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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Hoh man, i'm never going to try and read something like that at work, again. It was a trick to regain composure before facing my middle school students.
It's a bittersweet thing Bob, I was crying not just for your loss, but the beauty of the relationship you got to share for twelve years. Bluering said it well.
Alobar left this plane in '93. He was only here for seven yrs, but in that time we ran 14 mile trail runs, swam, in the pacific ocean, upper twin lake (?)in the bighorns, and other places we backpacked into. He was the first dog into the labyringth in the superstions. He climbed into my nephews' tree house. He barked encouragment on the FA of Lucille. My daughter learned to stand by pulling herself up on his fur (he hated that, but put up with it, stoically)
He was hard to lose but I wouldn't lose those memories for anything.
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hollyclimber
Big Wall climber
Yosemite, CA
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Dear Bob-
Thanks for sharing with us about Nala. She sounds like such an amazing girl. I am so sorry for your loss. The love of a dog like Nala is so warm and true and I am glad that you had her in your life for the time she was here. Hugs to everyone from me and Dagen the Swissy.
Holly
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Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
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Bob, that's hard. We should all have lives as blessed as Nala's.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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A moving tribute, Bob. You expressed the love and sadness that all of us dog people go through. "The best dog I knew" was named Lucy, and I still remember her every day when I walk by the tree where we used to throw sticks. Fetching sticks or frisbees or balls was the greatest joy in her simple happy life.
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mrtropy
Trad climber
Nor Cal
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Just lost mt. biking, hiking, rock climbing, and lawn mowing partner at the end of summer. Never smoked a day in her life and lung cancer got her, but she got to climb and run in the mountains until the last week of her life. An awesome mut my wife rescued from the side of the road and spent 12 years with us. She could run and climb like nobody's business.
McKinley Girl making sure I get to the top
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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One of my favourite authors, the great humanist and animal-lover Axel Munthe, said many wise things about our furry friends. Here's one quote, from his famous book "The Story of San Michele":
"Alas! the life of a dog is so short and there are none of us who have not been in mourning for a lost friend. Your first impulse and your first words after you have laid him to rest under a tree in the park, are that you never, never wish to have another dog; no other dog could ever replace him, no other could ever be to you what he has been. You are mistaken. It is not A dog we love, it is THE dog. They are all more or less the same, they are all ready to love you and be loved by you. They are all representatives of the most lovable and, morally speaking, most perfect creation of God. If you loved your dear friend in the right way, you cannot do without another. Alas! he also will have to part from you, for those beloved by the gods die young."
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Moof
Big Wall climber
A cube at my soul sucking job in Oregon
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We finally got a couple pound pups now that we are out of apartment life. It ends a 10 year dry spell for both my wife and me.
Current Dogs:
Oscar, malemute/lab mix, dumb, 2 time pound puppy, but he really is loyal (has separation issues...).
Charlie, Harrier hound, loud, sweet, tolerant, 2 time pound puppy.
Hobo, lab/basset hound/chow/rottweiller mix, low slung, and kid perfect. He was my Grandma's, got relocated to Alaska with my brother and a 2 and 3 year old when she died. He's loving it.
Past dogs:
Canum, siberian husky mutt, 14 years of outsmarting us
Sheba, malemute, got her at 10, she acted like a puppy for her last 3 years of retirement till her kidneys gave it up. Always good at showing her gratitude for taking her in (previously on 6" of chain outside in Alaska winters).
Geordie, pure inbred yellow lab, forget how long total, he ran out of parts to remove to keep him going (spleen, eye, testis). Dumb as a post, but loyal to a fault
Maggie, yellow lab, dumped in front of our house, we had her a good 3 years before we moved to Alaska back in '88, horrible farts, went to a good home.
Baby, yellow lab, dumped in a park while raining so we took her in to keep her from being run over, we had he a year before Alaska, went to Guide Dogs of the West. She chewed holes in the walls...
Lady, weimeronner (no idea how to spell it), great dog, killed by rat poison by folks who then robbed us a week later. Only thing they took was a 20 year old POS stereo that was GIVEN to us.
Megan, too young to know the breed, blind, also killed by ratt poison (special place in hell for those fellers...).
Many others who were more transitory Mutt, Tonka, Spud, etc (left by friends while living in Hawaii, etc). Our 1/2 acre yard attracted strays.
Always very sad to lose them, but in the end you have to step back and realize just how much you make their lives better by taking good care of them.
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Wade Icey
Big Wall climber
Indian Caves, CA
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Very sorry for your loss. Hope the joy of Nala's 12 years will soon outweigh the sorrow. Maggiedog (12) is wondering why I'm crying and hanging on to her. Time to shut off this stupid machine and take her for a walk.
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LuckyPink
climber
the last bivy
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so sorry for your loss of Nala.. my Blackie was a wonder I've never been able to have another dog since him, cuz I can't stand the loss.
Blackie was a black lab mix with the white star on the chest. His favorite thing was to sneak up behind a woman, shove his nose violently into her crotch from behind just once and then jump back, stand there and literally grin as the woman whirls around to reprimand him.. ahh, climber dogs.
In every other way he was elegantly behaved, trained to hand signals. Many more stories but its hard to miss him still. LP
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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I haven’t posted much for awhile. But this thread on dogs makes me move forward.
The intimacy that develops---in fact it does “develop”--- between humans and dogs (and other pets of course) is very surprising if you really look at.
In fact they aren’t pets; a vigorous entity that is your utterly closest companion, body to body, for the brief years that this one doggie is alive, are sweetest of all our years. Hard to find something greater, frankly, that is so true and uncomplicated, unmitigated. They don’t have just “duty” bred to them; they are in love. Were we all so lucky...to live in the greater animal kingdom so graced.
They are the Fur People, honestly. After 30 years of dog breeding, this is what I have come to understand. Almost as if they were us, in another dimension, trying to reach us. Imagine their sensory powers, and those coupled with their different brains. Ever so honorable.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 7, 2007 - 11:48pm PT
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Today I wander around Boulder Canyon somewhat aimlessly looking at cliffs and section of the creek where Nala and I used to climb and fish. Trying to keep her out of the water while trying to cast a dry fly was an almost impossible task...still I managed to catch a few greenbacks while she managed to let the fish within a mile know that we were there. Looking back...I really could care less about catching any fish...it was the special time with my good friend and seeing that goofy lab smile that is etched in my mind's eye...forever.
This is the third lab that my wife and I have had to put down...all had long and healthy lives. Still...doesn't make the loss any easier. Maybe it's my age...I just don't think we can handle the pain of losing something that asks for so little and gives so much.
Thanks to everyone here who has made the effort to help me through this...you really have been great.
Weird...these lines from a Dylan song keep bopping in my head.
I'm going out of my mind, oh, oh,
With a pain that stops and starts
Like a corkscrew to my heart
Ever since we've been apart.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 8, 2007 - 12:05am PT
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Lois...thanks for your advice...your right...I just think we are done after this little bugger below. Don't let the eyes fool you. She is 40 pounds of ears and fury.
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
St. Looney
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Oh. This is heartbreaking. I'm so sorry. My dog, Blackie, has been gone since 1979. I'm still not over it really. Never will be.
It's too friggin' hard losing these guys. But thank goodness we had the chance to share our lives with them. I'm really sorry Bob.
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10b4me
climber
1/2way between Yos and Moab
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please accept my condolences Bob.
animals are special.
don't know what I would do w/o mine.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Peter, Bob, both your posts are beautiful, Peter's deeper meaning and Bob feeling Dylan's pain.
We used to have two dogs, now there's just one, and we know he can only stay with us for a while.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 8, 2007 - 12:56am PT
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Larry wrote: Peter, Bob, both your posts are beautiful, Peter's deeper meaning and Bob feeling Dylan's pain.
Thanks Larry. Nice looking hound you have there.
Peter is spot on...I almost feel guilty...I know that my wife and I did a lot with and for Nala...still it falls way short on what she gave to us.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Hi again all.
It was some very renown Grande Dame back east that said, to paraphrase, "The trouble with animals is that they don't live long enough". Apparently African Gray Parrots and tortoises were not on the great lady's list. .
My defense over the years has been to have overlapping doggies, as I have today as well. While one declines and soon will say goodbye, there remains her husband: vigorous, optimistic and boundlessly dorky and in love with me as no actual person will ever be. it keeps things going forward, you know.
best P.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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They are the Fur People, honestly.
Just so. Reminds me of the Inuit view that seal, bear, raven and the rest must be approached respectfully as nonhuman persons, even if you hope to eat them.
Dogs seem closer, though.
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