Spike, Pongo, Sadie, and Allie

I had four dogs. One of them isn't pictured here. Her name is Dollie.Four beautiful lovely dogs. All with souls and were the best dogs we've ever had. Our beautiful dogs were taken from us way too early. Spike was a Black Labrador. The youngest member of our family. He had the most soulful eyes. He was a silly goofy boy! He was the biggest baby though. He loved going outside, playing tug of war, running around the yard with his rawhide bones and burying them so no one else could get them, barking at squirrels, birds, rabbits, and anyone who came up our driveway. He talked, smiled the biggest smile he could give when got into trouble. It was so funny and you couldn't help but laugh. He was a sweet heart. My late father coaxed him with dog treats and took him home. First, we thought it was Dollie, but Dollie didn't look like this big goofy puppy.

Spike was one funny boy. At two different times, I took him out for a car ride because I couldn't handle all four all at once and gave them turns in the car. So, I took Spike to McDonalds to order some burgers for us. Well, while I left for just a second and had the food on the dashboard while I went to Food Lion. I left the center console up. I wasn't expecting him to come over and sneak up to get himself every thing from the fries to the burgers. Well, we had burgers and fries. Not anymore. Then the second time, Spike decided while I was leaving Food Lion, he decided he would open his own window with his paw and tried to jump out. I stopped my car and pushed him back in, waving at the other drivers. I had to engage the child window locks on the passenger doors. What happened really indicated how smart he was. He knows how to open windows so he would click the window buttons to get them open. I wouldn't open the window except a little tiny bit to stick his nose out. He wasn't happy because he couldn't get out of the car through the open window.Pongo was found by my brother and brought home. She had gotten herself into a lot of mischief when she was young. If you were to plant trees, she would go out, dig them up, and bring them to us. She got herself into acrylic paints and tried to put the blame onto another dog, Sadie. She would look at Sadie, even though she had the little tube of white paint hanging from her jaw and some splotches of paint on her coat, she even got into a box of Oreo Cookies and ate them. She also had the nerve to try to finish them off while we were on the phone with the vet. Pongo even fell into a vent when it was open for cleaning.

Then came Sadie. Sadie was a shy dog and she had lived in a barn before she came to live with us. It took Sadie a long time to open up to us. She would spend a lot of time with Spike and they were both like inseparable siblings. They both played tug of war, ran with each other, and were together for a long time until Spike passed away. If Sadie was clipped to a leash and we'd be heading out, she'd run over the electric fence, it was to keep them from getting into trouble with our neighbors as they were prone not to listen, and go into the car. She would drag us all around and if you weren't strong, you'd be dragged down the driveway. Our oldest dog, Dollie had been here the longest of all three young dogs. She was 15 years old when she passed away. She lived a long happy life, beat all odds with a copperhead and had seen a bear. Half blind by the copperhead, Dollie was no fool. She didn't want any other dog to take her place. She would lead Pongo, Sadie, and Spike to the end of the dirt road we had lived on and came back home without them. No later than a few minutes have passed, every one returned home. As much as she tried, she couldn't get rid of them. She even went to a flowing river and it didn't even work. They were all smart and knew where they live. Dollie was the oldest and eldest dog we ever had. She was one of a kind dog and I often think of her along with all the others.

Dollie lost memory of us, wouldn't come into the house even when called, we had to use kennels, and had to clean up after her. She no longer ate dry dog food and had to eat soft foods. She no longer knew who we were even after all the time spent with her. We had to humanely put her down. It was so sad when she was put to sleep. Spike had brain damage from a tree limb that had fallen. His eyes were blood shot and he was no longer eating or drinking. We were faced with that decision to put him to sleep so he wouldn't suffer. It was so heartbreaking to see and we were there through and through. Sadie mourned Spike's death and died of a broken heart. Pongo began to lose her bodily functions, couldn't walk anymore, and was still eating. I decided that having to hold her up and doing everything to help her poop and pee was not living at all. We had to make the hardest decision to humanely put her to sleep.As much as I didn't want to lose my protective dogs, we felt that they were taken away from us far too early.

All of them visit occasionally and leave signs that they are still here. Protecting us and waiting for us to arrive at the rainbow bridge along with Allie and our bird, Pretty Girl.