing what they wanted to leave behind. When it came time for the house closing, they called and asked if I was still interested in him. So, Scrapple came to the closing and then to live with us.
Over the years, he became known as "The Neighborhood Ambassador." There are stories of how he greeted the next door neighbors by taking one of his favorite sticks to their front door and stand there until they acknowledged him by throwing it several dozen times for him. Another time, early on in our relationship, he decided to leave us, went to another neighbor, walked into her house, curled up in her laundry basket and slept there until the next morning. I never did know what we did wrong for him to leave us that night. At parties he would wear out everybody with his fetching endurance. And very strong! I have a picture of him on one side of the big stick and 3 14yos in a chain hold around the waist on each other on the other side of the stick and it was a tie! He was a very gentle loving boy that played hard, loved to hike and travel, went everywhere with us and stay with us as part of the pack.
He also was named "The Sage" by a neighbor because you could sit with him and work your problems out just by being still with him for a while.
Foster, an 8 week old Aussie cattle/Lab mix with strong cattle dog tendencies came when Scrapple was about 4. Initially Scrapple would have nothing to do with Foster, but did show him the ropes of how to be mannered in the house. After about the 1st year they became inseparable! They had separate beds close to each other but would still sleep together in the same basket. When we'd hike, we'd deliberately separate them because they were so inseparable that I was worried one would have separation anxiety if the other was gone. Eventually that did happen. Foster died at 8 of bone cancer. It was a lesson for me to learn that dogs can stay on prednisone forever where humans will have many side effects. I stopped the prednisone and the cancer advanced quickly and then it just became a matter of time for Foster.
About a year later, Scrapple's docs discovered that he had a large 6" tumor on his liver and told us that he had about 6 months to live. He was placed on prednisone and I never missed a dose! He continued to play hard and we'd take him in for 4-6 month check ups and everyone was surprised at how The Sage continued with life. Eventually we did our own hospice care with chicken and rice, pain meds and prednisone, a few extra pillows. He dwindled from more age than the tumor. Scrapple slowed down, his vision started to go, his limbs became weak and he began to fall. You could see the look of embarrassment on his face when he wanted to come up on the bed alone and we'd have to lift him. He lost his muscle mass and we had to make a decision to help him die when he was 15. We picked a weekend date but the Friday before that day my husband stayed home with him, called me at work and said "it's time." He apparently fell over and couldn't get up. We took him to the vets and they were ready for Scrapple with pillows and blankets and started the IV. I've been with many people when they died both in my career and personally and I've always found it an honor to be with a soul at that time. I'm humbled by the look of peace. I thanked Scrapple for the life and love he shared with us and told him Foster was waiting, said "Go get Foster" (which was his favorite game). I swear his eyes brightened momentarily and then the spirit left the body. Very beautiful and peaceful.
I've had many dogs and loved them all, but Scrapple will always be the special one to me. Thanks for the opportunity to share his story!