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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 6, 2007 - 11:20am PT
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Nala...was a unexpected gift. A friend of mine bought a beautiful black female lab. He was single and wanted a dog as a companion. Little did he know the task of raising a puppy and the kinda of work it would take to make the dog happy and healthy. A week after getting her he ask me if I wanted her...I said no...but I will buy her from you with no strings attached.
I drove the puppy home that night and realize I had something quite special in the car. Quietly she laid in my lap the whole drive home, with me lightly stoking her small black head. My wife saw the puppy and fell in love...our other Lab didn't quite feel the same. My daughter named her Nala...from the Lion King movie. A princess she was and a loyal and loving companion to our family for 12 wonderful years.
Training consisted of a week of working with her. Always one to please...Nala was a quick study and learned to sit, lay, heel, be housebroken and obey hand signals in that short time.
She also started to go with the cliffs with me at a early age and was quite happy being outside and with me. She was an endurance dog and could run for 20 miles at time and still be ready to go. Patience was her middle name and she would wait like a monk, her eyes following my every move until I said "let's go Nala" and then a sudden burst of body and tail would be set in motion.
She was always ready to go with me on any adventure and endure any conditions to be my friend. She was my main partner on 10 hiking and mountain bike guides.She would hike 20 miles, run till dark, follow us on huge mountain bike rides and then get up and do it again for me just by me saying... let's go Nala.
Never sick her whole life... her only visits to the vet was for shots. She was a constant source of love and affection for my family and was always the "perfect" dog. After a long day in the mountains she would lay in the back of car and not move till we got home. Numerous times I thought I forgot her because she was so quiet and well behaved.
To this day there is nothing that I remember her ever doing wrong. Special beings come into our lives and Nala was one of them.
Three days ago Nala was normal...two days ago she got sick and we took her to the vet...yesterday we had to end the life of the perfect dog. Seems a blood clot from her spleen or liver grew to the size of baseball...the vet did surgery and removed the clot...all seems well through the night and into the morning...about noon the vet called and told us things were not good...we rushed to the vet...me knowing that this was goodbye. I got there and my wife arrived minutes later, Nala raised her head, we laid down with her and told her we loved her and thanked her for her love, she licked our faces and and said goodbye. The caring and loving mother that she is...my wife told the vet to stop Nala's pain. The vet gave her a needle and seconds later the last breaths were gone from this beautiful being.
The perfect life...
There is so much more to say about Nala but I just can't right now. The sense of loss and the pain is so overwhelming this is about all I can do for now. Sorry for any grammar errors.
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Carolyn C
Trad climber
the long, long trailer
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Such a beautiful life and a wonderful companion. I'm so sorry.
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lemon_boy
climber
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bob,
i am so sorry to hear about nala. i send you and your family best wishes. my dog is starting to get older, and i am starting to dread that day.
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Mtnmun
Trad climber
Top of the Mountain Mun
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Group Taco hug Bob. Sorry to hear you lost a best friend.
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nita
climber
chica from chico
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Bob D, Nala was lucky to have your family, and you were lucky to have her. I have a sweet old yellow lab, who is a joy to have around....Wish dogs could live longer..Pet loss is hard.
Long live Nala in your heart and memories..
Please post a pic...
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Sorry to hear that Bob. At least she had a loving family and from what it sounds a darn good life with you guys. It's always hard to say goodbye to our pets, especially when we have to put them down ourselves to stop their pain.
God bless Nala, all dogs go to heaven.
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steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
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I feel your pain, Bob. Easy to say just remember the good times and memories. Easier than living these first few days without her. But it gets better with time and eventually, you remember the little things at just the right time and they bring a smile to your face again.
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Prod
Social climber
Charlevoix, MI
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Ah sh#t Man,
Bubba and I feel for you..
Prod.
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SteveW
Trad climber
Denver, CO
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Sorry
It's losing a member of the family.
Steve W
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clode
Trad climber
portland, or
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I had to do that for a Cocker Spaniel that was so special in my life for ten years. Reading your story brought tears to my eyes. I feel your pain and loss. Sometime in the future you will be able to remember this day, and all the other wonderful days, and recall the joy that Nala brought to you.
Peace be with you.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 6, 2007 - 12:44pm PT
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Thanks everyone...
Nala leading my daughter and wife up Devisadaro Peak at the ripe age of 12.
Nala and her sister (the devil child) Daisy.
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L
climber
Right side of the Brain, Left side of the Road.
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Bob,
How lucky you were to have such love and beauty and uncomplicated companionship for so long!
And what a wonderful gift Nala brought to you: To know that you walked this world as a god in the eyes and heart of this wonderful pet. To be unconditionally loved the way animals love us is the perfect love--I'm sure of it. And that love makes us better people for having experienced it.
I'm so sorry for the loss of your Nala in her physical form, but know that she'll be running along beside you, and in your heart, for the rest of your life.
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Jobee
Social climber
El Portal
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So sorry for your loss, "sweet Nala."
We are shaped and fashioned by what we love. -Goethe
My heart goes out to you and your family.
jow
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taorock
Trad climber
Okanogan, WA
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Bob,
Sorry to hear this. I went through this last year with my dog Dobe. He was the same age, died of the same condition and had a spirit very similar to how you beautifully described Nala.
Take comfort that you provided a wonderful life for her. When you return to some of your favorite stomping grounds, you'll feel her there.
Brent
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John Moosie
climber
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Labs are such warm and fun dogs. It sounds like you were each blessed by the other. Thankfully you had the energy to help her lead a full and rich life. Those dogs sure can go. I still laugh thinking about how rambunctious a friend of mines dog was. And he has been gone for more the 10 years. They are powerhouses of love and joy.
I wish that I had words to help you deal with your loss. There just don't seem to be any except to remember what a joy she was.
It is certainly strange to have joy and sadness mixed into the same moment. The joy of remembrance and the sadness of loss.
Thank you for sharing your story with us. It brought back such sweet memories of my friends dog Ted. He was a yellow lab who would chase a frisbee all day.
John
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atchafalaya
climber
California
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Sorry to hear about Nala. Dogs are awesome...
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Geez, Bob that's really sad about Daisy. Have you considered getting another dog, maybe a puppy for Daisy. Maybe it's too early, I don't know.
Same thing happend with 2 beagles I had when I was younger. The elder had to be put down and the younger was kinda lost for a while. That's always a hard thing with two dogs, they get to have doggie companions, but when one goes before the other...grief.
I had to put down a great dog Lucy two years ago and it sucked. Every time I have to do that I ask myself if it's worth the agony of getting another dog,to have to endure the inevitable pain again. You know what? Every time I get another dog. It's worth it.
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Euroford
Trad climber
chicago
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thanks for sharing Nala's story and for the photos. our four legged friends lives burn bright but too short!
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dirtbag
climber
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Few things tug at my heart as much as a dog story like this.
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