In Memory of Misty Girl

My sweet little Misty girl crossed over the rainbow bridge on Sunday night while laying in my arms. She seemed peaceful when she left us and I wish that everyones passing could be as so. I didn't start this blog to post a memorial to all my geriatric pets but it seems what has been going on. I promise happier posts too come! For now though I thought I would recap the time that Misty had with us.

I remember getting the call from Heather, in the great dane rescue, in January 2006 that there was a sweet old dog that needed a good foster home. She told me that she was 9 or so and skinny and in heart failure and the vet said she had 6 months and at the most a year left on this earth. I was hesistant of course of taking on such a task. It can be hard to have your foster adopted much less have your foster die so I knew it would probably be difficult. I talked to Trev about it and we sort of decided that it might be a good thing for us to do especially since we were moving out to the country and would probably not have to drive in town for adoptions and such. So, we decided we would have her. I picked her up from Heather's on my way home from work. Heather had just given her a bath so she was wet but I just loaded her up and off we went. She was scared to death! She came in the house and just stood there looking at me with those big brown eyes of her like, "what now." I finally got her to relax and get her to lay down on Duke's bed. Here is a picture of her that first day. You can tell she has a look of worry.

That picture was at our rent house in Carrollton. I can't say that I remember a whole lot about her then because we were only there a few weeks before we moved but I can tell you that slowly she began to trust me.

Soon we moved out to the country. I remember the first couple of days that we were here putting Duke and Misty into there crates. She hated the crate with a passion and I soon realized that she could be trusted to be left alone in the house. Well.... sortof trusted. I don't know if before she came to me she had to scavenge for her own food but she loved trash and people food to the max and you better not leave any of it out. Once I came home to bisquick all over the place. The dogs were trying to look like neither one of them had done it but there caked on her nose was bisquick. CAUGHT!!! :) I am sure that I will miss picking up trash and having to buy a whole new box of rice and a new loaf of bread because I left them out and she ate them! :) Here is a picture of her soon after we moved out to our new house.

Misty attached herself to me like no other foster or dog (not even Duke). She always stayed close by my side. I left her for the first time with Tracy in May while we went out of town and she said that she cried at the door for about 15 mintues after I left. Then when i left her with Sara in the summer she said that she did the same thing and even slept by the door that she knew I had left out of. In September of 2006 Heather had sent me an email saying someone might be interested in Misty. My heart sank. I knew I couldn't let her go and live with someone else. I knew she couldn't handle it and maybe I couldn't either. I wasn't sure how Trever would feel but knew she had started to widdle her way into his heart as well. It was around the time the country song, "She's my little Whiskey Girl" was popular so Trev could be found singing, "She's my little Misty Girl." Trev was already in bed that night and I went in and told him that we had to adopt her and that she deserved to have a true family. He agreed right away and so then it was just a legality after that. I really don't think she ever thought I was her foster mom though just her mom and the paperwork really didn't matter to her.

One might think that taking in an old dying dog is crazy. Maybe it is, but even though the vet had told me that she a year at the most left, I got some weight on her she would go on 3 mile walks with us and could even out run duke. Here are some pictures of her out walking and enjoying the outdoors.
When she first came to us i don't think she had ever seen a dog toy in her life. She didn't know how to play with them. Soon she figured out that all the other dogs wanted them and just played keep away. Over time she sort of learned to play and would play tug of war with you a little however most of her games invovled keep away from Duke and breaking up any rough housing between other dogs. Her absolute favorite toys were those that squeaked. She loved the good cuz toy. I took this picture of her once because she looked like she was watching over it. Now don't get me wrong Misty didn't spend all her time taking toys and going on walks. Every old lady, and dane for that matter, must get in plenty of rest and relaxation.

Over the last 6 months or so our 2 miles walks turned into 2 tenths of a mile walks but she still enjoyed every second of them even when her legs would drag the ground from being tired. We didn't slow down and caudle her either. Here are some pictures of her with us staying in a cabin Broken Bow, OK in February. It was pretty chilly so she is sporting her trusty hoodie and I cuddled her up by the fire. Please excuse the strange lady in the coveralls.

So, as you can see my Mist lead a great last couple of years of life and lived well beyond what everyone expected. Of course you always wish for more time with your fur children but I would not have wanted Misty to ever have suffered or been in pain. I don't know why her old family dropped her off at the shelter that January day. They must have been horrible people to leave there old dog in a cold and scary place knowing that she would unlikely be adopted, however, these peoples' heartless act left me full of happiness the last couple of years. I am glad that she died here with me than with them or even worse with a needle in her arm at the shelter because she was simply unadoptable. Misty gave the best hugs in the whole world. She would set her head on your shoulder and push down as hard as she could until you would love on her. She will truely be missed by many and especially everyone around this house. She was a special dog and got to have a special last few years of life here. So I know that I will see her on the other side of the rainbow bridge. She won't be hard to miss as she runs us with those floppy ears and big brown eyes. We love you our little Misty girl! I leave you with one final picture of her taken just 2 weeks ago. She was this happy until the very end!