We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own,
live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached.
Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way.
We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan.

Irving Townsend

These wounds won't seem to heal. This pain is just too real. There's just too much that time cannot erase.

When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears. When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears. And I held your hand through all of these years but you still have all of me”

-- “My Immortal” by Evanescence

Where do I even begin to tell the story of how important Rasta was to our lives? How to do describe the emptiness that I feel? Rasta was the little dog with the crooked tongue that everyone fell in love with. He was a little gentleman to everyone he met, but was a little stinker in private with us. He was stubborn, crotchety, brave, but most of all, sweet and full of love.

When I was sad or sick, he curled up on the bed with me. When Toby and I were arguing, he would roll over and get you to rub his belly because he knew that a belly rub would make the anger fade away. All he wanted out of life was for you to just sit and be with him. Nothing else made him happier, except for maybe food.

We got Rasta when we were still in college and he was with us through everything as we all “grew up” together. From our first run-down college apartment, into nicer apartments as we began our careers, and finally moving into our first house. He was the ring bearer at our wedding and barked all the way through the ceremony because no one was paying attention to him.

Rasta survived many pitfalls in his life. He always had respiratory problems due to a partially paralyzed pharyngeal nerve. He had skin allergies until I became educated about the over-inoculations of some dogs and began using titer testing and homeopathy. When he was a puppy, he once got into a box of graham crackers and ate so many that he literally couldn’t walk. When he was 9, he survived a critical injury due to a fall on ceramic tile that caused him to become blind in one eye.

The biggest injury of all though, was when we brought Jedi into the house when Rasta was 7. Up until that point, I don’t think he knew he was a dog. And, boy was he insulted. Eventually, they became the best of friends and he easily accepted Huxley and Mega when they moved in during the last year of his life.

Rasta was the first dog that I trained. I took him to his first obedience class because I thought he might need something to do since I was at work all the time. That was when I was bit by the “training bug.” Rasta loved to work and practice. However, he hated to show. Every time I tried putting him in the ring, I would drag him around on the heel on leash and then, when I took him off leash, out of the ring he would go. Eventually, I stopped putting him through the misery of showing but continued training him. I decided that he would be my teaching dog. He would teach me what to do so that I would be a successful handler with future dogs.

Teaching me to be a handler was only one of the many things he taught me. There is a famous saying, “May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.” I can only hope to live up to not just what he thought of me but the countless things he taught me – to live life to the fullest, to stand your ground when you know you’re right, to love unconditionally.

After a lifetime of respiratory problems, including being diagnosed with COPD two years ago, he began having difficulty breathing Wednesday morning, July 26. After being treated by the vet, he went into further distress that evening and was admitted to the emergency center. After running several diagnostics and trying several medications, he was still having trouble breathing and would go into distress within a minute or so outside of the oxygen cage.

After consulting with many people, including our own veterinarian, Toby and I decided to allow them to try a diagnostic test to look for blockages or upper respiratory issues that would involve putting him under anesthesia. Unfortunately, he went into cardiac arrest soon after being put under. They brought him back 2 times before Toby and I asked them to stop. In the end, we can only take comfort from knowing that he died trying and didn't suffer. That would be like Rasta – a dog who kept trying in the face of all adversity.

We visited him prior to the diagnostic test and stayed at the hospital during the procedure. The last time he touched me, he gave me a bop on the nose through the hole in the oxygen cage to reassure me that he was okay and we were making the right decision. A life in the oxygen cage was not a life and we could not bear to watch him deteriorate in there.

Rasta touched so many people’s lives that we are still receiving cards and condolences. Everyday is hard. Even though I know we did everything, I feel like a part of me is missing. He will be in my heart always. So sleep now, my little Dickens, on a blankie in your warm sunbeam at the Rainbow Bridge and know that we will all be with your again someday and that our lives are better for having had you in it.

Love forever,

Mom, Dad, Jedi, Huxley, and Mega

O L I V E R

Anderleigh Twist of Fate MX, AXJ, OAP, MJP, CD, OAC, NJC, NGC, NJC-V, NGC-V, TSAD, TG3, PD1, CGC, TDI

March, 1993 to August 8, 2006

written by owner, Carla Mayers Bletsch

Oliver was my first agility and obedience dog. His name fits as I got him to do confirmation and through a twist of fate his coat did not turn out to be appropriate and we got into agility and then obedience. Oliver taught me many things about training dogs in general and perserverance. He retired from AKC agility at 7 years of age when he could not do the 8" height anymore but came back at the age of 10 years and finished many titles in the AKC preferred and Teacup classes. He also sired two beautiful puppies in "Hershey" and "Jack" who were the only two puppies he would every play with and an added joy for my life.

Even though I had him since he was 9 weeks old, he was Dan's little buddy since 1998. He lived a full 13 years and 5 months and will be missed by many hearts. He is a painfree place now, eating whatever he wants, barking his seal bark and sleeping 24/7. I loved him dearly and will carry him in my heart forever or at least until we meet again at the Rainbow Bridge.

"OLIVER" will be missed by Carla and Dan Bletsch and the entire Workingyorkie family.

"SIMON" is missed dearly by Betty, Jeff, "Annie" and the entire Workingyorkie family.

"Sundowns Iron Eyes Cody" 1988-2005

Friday April 15th before dawn, Our Big Boy "Cody" took his last breath while comforted in our bed. These last two weeks have been difficult for him physically and in just the last 5 days he would not eat nor sleep unless exhaustion took over. At 16 1/2 he died of old age and his body just gave out. Mentally he was still our protector and King of his domain. So go find your "Family" Cody over that rainbow,Sister, Rudy and Cricket. We Love you and will miss you.

Dennis, Anne, Bud and Racer

Anne in Nashville

"MC NUGGET"
Tribute to McNugget by her owner

This picture was taken of "McNugget" just last August at the Delaware Valley Specialty in Reading August 2003. She was 13yrs 7months old in this picture.

McNugget was my very first Yorkshire Terrier. She was given to me as a gift and what a special gift she was. She brought smiles to everyone who came in contact with her, whether it was just on the street, training, at trials etc. She and I started training when she was 9 months old and last August at 13 & 1/2 she competed in Veterans for her last trial.

Nugget and I were true partners. Maybe not in heeling exercises (she hated heeling at trials), but in every other sense there could ever be. We traveled to Canada and flew to Florida together. We took our obedience jumps everywhere when we were training and we just loved being together.

As Nugget got older she would have no part in staying home. If she wanted to come with me (and she knew when I was planning to go out), she was become a piece of gum stuck to my heel. I couldn't possibly be thinking of leaving her home! So of course she would come along, no matter where I went.

She played a big part of patient therapy during the years of 1/2000 to 9/2002. I worked at a Psychiatrist office and was able to bring her to work with me. The patients came to look forward to coming to the office in order to hold her and love her. If they had a rough session with the Dr., they would come out to the waiting area and sit with her before leaving.

She touched many hearts in her years with us.

		"Our Beautiful Sammy" is a Tribute created by Deb Nendell's sister Dawn
To Deborah, with all my love Sammy  Nendell  C.G.C., U.D., ASCA-C.D., T.D.I.   1989 – 2004   My beautiful, magical nephew, Sammy Nendell, went to Heaven on Wednesday, June 23rd in the arms of his adoring family. I personally have known, loved and lost many beautiful souls, whether they were rescued or family members of my own.  I have never been given such an amazing gift as being there for Sammy when he returned to his Father in Heaven.  Sammy kept giving even when he knew his time on earth was limited.  What an amazing, magnificent soul he was. Thank You, Lord Dear Lord, please open your gates and call St. Francis to come escort this beloved companion across the Rainbow Bridge. Assign him to a place of honor for he has been a faithful servant and has always done his best to please me. Bless the hands that send him to you for they are doing so in love and compassion, freeing him from pain and suffering. Grant me the strength not to dwell on my loss. Help me remember the details of his life with the love he has shown me. And grant me the courage to honor him by sharing those memories with others. Let him remember me as well and let him know that I will always love him. And when it's my time to pass over into your paradise, please allow him to accompany those who will bring me home. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of his companionship and for the time we've had together. And thank you, Lord, for granting me the strength to give him to you now. Amen --Author Unknown   To Sammy, I thank God for you and for the absolute privilege of being your Aunt.  You have blessed my family and I in ways that only few of us could ever possibly understand.  Your heart was bigger than your whole body, your love was denied no one.  You smothered us with “Sammy Kisses” and filled our lives with love and joy.  Thank you for blessing us with your love. Look Beyond the Rainbow As much as I loved the life we had And all the times we played, I was so very tired and knew My time on earth would fade. I saw a wondrous image then Of a place that's trouble-free, Where all of us can meet again To spend eternity. I saw the most beautiful Rainbow, And on the other side Were meadows rich and beautiful, Lush and green and wide! And running through the meadows As far as the eye could see Were animals of every sort, As healthy as could be! My own tired, failing body Was fresh and healed and new, And I wanted to go run with them, But I had something left to do. I needed to reach out to you, To tell you I'm all right, That this place is truly wonderful -- Then a bright Glow pierced the night. 'Twas the glow of many candles Shining bright and strong and bold. And I knew then that it held your love In its brilliant shades of gold. For although we may not be together In the way we used to be, We are still connected By a cord no eye can see. So whenever you need to find me, We're never far apart If you look beyond the Rainbow And listen to your heart. -- © 1995 by Cate Guyan     To his beautiful Mother, my heart is with you.  I know the grief and pain you are feeling right now, and I will do all that I can that is humanly possible to be there for you while you are grieving.  I promised Sammy that I would always take care of you, be assured I will keep that promise for as long as I live and love. Grieve Not Grieve not, nor speak of me with tears, but laugh and talk of me as if I were beside you. I loved you so... twas Heaven here with you. --Author Unknown   Goodnight, sweet Prince.  I love you. Aunt Dawn