hershey

Dear Friends,

It's been about a month since we said goodbye to Hershey, our 10 year old westie, just 2 short weeks after he was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive lymphoma. The hurt is still quite strong, but a little (not much) better and the emptiness in the house is still deafening. My son convinced me to go to the humane society today, where we met a wonderful terrier/lab mix named Ace. and spent an hour with him in one of the private consulting rooms, and, after a few minutes, we felt like we've known him for years. It just kind of clicked. He's so sweet. He's 4 years old, and I kind of wanted a baby to train and raise again, like we did with hershey, so i'm not sure yet. also, sometimes i feel like it's too soon after losing hershey. what has your experience been with these feelings and getting a new friend after losing an old one. I guess it's different for all. Thanks.

rockytola

Hi:

It will be one year this week since we lost Rocky to Lymphoma and we swore he was such a special dog that we didn't want another one soon and we would wait a while....not sure how long! Anyway, 2 weeks after he died a stray Maine Coon cat appeared on our doorstep and despite asking neighbors to take him 3 times (a mile away) he kept coming back! I now have a new love in my heart for Hobo, am full of admiration for a kitten that survived a winter in Vermont and he has become my new friend! When the time is right you will know,....things happen for a reason. Check out his picture on Rocky's website Home

Benpaws

Dear Friend,

You will miss Hershey FOREVER, but he is in your heart and your thoughts and personally I think Ace will fit into your home and heart also from what you say about him. The emptiness will be gone and you will once again have a friend who wags his tail when he sees you and goes for walks with you and plays and brings abundant joy into your home and he too will find a place in your heart. sounds as if he found that empty place immediately.

When we lost Benny, I just wanted to look into the faces of schnauzer puppies, with no real intention of getting another. After all I was 65 and my husband had turned 70 right after Benny's death, so we don't know how much time will be left for us to raise a puppy. However, we found a breeder close by who had one little black and silver schnauzer boy and he was 8 days old. We could not resist going to see him. The clincher was discovering that this litter had been born between 12:00 and 12:30 on April 2nd, 2009 and Benny crossed Rainbow Bridge at 12:20 the same day. We named him Shadow and he came home on June 13, a day after my 66th birthday and we have never regretted our decision. He is loving and got into our hearts right away and we still light our candle nightly for Benny and often talk about him to Shadow. I know Benny sent Shadow to us because he knew how much we needed to love another. Benny is not coming home again and he is free from pain and had the best life for a little over 6 years.

Whether you wait a month or a year or decide to never get another puppy is an individual choice, but you are the only one who knows what you need and I think your son was right to ask you to visit the Humane Society. Ace needs to be loved too and he is one lucky dog to have you take him home.
Don't second guess your decision. Look deeply into Ace's big brown eyes and you will see the soul of this puppy who needs a loving family.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Blessings,
Joanne & Shadow

P.S. I just saw your video again John and it always brings tears to my eyes. Rocky was one handsome boy. Glad that Hobo is fitting into your life and completing it.

rockytola

Hobo is lying fast asleep on my lap. He does exactly what Rocky used to do when I come home...I sit on the bed and he jumps on my lap and drools and hugs me......Hmmmmm..scary! he is soooo cute and he's a cat! Thank you Rocky for sending him to me!
John

hershey

Thank you Joanne and John, as always, so comforting. Shadow, Benny, Rocky and Hobo are precious, and so lucky to have you both. Amazing, amazing stories. So much more than coicidence. Rocky and Benny are both present within Hobo and Shadow, and your hearts too, much the same way I may have seen a piece of Hershey in Ace. We haven't brought him home yet, but I think we're heading in that direction. Thanks again for your support.

Benpaws

I think Ace needs you and you need him.

Blessings,
Joanne & Shadow

Patenaude

Several years ago, I lost my dog Midnight to what they believed to be brain cancer. Of course they didn't have the medical technology that they have today so we were never sure. After the lost, I decided to take some time off from having a canine companion, but felt empty. I decided to volunteer at the Connecticut Humane Society to walk dogs there. Three weeks after I had lost Midnight, I was coming home with two dogs that were sisters, Maggie and Claire. They were only two years old, had always been together, but could have been adopted separately. The thought of that happening devastated me. They have been with me for the last 10yrs until Claire recently passed from melanoma. When Midnight passed, I too thought that it might be too early to adopt another dog (never mind two). Since I had adopted Midnight from the Connecticut Humane Society, I thought that I was honoring her by giving another dog (or in this case two) a loving home and a good life. Midnight's pictures is still on my desk where I see it every day. I will never forget her. It is beside the picture of Maggie and Claire. Just another thing, I have found it helpful to write about my passed dogs; their character, behavior, good and bad. Every now and they, I pull out what I wrote and their life comes back to me in sweet memories....as if they were still with me. Best of luck on your journey to find a new canine friend. When it happens, just go for it. I'm sure that you won't be disappointed as you weren't when you brought Hersey into your life. Take care.....Richard

hershey

Thanks everyone

Benpaws

Richard,

I loved what you wrote about Midnight and your girls Maggie and Claire.

By writing about Midnight and re-reading those pages you do indeed keep him fresh in your mind. I also have jotted down things I remember about Wolfgang and Willie and Benny and now Shadow.I have written poems of them all and cross-stitched their pictures which hang in the kitchen.

What I noticed most about the loss of each companion was the "sound of silence" in our home. It was awful. I had not realized how many sounds each puppy made daily and I needed to hear those sounds again.

I have all their pictures on the mantel in our family room and can sit and look at them all each night as I watch TV or read. I light my candle and it shine and illuminates each puppy face and I remember and say a prayer of thankfulness for having shared my life with those marvellous furry friends who loved me like no other could. We also have bags of fur from when my husband clipped Wolfie, Willie and Benny and I touch that fur and sometimes I cry. Shadow is getting the GOLD TREATMENT and getting groomed properly. Sometimes the others didn't quite look all schnauzer when Jim got done grooming them. LOL!

Every dog deserves a loving home and people who love dogs need that companionship.

I know you will make the right choice re: Ace. Hershey will always be missed and forever remembered, but Ace will bring a new joy into your home, a tail wagging to meet and greet you and a soft coat to pat.

Blessings,
Joanne & Shadow

TJandDante

We waited 6 months to get a new dog, and it wasnt until we did that we realized how lonely our house was without a dog. It isnt disloyal to your dog that died-it's a tribute to him that you loved him so much you can't stand now having that kind of companionship. It took me a while to realize it, there's no reason to wait if you find a dog you want. Go for it!
TJ