Happy rehoming Bert day!

Aww man. I wish I hadnt opened this thread, he looked absolutely magnificent. I'm sure he had the best possible life and couldn't believe his little doggie luck when you rescued him from the pound..

I'm with my 2 now. Both are snoozing away happily but I know I probably won't have them in a year. I was just told today that one has failing kidneys so just a matter of time so reading this upset me a bit.

****. 

Bert was the STW forum dog. This sucks balls. 

Sorry RNP. 

@nickc

Thanks.

I've taken solice that literally 100's of people have written/emailed/rung with words of condolence. I think we took for granted what an amazing super chilled dog he was as he was very rarely away from either of us. 

It's a week ago tonight that the scan results told us we were dealing with something very different than expected. Bert always happily placed his paw on my hand if i put it anywhere near him.....before rolling over and demanding a tummy tickle
 
I slept on the floor in his 'den' last Friday night and in between fitful sleep I remember reaching out and holding his paw, he deliberately placed his other paw on top of mine for a few minutes. I don't think I've ever had a more {struggling to find the word as I'm not religious} spiritual/emotional/overwhelming feeling of love to anyone or anything else in my life.

A few years ago I had an existential crisis in that I was trying to figure the meaning of why or how Bert had come into our lives beyond us initially just wanting a 'dog'. They do say people do their best work from the grave - I am carrying momentum from Berts passing and am interested in where it leads MrsRNP and I.

Bert came home again yesterday just in a different form to the underweight apprehensive unloved dog that first came home seven years ago.

The vets wrote a heartfelt card and the packaging and remembrance keepsakes were beautiful. We were in floods of tears last night. The small jar of fur particularly got me.

We are lucky to live where we do and there are lots of beautiful walks and parks where I loved walking Bert. I'm going to scatter a small amount of ashes on our favourites.

              {Thread closed}

[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

I've posted previously on my litter picking thread that I always used to collect acorns and conkers when out walking with Bert. Most of them got redistributed/planted on other walks but i kept a few back.

The attached photos from the 17th September 2022 show that days haul, from those grew this little oak tree that started in a window sill pot before being transferred outside.

I contacted a local lady over the weekend who sits on the council and also runs the Friends of Whitaker Park group (they all knew Bert) to ask if they'd mind if I transferred the sapling from it's pot into the park. She was delighted with the idea and suggested two areas that have benches nearby. The area I'm choosing has a beautiful willow tree nearby and is a nice corner of our local park.

We're away for a few weeks but are going to plant it on the 17th so it will be 3years to the day the photo was taken/the acorn was planted.

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

I also have two year old and one year old saplings from subsequent years acorn masts that will get repotted and subsequently planted somewhere.

That's a lovely thing RNP and hopefully a lasting tribute to the wonderful Bert. 

So sorry to read this OP. Genuinely got upset reading this last night. Lovely tribute to him too.

Rest easy, Bert.

Hey OP, my sincere condolences in these dark days. We too lost our boy 10 weeks ago. He was diagnosed with Cancer and had an operation to remove a growth in his intestine. We count ourselves lucky we had another 5 months with him before we had to let him go. And not a day goes by where I don't miss him terribly. It's bloody horrible eh. 

I never really understood why people got so upset over losing pets until we lost Oskar. The only upside is we rescued him from a pretty grim life and gave him an amazing 3 years. Nowhere long enough but it was amazing nonetheless.

I hope you find a way to have happy memories only of Bert. They give us so much happiness eh. 

Magnetodog is the forum pupper for me

Bert was spectacularly beautiful, but not magnetodog.

Edit: how complicated is it to post here nowadays? 🙁

RIP Bert. Pssst, rabbitssss, geddem.

Rabbits?! Pfft Bert will be off chasing bears across the tundra.

I saw this thread appear high up and thought for several days now how nice it is that you love him so much to keep on being thankful to rescue him. Only now have I realised from another thread it’s because you sadly had to say goodbye. Now I’m lying in bed supposedly trying to sleep but sobbing instead. Hardest thing in the world but you can say without hesitation that you loved him for every second and that is something to be extremely proud of and when you’re ready the next dog will be extremely lucky. 

Bit of an update - we returned with friends to a place where I think Bert was at his happiest, it's a nice Airbnb on the shore of Loch Tummel near Pitlochry.

It was 3 years ago for my 50th and we bagged a few Munros (Ben Vrackie and Schiehallion) did loads of kayaking and had a great week. We'd booked it again when Bert was still with us so I knew it was going to be bitter sweet coming back. 

I took the kayak out within an hour of arriving and had a little quiet moment to myself. 

A few weeks ago I transplanted that 3 year old Oak that I mentioned above. Hopefully it thrives in its new location.

Regarding the momentum I mentioned upthread - a week or so ago I registered as a ltd company director and stuck a holding website on the same name domain. Im looking to go consulting/contracting in my field of expertise, it involves travel/time away from home which I was never willing to do when we had Bert. Looking to 'go live' in Q2 next year.

I'm still heartbroken though.

[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]