I thought I would be able to collect myself by now, and be able to reply to your posts in a rational way. Re-reading Dr. Gruckow's kind words, and all of your posts cause me to fall apart all over again. I cannot thank you enough for your outpouring of support, and generosity.

It feels like my pain is growing even worse. Over the past few days, I've had two emotionas: excitement over the prospect of meeting a new pup, and uncontrollable anguish that my Shiloh is gone.

He was attentive to every move I made, every expression, and every word I said. I read a couple months ago that those are traits sought after in service dog. Shiloh was my service dog, and the closest companion I have ever had.

I have loved every dog I've ever had, but Shiloh was different.

I have had several dogs in my lifetime because of being involved in the show, obedience, tracking, and rescue worlds. Each dog had something about them that was special and endeared them to me. There were however, a few that had that special something. Those few have passed away, two of them, decades ago, one, a few years ago. Thoughts of them can still bring tears, but now, with the passage of time, they bring a smile much more often than an ache of the heart.
Your heart will open again because you need it to, and because there is a dog waiting that needs that to happen. The trouble is, these special creatures we love so dearly, just don't live as long as we think we need them to.
We are so lucky to have had these special ones, but it works both ways, they were lucky to have had us too.

My Patrón is one of those "special" ones. He just has a connection with me that I cannot explain. I love all of my animals, past and present, but there is not one that has touched me like Patrón. He is my Springer Spaniel/Coonhound/Pitbull mix.

My GSD is so smart and so protective and so thankful to have a family. He was a stray for the first couple years of his life and I am his first and only family outside of a foster family for a few days. He is so loyal and loving and attentive and as much as I love him, it's just different than with Patrón.

My Babies: Hanging out in the office helping me do my homework last Sunday.

it just takes Time, Lisa... and I'll share the best advice that was ever given to me when I was trying to get another Tonkinese after my Koko died. I was trying to get the same color, same gender, same everything and the breeder said: "don't do this to the new pet, you can't replace Koko with an exact replica. Get a different color and get a male." He was so right. Take your time and try to enjoy the meetings. Listen to your heart and to your gut. Hail Shiloh. He would want nothing less.

I am in awe of how thoughtful and generous so many of you are. What a blessing to Lisa

I agree that sometimes that special one comes into your life....that's how my Taffy was. If she hadn't been so fluffy and had to out to go potty, I would have sworn she was human.... It might be silly, but I still say things once in a while to her, or wonder if she would like something new we bought.

I can't wait for the day that Lisa is telling us all about her new little love....I know it will come because there is a special doggy waiting for a special person...and that's Lisa

This level of generosity, and thoughtfulness just blows me away! You truly are a blessing.


This is Shiloh wearing his Holter monitor. I did not believe he would tolerate it for one hour, let alone 24.
He was such a good boy! Had it been Icy who had to wear it, it would have been shredded,
and partly consumed before we even got home.

what a beautiful boy, Lisa and you can see the gentleness in those eye and that face... sweet sweet sweet

What a noble countenance, sort of hard to imagine he started out as a little ball of fuzz!

He really knew what he was supposed to do when I got the camera out. He was a real ham!


BTW, Happy Birthday, BuyersAgent!!
The Living Room is bugged, so we'll begin your official wishes tomorrow.

Aw, thank you, dear, for being our lives' most lovely alarm clock. It must seem to you -- as it surely does for most of us -- that the posts arrive awfully close together lately. I figure this is why some "old folks" leave Santa on the roof year 'round: just about the time you get him off of there, it's time to put him back up again. And it does seem as though there's a lot of us born near the solstice, huh?!
In any event, lately I too have had to battle the most dreadful losses, connected as you've found to earlier ones never quite resolved in my heart (not to say they ever could be) so I'm especially grateful for your thoughtfulness to me and everyone else this year -- and especially sympathetic for your grief. Hang in there, soon it will be 2013 and there will be even more life to share, both downs and ups.

I've always been a sucker for the GSD and Shiloh is so handsome. Love the ears.

And the eyebrows!