A terribly sad day.....

[gbshive]

Tig,

I am also really sorry for your loss. I have been there. My kids, wife and myself was at the side of ours and it was one of the worse things in my life. Also understand when we knew we were being selfish but trying to prolong the situation. The only consolation was we were with her to the end. After 10 years her memory still fills us with emotion. Words can't express what you feel but it seems everyone here knows. No to be callous but I have felt less loss many times with the passing of people. Dogs and cats are the one thing we have in life that are only have the goodness of nature in them

[tigwelder56]

Amen Brother, thanks...

[whitehood]

What was his name? Tell us your favorite story about him. There must have been many.

[tigwelder56]

There are many fond remembrances of my friend, "Butch". I rescued him 12 years ago after he ended up in a fenced in yard behind my fabrication shop. He and a pit bull/chow mix were dropped off in this guys yard (behind the shop) and I quickly realized that the property owner wasn't feeding them and I didn't see any water available. First thing I did was make sure they had clean water everyday. It didn't take more than a couple of days to realize they were hungry. I started buying Gaines Burgers and would feed them twice a day through a crack in the fence. That went on for a couple of months. I finally had enough and opened the gate to the place and both of those dogs came running to my shop and wouldn't leave. I didn't make them leave either. I learned that my dog, Butch, was an Australian Shepard/Border Collie mix. Turned out that the actual owner had found him the previous year in a campground in Tennessee. He was emaciated, covered with ticks and fleas and had been shot. A vet had found a few pellets in his side but they had healed without further treatment. I kept him in my shop for a couple of months but he learned that I was willing to take him anywhere I went. I should've named him "Sparky" because he went on every welding job I ever had. He got up with me every morning at 4AM and came back to the shop with me at 7PM. We did that everyday for months. One day, the original owner showed up and wanted to take his dog with him. Those were fighting words! It was going to cost him more than money to ever take that pup away from me. Had that dog wanted to go with him, I would've considered it, briefly. I gave him as much shit as I could provide without punching him out. He said he worked with the NSA and spent months outside of the US. Whether or not that was true I didn't care. His total lack of concern for that wonderful animal was inexcusable. If he wanted the dog back it was going to cost him dearly, not including the ass whooping I wanted to give him for mistreating such a fine friend. I'm convinced he never knew how special he was.



He came home with me finally and I convinced my "Cat" only wife that she'd better get used to having him in the family or me out of it. He was that special and that was before I had enjoyed less than a year with him. As I said before, he went everywhere with me, everyday, for years. He would lay under my truck or in it just as long as I was there. If I moved ten feet, he moved nine. We were inseparable from the day he accepted me as his friend to the day I had to let him go. He would jog with me, go on rides with me, made friends with all of my neighbors and family. He was our only dog since my daughter was seven years old. I made her leave when I had to put him to sleep. I knew how difficult it would be and just didn't want her to be here for this one. She had been around when we had other pets die (naturally) and it was quite hard for her to deal with. So I choose to shield her from this one and I'm glad I did.



There isn't one thing that is my favorite time with him WH. He was a perfect friend and I know that any one of you would have been proud to have called him your own. He was as true a friend as anyone could ever wish for. I will always be honored to have been chosen by him to share his short life. God bless him, I miss him terribly and will cherish the time we had together.

[Torgo]

A hard post to read...I had to put down my English Mastiff because of a break-in at my home 3 months ago...he put up a fight but and got him out of the house before the burgler had a chance to get anything, but was wounded by the @$$ that broke in. I am sorry to have read this, cause now my thoughts stray to him. I am sorry for your loss there Tig. I know how much it hurts. I need a drink now....cheers mate