Dear Reader:

Our beloved Poogie is no longer with us. Early yesterday morning I heard my phone beeping several times and it was Mollie letting the family know she was gone.

Poogie started having breathing problems….so Mollie took her to the Animal Emergency Room where they knew her quite well. She had one episode two weeks earlier but they were able to stabilize her and she came home and appeared to be feeling good…until she wasn’t. Mollie told me she had a good last day… until her breathing became labored early Thursday morning.

She and Walsh had already talked about this moment (not if but when) it happened again…it meant the cancer was rapidly spreading and they had made that difficult decision not to prolong any suffering. Mollie was with her and Walsh was on the phone from work talking to her as she passed.

Poogie died almost five months to the day after her first heart and breathing problem (collapse) back in March. They were told then she was on “borrowed time” (they suspected cancer )but what a wonderful five months it was!  The best of her life…loved and cherished by all!

The children understood that Poogie died by the time I arrived yesterday morning…but their understanding of the finality of it, of course, had not sunk in…and it won’t until they start missing her not participating in daily swims off the dock and other activities she joined in with the family.

I decided to take some goodie bags to the children, along with a box of crayons each and some parchment paper for them to draw their feeling for Poogie in pictures…and then let me know what they wanted to tell her in their hearts.

They told me they wanted to draw a Rainbow Bridge since that was the bridge to heaven and lots of hearts. Rutledge and I discussed that she was an “angel dog” now so we could add some wings to her too.

We were sure she had seen little Rudy, her cousin, Tommy and Kaitlyn’s first dog, who also died of cancer. We talked about how excited they were to be back together again. They were playing and running together…and forever young!

*Photo of a young Poogie and Rudy at the beach with Kaitlyn doing her exercises and yoga.

Poogie and Rudy together again…forever!

Daddy’s Big Little Girl…A Puppy forever!

Yesterday afternoon I gathered all the children’s good-by pictures and messages to Poogie and put them in an envelope… and then in a zip-lock bag to put on Boo’s Prayer Tree.…the first prayer message and probably the biggest. The cross on the tree that Honey made will always be known forthwith as Poogie’s Cross. 

Lachlan’s drawing was of a Rainbow Bridge that Poogie crossed to be in Heaven with Rudy. His message was : “I love you! I will see you in Heaven.” Love, Lachlan

Rutledge, also drew the Rainbow Bridge that Poogie crossed, with hearts containing each family members first letter in their name. He also added angel wings and a gold crown to Poogie’s head.

His message: “Dear Poogie, I love you and hope you have a great life in heaven. I will see you one day in a hundred years. I will never forget you…because I love you.” Rutledge

A “Wainbow” lead Poogie across the road to heaven too, according to Eloise.

Eloise wanted to make sure God knew what Poogie’s favorite treat was: “ God, please give Poogie a bacon treat because she loves bacon and she is a good dog.” Love Eloise

Photo of the rainbow at Rutledge’s birthday in late June and the swim off the dock (for the last time) with all the family gathered together to see her. *Poogie spent most of the time checking to make sure each child in the water was safely back on the dock.

*Rutledge’s birthday was my last photo with Poogie…I confess that driving over and coming home from Mt. Pleasant yesterday I was bawling my eyes out! It never gets any easier losing a grand-dog!

A Collage of photos and pictures from Poogie’s shortened life…she was eight… and a loving, faithful companion to one and all.

So until tomorrow….“Dogs are not our whole life…but they make our lives whole.”  We love you Poogie…hoping you feel the love coming your way. You were the loyal sentinel of the house…keeping it safe for all who lived within the walls. Good-bye…don’t worry about us…we will be fine…go with our blessings.

Poogan “Poogie”- 2012 -2020 – Rest in Peace Sweet Poogie

Dogs come  the closest in defining and understanding God’s own unconditional love to us, as seen on earth, and how it works….by not talking but watching and listening (never judging)… love multiplies each day of our lives.

“Today is my favorite day”….Winnie the Pooh (I must remember that Poogie is having her first full day in Heaven…filled with overwhelming love and joy.)

Thank goodness for Eloise who was excited to talk about Poogie and God…and then just as excited  to play Peek a Boo with Boo Boo. What is it about cabinets under the kitchen sink….they are a magnet for hiding. 🙂

Rutledge is really into Lacrosse…I feel good about it because there is so much equipment, padding, gloves, and covering on…I don’t think COVID19 could get in if it tried.