Valued commenter Raven introduced me to this Irving Townsend poem about the loss of a beloved pet:
“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.”
I find it comforting today.
Daisy Mayhem Margaret Kennedy, 2008 – 2021
The first thing to know about Daisy is that she was a boxer dog who had the heart of a lion. She was a sweet and gentle girl, but she was also a fierce and proactive protector of her pack. She was our beloved companion for almost 14 years.
Daisy came into our lives as an 8-week-old pup the summer we celebrated our kid’s 10th birthday. We argued over what to name her for a few days and settled on Daisy. The name suited her, even though there was nothing particularly floral about her.
As that long-ago summer turned to fall, sometimes I’d take Daisy with me as I canvassed in the neighborhood for then-candidate Barack Obama. She was a disarming presence, which was helpful in that mostly Republican neighborhood.
Daisy was the smartest dog I’ve ever known, which ironically made her the hardest to house train. My house-training approach is based on knowing that most dogs want to cooperate, so the challenge is communicating what you want. I think Daisy was hard to train because she speculated about what I wanted rather than learning by repetition (you pooped outside? yay!) as simpler creatures do.
She had an animal intruder alert hierarchy I never figured out. Squirrels, cats and dogs who were not part of her pack were to be barked at ferociously and driven off. She’d try to catch snakes and be irritated when called off the chase. Most birds — even large ones like herons, cranes and ducks — were okay in her book, but she disliked vultures. She found alligators viewed through the fence uninteresting. But she’d bark furiously at river turtles and gopher tortoises for some reason.
Early last spring, Daisy was barking nonstop while stationed at the gate downstairs that separates the yard from the river. We haven’t been able to call her off for the last couple of years because she grew stone deaf with age. When I went to investigate the ruckus, I saw she was barking to scare off a big old turtle who’d been sunning on the riverbank. She kept barking until it lumbered into the water and swam away, as if to say, “And STAY out!”
Otters were a mystical wonder to Daisy. She’d freeze when she spotted one and watch it reverently and in silence until it went away.
I’m still convinced she’s one of the few dogs on the planet who ever took a genuine selfie with no human help. Lots of people stage dog selfies, but this is the real deal:
I had taken a selfie of the two of us to send to someone and set my phone down on the sofa cushion, apparently still in selfie mode. Daisy snapped the shot above with her own paw.
Daisy had many endearing habits. One was to plop down next to a loved one and lean on that person. If I was sitting in front of a laptop working and not paying attention to her when she wanted my notice, she’d push her muzzle into my ribs so I would stop ignoring her. It worked every time.
She would also approach us with a serious expression in her amber eyes and seemingly try to talk, growling in an undulating tone. My husband would respond in an equally serious tone, saying things like, “Really? That’s fascinating, Daisy.” Once you replied, she’d walk away, either satisfied that she’d been heard or exasperated at being patronized.
She was a good sport about costumes, at least until the second you took your hands away, then she’d shake off the fake reindeer antlers or Tim the Enchanter hat. :)
Daisy was already elderly when we moved to this house three years ago. But she was still a bouncy old girl. The stairs became more of a challenge as the months went by; she went up and down gamely but at a slower pace.
Despite reaching the doggy equivalent of her mid-90s or so, Daisy remained relatively spry and enjoyed life right up until recently, lining up for treats and spinning (albeit in slow motion now) when the mister returned home from work. She played with Badger until he exhausted her, then she swept him away with an impatient paw.
She slept more towards the end. Her favorite spot was a cushion on the porch overlooking our little river lagoon, with her muzzle facing the wider world, nostrils taking in air samples for analysis and still alert for intruders, even as her sight grew dim. I think she liked the spot because her vantage point from the cushion allowed her to be at ease and keep watch at the same time.
We agonized this week over whether it was “time.” And you know, it probably was before we could admit it to ourselves. Daisy’s interest in food had waned, and while she could make her way downstairs, we had to carry her back up. But she didn’t seem uncomfortable, and she remained alert and watchful until the very end.
Earlier, I was sitting on the porch nearby while Daisy dozed in her favorite spot. I noticed her paws twitching as if she was running in a dream, and I hoped she was experiencing the sensation of being young and strong again. Shortly after, Daisy simply drifted away, choosing her own time and granting us that one last favor.
You were a good girl, Daisy. You were the best girl ever.
ThresherK
Condolences from our home to yours, Betty.
The Thin Black Duke
I’m sorry. The older we get, the harder it is saying goodbye to our loved ones.
chopper
aw, that royally sucks to hear. i’m so sorry
Brendan in NC
Sorry for your loss, Betty.
Danielx
She will be waiting at the Rainbow Bridge.
CaseyL
What a good girl! And what a great life she had with you. My condolences.
Professor Bigfoot
Condolences, Betty; may her memory be a blessing.
She has inspired me to go hug on my own doggos.
Barbara
Oh, I am so sorry. What a good girl. And I think indifference to alligators is a sign of real intelligence in a dog!
tom
That was a wonderful remembrance, Betty. I’m so sorry you no longer have Daisy.
p.a.
?
RedDirtGirl
Oh Betty, how sad. I’ll be holding your family in the light.
Gin & Tonic
A beautiful remembrance. Damn, it’s dusty in here.
Condolences.
SiubhanDuinne
Oh, Betty. I’m so sorry.
Dupe1970
Very sorry to hear about losing Daisy. She was clearly a very good dog.
zhena gogolia
Oh, no! I loved Daisy. All my condolences. What a great dog
ETA: Now I’ve read your last two paragraphs and I am going to have to stop crying before I got to class.
West of the Cascades
I’m so sorry. Sincere condolences from me and my two kitties.
TerryC
When is the right time? Sigh. Sorry for your loss – a tough decision to make. We’re watching our 16-year-old cattle dog, Ozzy, grow weak and lose his back leg strength. Otherwise content, though, and not eating much less. ❤️
dr. bloor
So sorry, Betty, she always looked like a total love in your pictures. May her memory be a blessing.
Villago Delenda Est
They’re like family. You mourn them as family. Because they are family. Deep condolences, Betty.
Nelle
What a beautiful tribute. She is truly settled in your heart.
Fair Economist
Sorry she’s gone, but you certainly gave her a great life.
Westyny
Boxers are the best. I know her memory will be a blessing.
TaMara (HFG)
Never enough time with them…but I’m so glad she was able to go peacefully on her own. One last gift to those she loved most.
I did not know Bixby and Daisy shared a middle name…and it sounds like a similar personality trait. I’m hoping they find their way to each other and are playing with all the other beloved critters who have gone before.
[[[Hugs]]]
Joy in FL
Oh, Daisy! such a friend.
I’m sorry, Betty.
germy
What a beautiful and moving tribute to Daisy. She was lucky to have loving humans in her life.
Here’s “Memorial” by James Thurber:
She came all the way from Illinois by train in big wooden crate many years ago, a frightened black poodle, not yet a year old. She felt terrible in body and worse in mind. These contraptions that men put on wheels, in contravention of that law of nature which holds that the feet must come in contact with the ground in traveling, dismayed her. She was never able to ride a thousand yards in an automobile without getting sick at her stomach, but she was always apologetic about this frailty, never, as she might well have been, reproachful.
She tried patiently at all times to understand Man’s way of life: the rolling of his wheels, the raising of his voice, the ringing of his bells; his way of searching out with lights the dark protecting corners of the night; his habit of building his beds inside walls, high above the nurturing earth. She refused, with all courtesy, to accept his silly notion that it is better to bear puppies in a place made of machined wood and clean blue cloth than in the dark and warm dirt beneath the oak flooring of the barn.
The poodle was hand in glove with natural phenomena. She raised two litters of puppies, taking them in her stride, the way she took the lightning and the snow. One of these litters, which arrived ahead of schedule, was discovered under the barn floor by a little girl of two. The child gaily displayed on her right forearm the almost invisible and entirely pain-less marks of teeth which had gently induced her to put down the live black toys she had found and wanted to play with.
The poodle had no vices that I can think of, unless you could count her incurable appetite for the tender tips of the young asparagus in the garden and for the black raspberries when they ripened on the bushes in the orchard. Sometimes, as punishment for her depredations, she walked into bees’ nests or got her long shaggy ears tangled in fence wire. She never snarled about the penalties of existence or whimpered about the trials and grotesqueries of life with Man.
She accepted gracefully the indignities of the clipping machine which, in her maiden days, periodically made a clown of her for the dog shows, in accordance with the stupid and unimaginative notion that this most Sensitive and dignified of animals is at heart a buffoon. The poodle, which can look as husky as a Briard when left shaggy, is an outdoor dog and can hold its own in the field with the best of the retrievers, including the Labrador.
The poodle won a great many ribbons in her bench days, but she would have traded all her medals for a dish of asparagus. She knew it was show time when the red rubber bib was tied around her neck. That meant a ride in a car to bedlam.
Like the great Gammeyer of Tarkington’s Gentle Julia, the poodle I knew seemed sometimes about to bridge the mysterious and conceivably narrow gap that separates instinct from reason . She could take part in your gaiety and your sorrow; she trembled to your uncertainties and lifted her head at your assurances. There were times when she seemed to come close to a pitying comprehension of the whole troubled scene and what lies behind it. If poodles, who walk so easily upon their hind legs, ever do learn the little tricks of speech and reason, I should not be surprised if they made a better job of it than Man, who would seem to be surely but not slowly slipping back to all fours.
The poodle kept her sight, her hearing, and her figure up to her quiet and dignified end. She knew that the Hand was upon her and she accepted it with a grave and unapprehensive resignation. This, her dark intelligent eyes seemed to be trying to tell me, is simply the closing of full circle, this is the flower that grows out of Beginning; this-not to make it too hard for you, friend-is as natural as eating the raspberries and raising the puppies and riding into the rain.
Kalakal
Sorry to hear of your loss.
You gave her a wonderful life and she looks like she loved every minute of it.
A fine rememberance
Another Scott
Thanks for sharing her with us. Condolences to you and all who loved her.
Best wishes,
Scott.
joey5slice
I’m so sorry for your loss. What a good dog. Thank you for sharing the pictures and the memories.
Elizabelle
Beautiful eulogy for an irreplaceable dog. It was good of you to share Daisy (and Patsy, and young Badger McM) with us. My sympathy. Daisy will be missed.
Sherparick
A final gift from your Best Girl. So sorry for your loss Betty.
AJ
I’m so sorry Betty. My heart goes out to you.
feebog
So sorry Betty. It doesn’t get any easier, does it.
cope
The memories and emotions you are sharing are a measure of what a great friend Daisy was to you all. That she died at home with no need for you to make gut-wrenching decisions about her end is an incredibly special gift. We have always had pets in our family and except for a cat of our daughter’s who crawled under some outside pool toys when her time came, every one of those pets had to be taken to the vet for that final visit or suffered some tragic, unexpected fate.
It’s strange how we pet folk continue to add them to our families while knowing almost certainly that we will suffer pain and sorrow when they leave.
schrodingers_cat
Good bye lovely Daisy. How are you holding up?
White & Gold Purgatorian
So sorry for your loss. May the pain of Daisy’s loss pass and the memories of good times together never fade.
narya
Sending my condolences as well; what a sweet girl.
Betty
Beautiful eulogy. It sounds like she really enjoyed life in your new place, so many critters to bark at or wonder at. I hope Badger won’t be too lonely.
stinger
Oh, so very sorry to read this, Betty Cracker. Such a hole she leaves.
My 15-yr-old Yorkie is sleeping more soundly, eyesight diminishing, but still loving life. Even with two other dogs in the house, I dread the day and hope she will choose it for herself, as Daisy did.
The Robinson Jeffers poem, that I probably first read here, gets me every time with these lines, no matter how long ago one of mine died:
“You, man and woman, live so long, it is hard To think of you ever dying A little dog would get tired, living so long. ”
Shedding a tear now for myself and for you, Betty.
Leslie
Beautiful girl, beautiful tribute. I’m glad you and Daisy had each other for these too-brief years, and so sorry for your loss.
O. Felix Culpa
What a beautiful remembrance. Thank you for sharing Daisy with us.
SFAW
Betty, I’m so sorry. What a wonderful puppy — at all stages of her life — she was.
Now I gotta go dust the entire house, dagnabit.
John Cole
This is horrible news, but I am consoled by the fact that she was able to go on her own terms, with no medical intervention, happy and peaceful in her own home around the people she loved and protected for 14 years.
Antonius
So sorry, Betty, condolences.
GaryfromWY
Oh man. I’m so sorry. Never easy. I love your thought at the end that Daisy was dreaming of being young again and ran off into the sunset
WaterGirl
@Gin & Tonic: It’s not dusty in here, it’s raining tears.
hedgehog mobile
A wonderful tribute to a loving companion. I am so sorry for your loss.
frosty
I’m sorry you’ve lost her. You’ve written a great memorial so we can see what an extraordinary companion she was. Thanks.
Emma from FL
I am so sorry.
Saturday I was looking over our 16 year old schnoodle, Pachi, after he was released from durance vile (i.e., being groomed and polished) and realized how gray he was getting. He is still relatively healthy, and still takes no nonsense from the muscle boys whose outdoor gym backs into our yard (they like to tease him very playfully) but we know we are enjoying his last years. I hope Pachi gets to make his choice like Daisy did.
Raoul Paste
This is the tough part about having pets. The heartbreak is baked in, but you were lucky to have each other
SkyBluePink
What a lovely tribute to Daisy- a life well lived and well loved.
With sympathy-
eclare
I’m so sorry.
Mingobat (f/k/a Karen in GA)
You gave her a good, happy life, right up until the very end. I’m glad you had each other for as long as you did, but still, it’s never enough time, is it?
Rest well, sweet Daisy.
soapdish
They are bright lights that shine in our lives for far too short a time.
Enjoy Canada, Daisy.
bluegirlfromwyo
I’m sorry for your loss of a beautiful soul.
Meyerman
Sorry for your loss, Betty. I’m glad she had a good long life, surrounded by people who loved her and appreciated how wonderful she was.
SiubhanDuinne
@germy:
That’s gorgeous. I’ve never seen it before. Thank you for sharing it.
Faithful Lurker
I’m so very sorry, Betty. Badger will be mystified for a while. Where has my buddy gone? Take care off yourself and each other.
rikyrah
BC,
So sorry for your loss ?
Daisy was a beautiful girl ?
Butch
They become such a big part of your life. I’m so sorry.
geg6
I’m so sorry, Betty. Daisy was a wonderful BJ mascot pup over the years and your stories about her always made me smile. She was a very good girl.
germy
@SiubhanDuinne:
I will say here that Betty Cracker is as fine a writer as Thurber was.
Eric NNY
So sorry for your loss Betty. I will miss the Boxer jokes. She was the best girl.
Middlelee
I’m so sorry you have lost your long time companion.
Just One More Canuck
My condolences
JeanneT
So many great memories and a full doggy life. You will miss her, but every time you think of her you will have a smile along with the tears.
delk
Sorry for your loss Betty.
Starfish
Your remembrance is beautiful, and these allergies are really giving me watery eyes. ?
Tony Gerace
@ThresherK: My condolences. Losing a pet is very hard.
Lee Hartmann
Peace and good memories to you.
Old School
Deepest condolences, Betty. Daisy was such a good girl.
bjacques
“…exasperated at being patronized”
Doggo will be remembered with HONOR
Leto
I’m so sorry, Betty.
Ocotillo
Man, I am sorry
Rileys Enabler
I’m so sorry to hear of her passing, she was such a very good girl. It made me look with sad eyes at my Riley, fast approaching her 15th year. Her hearing is gone, her memory somewhat spotty, and her interest in food is not quite as pointed as in years past. But she seems in fair spirits, and climbs her steps into bed each night to sleep near me. I will give her an extra treat tonight in Daisy’s memory.
It’s such a short period of time to love them so deeply. I’m so so sorry.
pat
Somehow I have the feeling that you wrote this wonderful tribute with tears in your eyes.
And I read it with tears in mine.
kindness
Bless you Daisy. My condolences to the family for the loss of a child. They are our kids really. Just furry and they don’t live as long. That part kinda sucks. Such is life I guess.
raven
Aw damn, I’m so sorry.
Olivia
I’m so sorry for your loss. She was beautiful and such a great companion.
PJ
I’m so sorry, Betty. But that’s a beautiful eulogy.
MagdaInBlack
I am so sorry, Betty.
captain toast
Thanks for your lovely remembrance. Thanks for reminding me of my own
JKC
I’m very sorry for your loss.
Isobel
I’m so sorry for your loss. What a sweet girl.
Spanky
I’m terribly sorry, Betty. You were so lucky in many ways, but especially the last. I wish like hell that all our pets had had the freedom to choose their own exit when it was time.
K
So sorry for your loss. It’s very hard to lose a family member, but good that Daisy found peace at the end,
Hungry Joe
Oh, no. So very sad. Alice the Dog is almost 15, and I think about this … too much. We love her more each day, as I’m sure you did Daisy. All best.
Jackmac
So sorry for your loss. May happy memories of your Daisy sustain you as you grieve.
Jackie
I’m so sorry, Betty. I’m glad Daisy was hopefully dreaming about happy memories as she drifted away.
Beautiful memorial to a much beloved family member.
Ksmiami
I’m sorry you lost a beautiful and faithful girl. She was lucky to be adopted by such a wonderful pack and I’m sure she’ll love you forever.
The Very Reverend Crimson Fire of Compassion
Love and comfort to you from our little pack to yours.
jnfr
Okay, now I’m crying. Thank you for sharing her with us. I am glad she had such a peaceful passing.
JanieM
@zhena gogolia: Ditto on all of it, except the going to class part.
SiubhanDuinne
@raven:
I’ll bet you have no concept of how many people you’ve consoled with that Irving Townsend poem, Raven. I saved it when you first posted it a decade or more ago, and since then I’ve shared it with easily a dozen grieving humans. You did the animal-loving world a great mitzvah by amplifying Townsend’s words.
planetjanet
I am so very, very sorry for your loss. It feels like a loss here as well, as you shared so much about him over the years. He was abundantly loved and I am sure he knew it.
SiubhanDuinne
@germy:
I agree fully, except I’d put it the other way around.
debbie
Oh Betty, I am so sorry. What a gal Daisy was!
Mathguy
R.I.P. Daisy.
Mayhem is a great middle name, especially for a boxer.
Subcommandante Yakbreath
My condolences. It’s so hard when they leave us.
TinRoofRusted
I am so sorry and what a beautiful tribute to a beautiful dog.
West of the Rockies
I’m so sorry, Betty. You provided him with a wonderful doggy life.
(And through your grief, your excellent writing talent shines. You are a gift here at Balloon Juice, and we are so fortunate for your presence. I hope we can provide some comfort to you.)
FelonyGovt
I’m so sorry for your loss, Betty. Daisy had a wonderful life with you. Condolences to Badger too; he will be confused and bereft for a while.
RandomMonster
Bless you, Betty.
Felanius Kootea
Oh I’m so sorry, Betty. Daisy was clearly much loved and very smart – that selfie is something. I hope memories like these bring you comfort as time goes on.
The Lodger
Sorry to hear about Daisy’s passing but it’s good that she went peacefully.
Ann Marie
I’m so sorry for your loss, Betty. She was a lovely girl.
badgirl
So very sorry for your loss.
HeleninEire
So sorry, Betty. RIP Daisy.
VOR
I never met Daisy and I’m crying. Pets bring so much into our lives and losing one is losing a family member. It sure sounds like Daisy had a good life and died with her loved ones there to comfort her.
dww44
@hedgehog mobile:
This says it for me. I had teary eyes at the end. Sorry for your loss but she had a good life and a great ending.
KayInMD (formerly Kay (not the front-pager))
What a lovely memorial. I was smiling til the end. I don’t know why the last two sentences finally brought tears to my eyes, but they did. I’m sorry for your loss of this beautiful soul.
karen marie
I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you so much for your memorial of Daisy’s life. She was a lovely girl.
Miss Bianca
Oh, Betty, I am weeping for you and Daisy. You make a compelling case for her being Bestest Dog Ever. RIP, Bestest Dog Ever.
Madeleine
Thank you for your beautiful remembrance of Daisy, Betty. I am so sorry for your loss.
Kristine
So sorry for the loss of your lovely girl. She got to choose her own time, which our pups don’t often get to do. Thank you for the memorial.
Jenny Howard
I’m so sorry for your loss.
KSinMA
I’m so sorry, Betty. Sending hugs.
Jonw
May her memory be a blessing.
Zeecube
So sorry for your loss. A good dog to the very end.
Ruckus
It’s hard loosing a queen who cherishes the role, and deserves it.
So sorry for your loss of your beautiful and wonderful friend.
Benw
So sorry. What a great dog.
dp
So sorry to hear this. Best wishes and condolences to you and yours.
Caphilldcne
Condolences to you and remember to celebrate Daisy’s life well-lived.
Jay
So sorry Betty,
so glad she had you.
she will be in your heart forever.
fuck 2021.
lowtechcyclist
It sounds like she was such a sweetie. I know you’ll miss her something fierce, Betty.
citizen dave
Best dog ever, and repeating ’cause it’s true: what a lovely tribute.
Zelma
Deepest sympathy. We all feel as if we knew Daisy. We will miss hearing about her. What a wonderful dog. But then, all dogs are wonderful, each in his own way.
Mary G
I am so sorry, Betty. Twice as many years would be too soon.
raven
@SiubhanDuinne:
Separate Lifetimes, by Irving Townsend: Now in its third printing, this collection of essays about living with animals, and coping with their loss, is “a joy for any nature or animal lover.
Interestingly he was music producer and produced Miles Davis “Kind of Blue”.
PaulWartenberg
But the poor Dog, in life the firmest friend,
The first to welcome, foremost to defend,
Whose honest heart is still his Masters own,
Who labours, fights, lives, breathes for him alone,
Unhonour’d falls, unnotic’d all his worth,
Deny’d in heaven the Soul he held on earth.
While man, vain insect! hopes to be forgiven,
And claims himself a sole exclusive heaven.
— “Epitath to a Dog,” Lord Byron
Tazj
I’m so sorry. Thanks for sharing her with her us.
raven
I wish that I could talk to you.
Trigger warning.
TEL
I’m sorry for your loss Betty. She was a good dog.
Miss Bianca
@raven: Wow, if I thought this guy was cool just for writing that piece, I now think his coolness quotient just blew up the cool-o-meter.
Steve in PHX
I’m very sorry to hear such sad news. I wish you the best. My condolences.
All the best,
A former Florida guy
Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony
<3
With the deepest sympathy. She seemed like such a sweetheart.
Miki
Oh no ….. I’m so sorry, Betty. Deepest condolences to you & hubby & your daughter & Badger.
Betty Cracker
Just wanted to thank everyone for the condolences. Grief is a burden that’s easier to bear when shared, or something like that. Anyway, thank you all so much.
seaboogie
So sorry for your loss – and what a lovely tribute to the essence of Daisy.
Mai Naem mobile
This is such a beautifully written remembrance of Daisy. She was a good pup and you guys were lucky to have each other.
Bex
Like her namesake:
Daisies by Line Monique Gauthier
Like her namesake:
“Daisies” by Line Monique Gauthier
the fence/sways open/onto meadows/lucky daisies/dance carefree/through the gate/freedom awaits
Virginia
So very sorry. The best girl, ever. All dogs are always the best ever.
sweet memories.
Sis
This is such a beautiful tribute to Daisy. I’m so very sorry.
J R in WV
One of our first dogs was a tall, rangy boxer girl, named for her color, Ginger. Technically she was my next door grandma’s dog, but we were her kids, so she spent a lot of time with us even before grandma was stricken.
RIP, Daisy.
By huge coincidence, I got up V early this morning to take my kitten, Spike, to the vet for a check up. She has been losing weight, has thyroid issues, and is draped over my shoulder while I study B-J and the somewhat good news today. Dr Banning is due to call when the blood work is done in the lab. Alex Jones is guilty. Steve Bannon surrendered, and Beto is running for governor.
And Spike is purring on my shoulder. I taught her to purr, she was as silent as a cold winter night her first 6 or 8 months, but as she climbed onto my shoulder I would hum quietly, and after a couple of months, my ear against her small side, I heard a tiny sound. Now she purrs loudly enough to be heard all over the room.
Spike knows she is loved, even tho I locked her in a box and took her to the vet today. She has already forgiven me, purring on my shoulder.
I’m so glad you had Daisy all those years, and that she knew she was loved.
I’ll stop crying here directly…
la caterina
What a wonderful dog she was. I’m happy to have known her, even if it was through the internet. May your happy memories comfort you and the family.
VeniceRiley
What a fantastic dog! Cannot ask for a better exit from this mortal coil – I’d wish it for myself.
But no matter the ease of it, it is the missing. The missing hurts. There will be other dogs, but never be another Daisy.
Ghost of Joe Liebling*s Dog
I’m so sorry. Thank you for sharing her story.
dexwood
“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” —Roger Caras
Sorry for your loss, Betty.
J.
Aw, shoot, Betty. I remember when you adopted Daisy. (I had wanted you to name her Laila as she was a boxer.) My heart goes out to you on this sad day. She sounds like a wonderful dog, a true companion. Our condolences to you, Mr. Cracker, and Badger. <3
Rosalita
I am so sorry Betty! Hugs to you and your family
Steeplejack (phone)
? ? So sorry, Betty. Condolences to you and yours. ?
Cephalus Max
Condolences, Betty. Having lost a couple of ‘best dogs ever’, I know what you are feeling.
I’m sending all the happy dog hugs and vibes that I can your way.
NeenerNeener
I’m so sorry, Betty.
debit
I’m so sorry, Betty.
VillagePerson
Beautiful remembrance of your darling girl. Sending deepest condolences.
StringOnAStick
I’m so sorry. What a wonderful tribute to your old friend.
Kattails
I am so sad for you. She may eventually have a successor, because we need to give them homes and to keep our hearts open, she will never have a replacement. Such a gentle gift that she could slip away like that. Healing thoughts to you.
Linda
Nice
SWMBO
Peace and comfort to you all. She was loved and she will be missed.
currants
Oh, Betty and Mr. Betty, I am so sorry. I have loved hearing about Daisy Mayhem every single time. Today, I love your tribute, sorry as I am that it needs to exist.
Rest well, fierce, sweet Daisy.
laura
Please accept my condolences on the loss of your boon companion and protector Daisy Mayhem Margaret Kennedy.
Tim C
“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went,”
Will Rodgers
Ben Cisco
Condolences on your loss, Betty. Sounds like Daisy was the best.
eachother
I am feeling something of what you are. It came right through the screen to me.
My condolences.
Sourmash
Who’s a good girl? YOU are, Daisy!
Kayla Rudbek
So sorry for your loss.
Nutmeg again
So very sorry to hear. All the warmest comfort. Dogs are love.
mvr
My condolences. Thanks for sharing her story.
banditqueen
Peace and comfort to to all of you; the time will come when you’ll catch a glimpse of Daisy in her fave spot, and you’ll know she’ll always be with you
Laura Too
I’m so sorry for your loss. She was such a love!
?BillinGlendaleCA
I know all too well about the passing of beloved companions, I still see Nikki out of the corner of my eye sleeping in her bed by my computer desk. Condolences.
Ken T.
I send wishes for comfort and the joy of memories. Much sympathy for your loss. Florida is less one beautiful creature.
Anne Laurie
I’m so sorry, Betty. You make Daisy sound like a dog in a million — most of our household companions are loved, but only a few are special.
J R in WV
@J R in WV:
And just after I laid down for a nap,, having gotten up V early, Dr Vet called with blood results. He said there was good news and bad news. Spike’s blood work was all within normal levels, thyroid, kidney function, something else. So all good there.
The bad news was he didn’t know why Spike was losing weight — I said she was always a picky eater, and that years ago they (at Dr Vet’s clinic) have given her something to boost her appetite…so he looked at the computer chart, nothing there.
Then he looked at the hand written (real!) chart, and there it was. We’ll pick that up tomorrow, hopefully it will work as well as it did 12 years ago. At least she should stop losing weight!
Hilfy
Thank you for the poetry, Betty. It’s comforting to keep for future leave-takings. Because it’s better to have them to love now, even though we know we will grieve later.
Sister Golden Bear
I’m so sorry for you loss.
suilebhan
That was a wonderful eulogy for a wonderful dog. So sorry for your loss.
Heidi Mom
I’m so sorry for your loss of such a lovely girl.
MazeDancer
Joining the throng of tears.
What a gorgeous tribute to your girl.
Always thought to Daisy whenever I saw a boxer, even a picture of one.
How great that you had her so long. How wonderful she had a perfect doggie life. Thank you for sharing her with us.
Wolvesvalley
You gave her a wonderful 14 years, and she gave you a wonderful 14 years.
We loved her, too, through all your stories of her.
We’re now sad with you.
Seanly
I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved girl. As a fellow dog owner, I took pleasure in your dog stories.
It’s never easy getting over the loss. I still miss dogs who have been gone for a long time.
beth
What a beautiful tribute for a wonderful dog. My condolences on your loss. I still mourn the loss of my best dog ever and it’s been over a year.
Drunkenhausfrau
So very sorry for your loss, Betty. What a beautiful tribute. I feel almost like we all shared her with you, like I hope someday I meet her on the rainbow bridge and say. Hi, Daisy!
Juju
I just checked Ballon juice for the first time today. I’m sorry you lost Daisy. She was a great girl. She had a family that loved her and cared for her. I will miss stories about her. Give Badger a hug for me.
Soprano2
I’m so sorry Betty. It’s tough to lose your fur babies, no matter what age they are. She sounds like a great dog. Our cat Coco did the same thing many years ago on Thanksgiving – just laid down on the rug by the back door and went to sleep; we think she was 20 when she died. We had been having “that conversation” about her that week, but she saved us the trouble of making the decision.
Ella in New Mexico
I’m in tears, especially when you say she blessed you all by leaving at the time and place of her own choosing.
For us, knowing when we needed to let one of our dear friends go before they suffered too much has been a source of a lot of pain, either way. Closed Vet Hospitals on major holidays, or wrong diagnoses when we did take them in leading to painful passings were every bit as hard as when we finally did decide to let them go.
I’m so happy that now you just have all the years of sweet memories and the knowledge she was dreaming a wonderful dream when she decided it was time to move on.
Bonnie
I’m so sorry for your loss, Betty.
Scout211
Oh my. Such sad news. What a beautiful tribute to your girl. She was a sweetheart.
Embra
Thanks for sharing that, Betty. It seems that a lot of people will be holding you and your family in our hearts tonight. In the face of the lessons our beloved pets have to give us, everything else seems rather trivial. You gave Daisy her best life.
HumboldtBlue
Bye, Daisy.
worn
Damn, Betty, that last bit made me cry.
RIP Daisy
Gammyjill
You gave her a wonderful life and was there when she left it. Daisy will always be in your heart and I know you’ll always think about her with love.
stinger
We call this “chasing bunnies”. Sounds like she just chased that bunny right on across the Rainbow Bridge. No better way to go.
TriassicSands
This had already been a horrible week for critter loss…and then, this.
I’m so sorry, Betty. Sometimes, it’s just too much.
WendyBinFL
So sorry to hear about Daisy, Betty.
Thanks for sharing the beautiful biography and photos of your Very Good Girl.
Helena Montana
I’m so sorry for your loss, Betty. We know we’re going to outlast them, and yet we fall in love with them anyway. She sounds like a wonderful dog.
Paul in KY
Delurking to offer my deepest condolences, Betty. A very loving writeup for a very loving dog.
Betty Cracker
Thanks for the condolences, everyone. I read every comment, and it really is a comfort to know Daisy touched so many lives.
Debbie(Aussie)
So sorry Betty. May her memory grant you peace.