Additional Loss

New Years Eve we started noticing that our dog of 14 1/2 years was slipping into a trance and then got to the point she wasn't able to move.  Terry kept watch over her for the next few hours and we decided she'd probably had another of her strokes.  She'd been having these episodes for about 18 months and with his care and attention she would come out of these in 3-4 days. She'd over come breast cancer surgery five years earlier and  she never seemed to be in pain.  Terry read about caring for an aging dog  and by keeping her

comfortable and hand-feeding for awhile,  she always seemed to bounce back. We kind of thought of her as the "EverReady Bunny"

This time was different and we knew we were going to have to make a decision -- it was just so hard. 

We got Macie when Marshall was a senior at Wright Christian.  He had found her as a puppy on the soccer field and brought her home and asked if he could keep her -- all dogs at the Bell house at some point -- become Terry's dogs --so he finally said we could.

She'd been such a peaceable -- gentle dog - who could jump straight up as high as your head when she wanted you to open the sliding glass door and let her in.

Macie became the Alpha dog when Maggie died and slipped into that position with great pride.  
 During the time Mom was with us Macie would see a cat walk across our drive and bark and bark and then run back to Mom's bedroom to make certain she was safe from the cat.  Those nights when Terry got up every two hours to check on Mom -- Macie would follow him into her room to check also.

She was in first place and never seemed to mind that "needy" Hyder would try to crowd her out.  As she got older, Hyder would watch over Macie while we slept and would waken Terry when she felt Macie was in trouble.

She and Hyder developed this love / hate relationship over their food but generally were two companions and good for each other.  always taking their afternoon naps in the living room together --one on each couch -- dozing in the sun. 

They loved to ride in Terry's pick-up with him -- each sticking their heads out opposite sides of the truck.

For several days we have told Macie stories and that seemed to help - but I understand that a brown dog and a gentle Master are still greatly feeling the loss.