Another perfect dog story

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Thor came into our lives by our choice.  We were going to enter the world of dog showing.  Both kids had flown the nest and all their friends with them.  No more soccer, no more scouts, no more hockey, no more crazy pool parties.  Just us.  What did other people do on Saturdays?  We tried gardening - my husband hated it.  We tried golf - I hated it.  I had shown horses a lot when I was younger, and one dog a little.  Dog shows - perfect.  You pack up just like for sports, spend 10 embarassing minutes in the ring (and I got to do that!) and spent the rest of the sitting in the sun admiring, petting and talking dogs.  Perfect.

 

After a year of being vetted by Siberian Husky breeders of the dog show world, we finally were allowed to buy a show quality dog, if we promised to show him.  Thor came from a grandpa legend in the dog show world.  He even Won Best in Show often - nearly unheard of for a husky.

 

And so came Thor into our lives.  He was the livliest of puppies and brought new life to us and Storm our 8 year old Sibe.

He was just so glad to be alive.  He greeted every day with joy, enthusiasm and boundless energy.  He was more than normally difficult to train - short attention span theater, but so loveable.  Finally after many hours with a "show" trainer and many outings to puppy trials we entered the AKC world.  We were wildly unsuccessful and had loads of fun for a year. Then the curse of the curly tail appeared.  A  show career ending disaster for a Sibe.  One thoughtful fellow competitor slipped a piece of paper into my DH coat one day at a show.  It had the name of a vet who would ''nick" the tail muscle for us.  Of course we did no such thing, we just continued showing, and sunning and enjoying ourselves.

 

Then at 18 months Thor had a grand mal seizure and another and another......  Long story short, end of show career, beginning of strict regimen of drugs to control seizures that were caused by a brain stem tumor, inoperable.  Every seizure might cause the tumor to grow.  By the time Thor was three and had finished maturing we had good reliable seizure control, and a much calmer dog due to being medicated. 

 

When Thor was four I injured my back one time to many.  I remained upright working, school boarding, walking the dogs with sciatica running like lightening down my legs with every step.  Then came the muscle cramps from my neck to the soles of both feet.  Finally I had no choice but to stay in bed.  For nine long months and many doctors.  Then 2 years of therapy to get me back on my feet for a semi normal life.  Thor, my failed show dog, my crazy goofy lovin' life Siberian Husky spent every day of my bed time in the room with me, leaving only to go potty.  It was crazy hot in the room because my muscles were so cramped that I was freezing all the time, he must have been so uncomfortable.  Through the two years of therapy Thor matched me step for step - when I walked he walked beside me - squirrels, cats, and other dogs no longer existed in his world - just me.  When I layed down he layed on the floor beside me, when I sat he sat.  When I cried, he howled and put his head on my feet.  He seemed to know I could not bear any but the lightest touch - I felt like the Princess in the Princess and the Pea.

 

When I really got back on my feet Thor had one good year left and then the tumor claimed his brain, leaving him halfway through the dog door, standing facing a corner or just standing with his nose touching my knee waiting for me to bring him back to this world.  We let Thor leave this world on his 8th birthday, he got all the cheese crackers he could eat.  Storm, who was now very old, followed him soon after.

 

And then began our love affair with doodles.  I simply could not have another husky. 

[Jodi and Stella]

That one really hit home. It will be a year tommorrow that we lost our perfect dog, an English Lab named Rocket, to cancer. I cannot write a heart wrentching story about him, I would lose it.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

I have to stop reading these posts on DK, I cry every time!

Beautiful story about Thor.

[Pam & Trixie]

What a Lovely Story.  It made me cry also.  Thor was your Angel too....they leave us to soon. 

How wonderful that he stayed by your side every minute.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Maryann, I loved this story about Thor and it made me cry. These stories are killing me :) What a wonderful dog and so happy he came into your life.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Wonderful tribute to Thor.  So many dogs are so wonderful, no matter the breed.  He sounds like a good caretaker :)