Tuesday, May 2, 2006

Lena died this morning. We had to have her put to sleep... since Friday she had been crying with pain on and off daily, but then would seem fine (well, to me -- I didn't want to do it). Last night suddenly her back legs were paralyzed and she had a long crying session, but finally stopped. This morning she began crying again and Jason told me that I needed to let her go... our vet said that it was definitely time and could have been done sooner -- her blood pressure was so low that he had trouble finding a pulse at all, and he said that she had had a series of strokes.....

We buried her in the backyard, wrapped up in her favorite blue blanket. Hannah put flowers in the grave with her and on top more flowers and a big purple rock.....
                                                      
                               (from an email sent out to family and friends)

LENA MALU 1991-2006

She was with me in college, moved cross-country with me three times, and was always a dear friend.  She loved to play “Puppy in a Blanket” and was a playmate and protector to all cats, even ones who wandered into our yard.  Never did I see her chase a cat. 

Lena was the only one in her puppy kindergarten class to receive a perfect A+ score. We were so proud -- she was like our “first daughter” and we kept her puppy kindergarten report card in our scrapbook.

Not that she was always perfect! She was a fearful dog, and barked like mad when any stranger rang our doorbell.  This drove me crazy for years, but I always knew that she was doing it because she wanted to protect us. From this personality of hers (actually common to her breed), I learned how to act around fearful dogs and how to gain their trust.  This has helped me in my petsitting, as I have several clients with timid dogs (large and small) and, without exception, I have become good friends with each of these animals.

I forgot to mention that she did tricks - she could sit, down, stay, roll over, and would sit with a treat on her nose.

When she was a puppy I started singing a little song to her while I pet her, “Little head head head, head head... little ears.  Little ears.... (etc)”  She loved that through her last day. 

She hated to have baths, but would get in the tub when it was time. 

She followed me around the house like a shadow, from room to room.

She always slept on the floor beside my side of the bed.

I miss her.