I cannot believe I haven’t posted since August 4th. When I did my last post we had had the best vacation. Then all hell broke loose. My old dog “Pip” got sick for a week. He is 10 and a half and my boon companion so it was a week of worry. I wrote a story dedicated to my Pip for one of my college courses. He is one amazing dog.
Then no sooner did I get my dog on track my sister went down for the count. She developed what is called AVM in her lower intestine. After nine units of blood and surgery she is now recovering. Slowly and after a week she is still in ICU. Today I hear she is allowed clear liquids and may move out of ICU tomorrow. It has been a very long and drawn out process. I am beginning to miss her. I haven’t got to talk to her since she went in and I am missing her today. Just a good ole “girl chat” is all I am hoping for here.
And while all this going on, I returned to fall term to work on my last math class. Which you know from previous posts is the worst nightmare of my entire flipping life!
So it was and has been a busy August. Isn’t it amazing how many things catch our attention and time races on?
But just to let you know I am still here I thought I would share my Story of Pip with you. If it moves you (and I hope it does) find your pet and just hug your pet for a very long time. Every time I reread this I do!
The Story of Pip
The Smartest Canine I Have Ever Had The Pleasure of Meeting
By
Amanda Edwards
I met Pip when he was four weeks of age; he wasn’t my puppy of choice. The “other” one, sitting over there in the corner was. I wanted that little puppy. But soon I learned the decision was not mine to make. It was Pip’s. So Pip came home with his brother, Ollie, forever to shape our lives, enriching it forever. Pip and Ollie have taught us to know unconditional love.
My husband and I went back to finalize bringing home our new puppy, Ollie, about a week later. To make sure the “other” one was the one we wanted to make our life friend. But Pip just crawled up in my husband’s lap, ready to snooze the day away. He let us know he wanted to come home with us so we did choose him and, we got the “other” one. Well the “other” one was going to be a lesson in love we would soon learn about. We never have regretted getting both puppies.
Pip and Ollie are littermates. Beautiful male English Springer Spaniels. Pip is a black/white and Ollie was liver/white Springer. Life went fairly normal for us for about three years. I have always loved the fact that Pip was obedient because, you see, Ollie certainly never was. And so I spent a ton of energy on Ollie while Pip quietly decided he would become my best friend.
Then three years into loving and living with these two great friends life decided to teach us how special Pip really is. Ollie was diagnosed with Epilepsy. This took us on a long three-year bout with seizures and medications. And there was Pip, steady Eddie all the way. Letting us know when Ollie was in trouble either with a seizure or catching birds and squirrels for a mid day snack. Still we were not amazed with Pip. In hindsight I think I should have been aware. I was so busy coping I wasn’t paying attention. It is amazing that he was letting us know about Ollie’s seizure. And, I remember times when I was very sick my husband could not get Pip to leave my side until Pip could tell I was on the mend. We have mused over how special he is because he could sense illness before we could but never did we know until we lost our Ollie dog this summer just how special Pip is. Pip stepped up to the plate to show us he was the caretaker.
Pip has always been a major caretaker. We did not know he had taken this “job” so seriously with Ollie until the job was not there anymore. For about six weeks this summer it was just Pip and us. We took some vacations, cried over Ollie and Pip just waited for us to get over it. He was just faithful, steady, smart Pip. Knowing his job was to silently be a caretaker.
Then one day he let us know he needed a new companion, that it was time to move on. So we got busy finding him a friend. Lizzie. She is a rescue Springer. Fully she is a puppy at one and half years and no health issues. And! We found out Pip is playful. Pip likes to run and bark and jump after squirrels and birds! Pip that was so involved with caretaking has shown us how amazing he really is. He runs all over with Lizzie yapping and playing all the time.
Pip loves his new companion, Lizzie. Which, you see is another amazing thing. Lizzie is a rescue with all that implies. Issues, yes, issues. Pip is helping her through them, teaching her the ropes. Showing her how we want her to come to dinner, come when called, come let us be a part of your life. Lizzie was closed up, afraid of people. Pip has been teaching her how to trust. Pip is amazing. Pip is seven years old on October 7th. Pip deserves to be spoiled this year. I am taking him by his little ole self to Petsmart to get a favorite toy.
A special thank you for being the best friend, companion a person could have.
(This was written in 2005 as a way to process the loss of our dear “Ollie”dog.
Thanks to Pip and now Lizzie we have moved on.)
August 23rd, 2009 at 9:15 am
I’m sorry your dog was sick, but he sounds amazing and I am glad he is better. I am sorry for the loss of Ollie. Same thing for your sister as well, and I hope she is released and healthy soon.
I hope the rest of the month is a bit quieter, and perhaps you got the illnesses out of the way for awhile.:)
August 23rd, 2009 at 1:00 pm
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August 23rd, 2009 at 1:07 pm
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August 23rd, 2009 at 3:33 pm
I am so glad your doggie is getting better!