Thanks for the Cuddles

Photo by Jo Baxter.

On Saturday, we said good-bye to Mogy. My last words to him were to go play with Pro. Alan was holding his head. I was standing in front of him looking straight into his eyes. It was sad. It was a relief.

We knew he was going, so we had time to prepare, to say our good-byes, to love him. Many people called. His local fan base came to visit, pet, and love him. Some wrote - likely with wet eyes. Here are a few of the kind words that were read to him.

Esther

Dear Mogy,

Thank you for letting me be your companion for a little while. It will make me sad to say goodbye but I know you are going to a good place. We won't ever forget you here in this place because you have touched our hearts and will live on always in our memories. You have been very lucky to have had the best owners in Wendy and Alan, but I don't need to tell you that. Copper will also miss you but his journey has only begun here so he will have lots more to learn, see and do ... you have guided him well to this point. Wendy and Alan will be the saddest to see you leave but the time has come to say goodbye and farewell. Rest in peace my good friend.

Sally-Heath

As Mogy’s Grandmama I am sad but know that this is right. Mogy is a wonderful hugger and he is truly by choice a non retriever, He spent years trying to see the trees falling in the forest with his wild leaps to stand upright from a sound sleep. He is gentle and is truly Pro’s dog (his firm belief when he had Pro near him) I will cry I always do for my dogs, there are an intricate part of our family. Hugs to Wendy and Alan. Love you Grandpuppy. Your Grandmama.

Doug Jr

Mogy, I suspect I'll never encounter any being who can react to the undetectable so instantaneously and with such intensity. Thank you for that, and for the love you brought into our family. We wish you all the best. Love, Grandaddy Buck

Ben

I have very fond memories of the Mogestar when he was just a little boy in Hampden road…. He was so cute and he just grew into a lovely dog. I will miss our walks …I will miss him jumping up out of nowhere.... I will miss his greeting moans.... I will miss him being too scared to cross over a metal grate.... I will miss his 110 decibel slurps at the water bowl. I will visit before we all have to say goodbye. He did have a great life though.... 2 great brothers and a wonderful mum and dad. Ben.

Russell

We’re very sad that you had to make the decision about Mogy’s appointment on Saturday. We’d all prefer our mates to live forever. However, that is not the way of things – at least, not here, anyway.

Nobody in his/her right mind would stand by and watch a friend in terminal pain, with no ability to continue on life’s path without a great deal of debility, without intervention. We support your decision from a position of experience with our own feline mates. It’s very hard but, in the circumstances, it’s best.

It’s a pity that what we are permitted to afford our friends in the animal kingdom, we are not permitted to apply to our own brothers and sisters in the human race, and we consider that to be shameful.

We will remember Mogy as the powerful and playful boy that he is, and in the same vein as Pro. If it’s true what the scripture (or some other Christian manifesto) states that all imperfections are removed when you go to heaven, then look out up there when these two get together!

God bless Mogy, Copper, all the animals on earth and the both of you. Lots of love, Dad and Lorraine.

Heather

Mogy was the first dog I nicked named Cuddle-Bug...I met him about 9 years ago when he was just a pup growing into his legs and I fell in love with him the moment I saw him. No matter what he was doing, he never refused to cuddle with me, even if I was interrupting nap time, one of his favorite activities. I never minded his beautiful strands of fur he covered me with because I got to take a little piece of him with me wherever I went. I saw the happily destuffed leather furniture abandoned in the basement of the Chiswick house never realizing the power of puppy destruction (which later prepared me for Arty through his puppy stages). Even though it's been years since I last saw him, I can't help but smile whenever something or someone brings up Mogy. I'll always remember His love and the twinkle in his eyes ...Lots of Hugs and Kisses to my Cuddle-Bug

Sometimes it strikes me as strange that we bring this life force into our home, feed it, walk it, train it, talk to it, play with it, fall in love with it....  You can estimate how much having that life force in my life means to me by knowing that no matter how much I mourn him, no matter how many tears I cry, no matter what ache I have in my heart now... I'll go through it again. Because the life force sitting next to me now makes me feel happy, content, at home, comfortable, needed, connected, not alone, proud, and loved. And I know he's happy, at home, comfortable, needed, connected, not alone, proud, and loved, too.

And he's got a little bit of Mogy's spirit in him. I think it's in the cuddles....

Mogy Update

(The image is a picture of a picture on the wall at the Lazy Dog bar in Boulder, Colorado. We couldn't get over the visual similarity to Pro and Mogy. They were watching us!)

Yesterday, after 5 nights at the vet for observation and pain management, Mogy is home. He is undergoing a two week test with painkiller pills and cortazone pills to see if we can improve his walking. The xrays revealed that his hind quarters have been affected by his deteriorating hip dysplasia (in playing with Copper, his femur moved further out of the socket and has now (very likely) impacted/touched his sciatic nerve), and he also has some problems with his lower spine that are causing other issues.

Our hope is that the drug treatment will enable him to be a happy and content house dog. One who can walk over to say hi, who can walk outside to do his business, and one who can cuddle with us when we need cuddles. That is probably the best case scenario.

In two weeks, we will assess the treatment’s success. If he cannot do at least the things I’ve mentioned above, we will need to make the hard call. But for the next two weeks, he is here by my side and happy.

He, of course, still loves cuddles and pets. Alan and I are giving him lots of those. I've invited Mogy's Australian friends to come see him while he's here.

FYI - Copper is being a pretty good little brother. He seems to be aware of the need for Mogy to just lie there. He was in the same boat in September.

So here I am sitting at my computer, in my newly remodeled office, with a sleeping dog next to me.

I love him. :)