Heart Dog?

[Bully]

Jessie, now at the "Bridge" for 5 years was my "heart dog". Not a day goes by that I don't miss her - she was such a character Pele, has been with me for nearly 5 years now and I love her dearly and we have such a strong bond, but I still consider Jessie my "heart dog". Jessie taught me about obedience training, raw diet and health issues (arthritis and heart) and natural therapies.

[Bubitty]

I am starting to wonder about this heart dog business. A while back, before the Bouncing Bitty came into my life I would swear black and blue that Bubby was the one for me and no one would ever live up to him. I’ve always revered him and felt undeserving of the wondrous Bubby.

One day madcap Bitty enters my life and over the past few months I have felt very fickle and foolish over my relationship with my dogs. I don’t revere Bitty but I just love her! I love her more than I could ever have imagined. Even my friends are a bit shocked by how much I love her as a few were worried that she would never live up to Bubby in my eyes. She’s my fun loving silly little girl who makes me smile! Sunshine and rainbows that one!

So I wonder if this fickleness means that I haven’t really met my heart dog yet!

[Erny]

Has anyone else found they can have instant connections, so to speak, with other people's dogs ...

Yes. Doesn't happen often, but it has happened and sometimes it is as though you understand the dog more than even the owner understands him/her.

[RubyStar]

That's how I feel about Atlas But I think it's because he has always been such an affectionate, snuggly bugger and Luuka is more independent and not as cuddly, she has things to do don't you know!

The one who with all my heart believe is my "heart dog", she is the less affectionate of my two. She is my everything, and my heart aches when I think about her or look at her and I am even getting little tearies in my eyes now as I type this I've always had dogs growing up and got my first very own dog as a teenager (she's now almost 16 and still with us), and even though I love her, she isn't my heart dog. Ruby came along, and life has never been the same :p Then along came Millie, and even though the way she looks at me makes me believe she thinks of me as her "heart person" I feel guilty that I can't return it as thinking of her as my "heart dog". Love her to bits though, she is such a pleasure to train and that brings us much closer. But no other dog will ever compare to my ratbag Ruby!

So I wonder if this fickleness means that I haven’t really met my heart dog yet!

Makes me wonder sometimes if it is possible to have more than one heart dog? I don't think I will have another heart dog in Ruby's lifetime (if I do though, great! There's really nothing like it!) but I do wonder if in many years time, I will find another dog who fills my heart just as much as Ruby does

Edited February 8, 2010 by RubyStar

[dee lee]

About a year ago I had no idea what you lot were all on about!

I had a very tormented relationship with my last dog where even walking her was difficult. She truly broke me :p .

Well, my circumstances have taken a complete turn around and now I have the beatific Honey in my life.

From the day I met her, 2 months ago, my broken heart was healed. For me she is perfect in every way (well, except for the shedding, but thats a small price to pay ) and I have no doubt she is my heart dog.

[tdierikx]

My take on "heart dog" is the dog that grabs yer heart the moment you meet... and breaks your heart when they have to leave forever...

Ahhh hell... now I'm crying... and I'm at work too...

T.

[Cockerlover]

Im finding it hard atm to write the words heart dog.for me there are no words that can discribe the love ,passion,togetherness & pride ,

;its as if, even though mine has gone ,hes still with me in everything I do & gives me the reason to carry on .& share my love with those still here with me

RIP my darling Huckie .

,

[Ceilidh]

I am so sorry I took over this thread. I just saw it and knew I had to say why my Hool was my heart dog. To everyone who has lost their heart dog I know how you feel. To those who still have their heart dogs, enjoy.

GSPX3, that is exactly what I had with Hooley for the day, he woke up at 9am and had had the stroke, he still knew us and wagged his merry little cocker tail at us but couldn't walk. I guess I was lucky enough to be able to spend the day with him on my lap, patting him, kissing him and telling him how much he means to me, how much I love him.

[gspx3]

Exactly, Ceilidh, I didn't get any sleep that night so it was like spending a day with her. She couldn't walk or get herself up so I carried her out to the yard a couple of times and she did what she had to do. That was another indication of the faith she had in me as she hated being carried - was always so independent but accepted that what she couldn't do I would help her with.

Gawd, I still cry when I think of her. I miss her so much.

[SmoothieGirl]

Has anyone else found they can have instant connections, so to speak, with other people's dogs ...

Yes. Doesn't happen often, but it has happened and sometimes it is as though you understand the dog more than even the owner understands him/her.

I've noticed this a few times. Most memorably when I was about 14 I went to a party and the people who owned the place had an OSD. Toby and I became fast friends and while I was there he coped with the house full of people very well, basically being my shadow for the evening. We left about 11pm and on the Monday the friends told my Dad that after we left Toby basically lost it, freaked out with all the people being in 'his' house and bit someone. He was so happy, quiet and well behaved when I was there, poor boy.

Edited February 8, 2010 by SmoothieGirl

[Guest *Pixie*]

It's that connection you have with a dog where they feel almost like an extension of yourself rather than a totally separate entity.

River is like that and has been since the moment I clapped eyes on him. He was six weeks old and his breeder had to literally pry him back out of my arms after handing him to me

When he turned out unsuitable for showing his breeder offered to take him back and replace him. I sobbed my heart out for two days (including at work - try explaining that one to the boss!) before finally admitting that illogical as it may be I would rather give up showing altogether than ever, ever part with River.

It's as if he reads my mind. He knows what I want him to do before I've even vocalised it. When I stopped crating him at night, he moved his mat from one side of the room, to the other, and placed it next to my bed so that when my hand fell off the side it was resting on his back. He'd follow me to the ends of the Earth without being asked and I wouldn't ever dream of going without him - on a day-to-day basis though he just follows me to the bathroom. He's beautifully well-behaved and he's as gentle and kind with other dogs as he is with people. If I'm upset he crawls into my lap and places his head under my chin and will sit there for literally hours. I'm incapable of looking at him without smiling.

That's a heart dog. It's literal. Like the "daemons" in The Golden Compass - your soul is external to your body, in animal form.

[VJB]

Exactly, Ceilidh, I didn't get any sleep that night so it was like spending a day with her. She couldn't walk or get herself up so I carried her out to the yard a couple of times and she did what she had to do. That was another indication of the faith she had in me as she hated being carried - was always so independent but accepted that what she couldn't do I would help her with.

Gawd, I still cry when I think of her. I miss her so much.

It's that trust thing. I said to my husband on Saturday after taking Heidi on an outing "I wonder how great it is for her to know we 'understand' her so well". It's amazing from my end... just how well I know her. Being able to share our life and get so much joy from our dog is pure pleasure.

I loved my Jessie girl so so much. Words could not describe. Its been 18 months without her now, but Heidi is just "different". I feel guilty though, guilty as if I love Heidi more (but I don't), I'm just having a different experience, one that I have learned so much with Heidi. She so belongs in our family, and I will be lost without her. Wish she could live forever and hope she has many many years left.

[HugUrPup]

I am so glad I asked the question now because reading your posts and descriptions on how you feel about your heart dogs is simply beautiful.

[casowner]

My heart dog is my GSD boy and his ashes will be buried with me, he is irreplaceable. My heart will forever have a hole where he belongs, there is not a day that goes by that I don't think of him, his loyalty and companionship. To me a heart dog is that one animal who is the first name you think of when you say the term heart dog.

RIP my sweet, loving boy

Edited February 8, 2010 by casowner

[Cosmolo]

I am absolutely terrified of the day that i lose my heart dog- i truly don't know how i will cope and it makes me cry to think about it. Unfortunately i also know Dexter won't have as long a life as what i would hope due to his multiple joint issues. The connection is unexplainable- i feel like he can look right through me.

Do you think you can have multiple heart dogs? Can the connection be different for each heart dog?

[Crazy Daisy]

Do you think you can have multiple heart dogs? Can the connection be different for each heart dog?

I really hope so. I have been petrified of even contemplating another retriever as I thought that no dog of the same breed could ever compare and it wouldn't be fair on a new dog, but... I really hope I have the courage one day to try.

I think that your connection with your heart dog has to go both ways. You just GET eachother. I think it also depends what is happening in your life. Ronin helped me through some really tough times but was also there to witness some of the greatest moments. Most of my memories about getting married, having kids, buying my first house, having my second child all include Ronin. I remember him being beside me for every great moment and some of the shockers.

Maybe I'm just not ready yet for that perfect heart dog to come along again. But I really hope I get the chance one day to experience it again.

[TerraNik]

Jedi is my heart dog... He knows me... As if he's reading my mind. We just have this connection that I have never felt with another animal before...

I start bawling as soon as I think about not having him in my life... Like now... Anyone got a tissue?

[Guest belgian.blue]

My English Pointer is my heart dog, she passed away five years ago from liver cancer at the sweet age of 6 and a half.

My schooling life was hell but to have Penny to come home to everyday was just wonderful. I'd come home, get her and then we'd go for a walk .. I'd cry and she'd listen and let me use her coat to wipe my eyes on. I still miss her everyday and don't think I'd ever be able to stop missing her.

I was really scared about getting Ivy as I thought oh no what if I compare her to Penny!? And she isn't even close?

Nothing at all like that, the moment Ivy arrived and I snuggled my black wolf, that piece of my heart that blew away when Penny passed on came back after four long sad years.

Penny left my heart out of the blue and Ivy arrived out of the blue ..

I vow to never be dogless again, life isn't worth living without a dog

[indigirl]

My heart dog was given her wings 8 yrs ago this coming 7th May. Truck was 13 when she died, a little kelpie cross I saved from being drowned at 3 weeks of age. The bond I had with her is difficult to convey with words. It was like she and I were totally in sync with each other. She knew my moods, she knew every tone of voice I used, she knew what I wanted from her, she was focused on every sound I made. People commented her whole life how 'well trained' she was, but that wasnt it. It was jsut that she was so enmeshed with me she knew what i wanted her to do. Sure she could do lots of tricks, but she was so hooked into me it was more that i showed her what to do, than I trained her if that makes sense. For example I put her on a top bunk bed and stood back and held out my arms and said 'jump Truck', and she looked at me, hesitated and i said 'cmere girl jump' and she did it. I caught her of course, and from that moment on she understood what I meant when I said 'jump'. So when i said jump and pointed to something (like a table) she knew without me teaching her anything more that I wanted her to jump on to the table. It was that easy. I showed her how to climb ladders, slide down slippery dips at the park, ride behind me on my motorbike, she could do a ton of things. I taught her left from right, so I could get her to always jump on the bike from the non-traffic side. For 13yrs she was my best friend and the love of my life. She was my heart and soul.

I will always have dogs, I currently have 6 and love them all dearly. But while I love them they dont have that unbelievable bond with me. Truck lived and breathed to be by my side. I was her everything. I believe I will miss her for the rest of my life. I will never have another dog like her, she was a once in a lifetime thing.

[indigirl]

I am absolutely terrified of the day that i lose my heart dog- i truly don't know how i will cope and it makes me cry to think about it. Unfortunately i also know Dexter won't have as long a life as what i would hope due to his multiple joint issues. The connection is unexplainable- i feel like he can look right through me.

Do you think you can have multiple heart dogs? Can the connection be different for each heart dog?

Cosmolo I dont know for sure if you can have more than one, but my puppy Ripley (in my sig) appeared to be developing a similar bond with me. He was only 12 weeks old when I lost him, but he used to just gaze into my eyes, just watching me, listening for any sound I made. I remember Truck doing that when she was a baby puppy, so who knows what might have been.