Shelby
Note from Fredericka: Shelby was a daughter of Jake and Sandy; Shelby looks just like her mother did at this age. Sandy lived to 16 years old and is buried in our yard under the Willow tree. She has a headstone that reads Sandy “Dear Doggie”. Shelby is the image of her mother. I know just how Carrie feels, “been there, done that” more than once at my age. The precious doggies, how we miss them. It never gets any easier saying goodbye.
Fredericka
From: Carrie K.
Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2009
Subject: One last good day. Precious Shelby has crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
Dear Fredericka,
I am sending you the last picture I got of our beloved Shelby. At a ripe old age of 11 years almost 12 she was put to sleep on Feb. 13th of 2009. The good girl that she was never complained about pain or let us know how bad she really was. In the end bone cancer made her lose control of her hind quarters and lost urinary control as well. As grand a lady, and profound ambassador for that this gentle giant was, it was not dignified to allow her to suffer any longer. The mind may have been willing, but the body was not.
The picture I am sending of her is the day before she passed away. It just happened to be a good week for her being not too hot and not too cold. You could always find her lounging in her favorite place in the sun in the front window. Right were all the action was. Where she could watch her kids and alert us of the mailman who had to be barked at on a daily basis.
But even if that was sad in the end it’s all alright. When we came home from the vet. I was just depressed and inconsolable. I decided to light a brand new candle for my Shelby. It happened to be her favorite sent, anything vegetative. When we first brought Shelby home from your farm we stopped to let her have a potty break. So what do good puppy owners do? You put your puppy in the grass to let them do their business. Well little Shelby felt the grass under her paws and she rammed her little puppy nose into the grass and inhaled. Everytime in the spring that was what she did. Shoved her nose into the grass and inhaled.
So I lit that candle from Yankee Candle and I lit another white candle on the other side of the house. It was later in the afternoon and I did not want to leave the vet sent on my clothes for an overly long time while being upset. I didn’t want to make and vet association with anything negative for my other dog. After about 20 minutes I decided to go upstairs and take a shower. The kids decided to go out before I went up and I was alone in the house with the Hubbie and Gretchen . After the shower and a good cry I felt a bit better and decided to go back downstairs. The kids were still not home yet and both the hubbie and dog dog stayed upstairs while I showered.
Now this has NEVER happened before even with the windows opened in gale force winds. There was no heat on and the windows and all doors were closed. There is no true reason for this to happen, but both candles were out. There was no little puffs of smoke. No little tell tale scents of blown out candles. They just simply went out. Never ever ever has that happened before. I own more candles than that store has flavors and they have not once done that.
That was a great feeling. It let’s me know that our girl is still there watching over us. Hey no one was in the room. The candles have to be out 😉
I wanted to thank you for allowing us to take home that special puppy so many years ago. Once the healing is well under way I would like to get another one from you again.
Sincerely,
Bernie, Carrie, Morgan and Mitch
Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2001
Subject: Sorry it took so long!
Hello Fredericka!
Sorry that it took so long for me to write to you. School has been a bear this summer and I know that Bernie told you that I would write sooner.
I do apologize. I just got back from a walk in the rain and Shelby is passed out at my feet right now. The weather has finally cooled off enough for her.
How are things there?
Bernie and I have been talking and we were thinking about coming up for a visit and bring Shelby with us. This way you can see how closely she resembles Sandy or Jake. I think that she really takes after her mom. I hope all the reference calls we get about your dogs (both the Mastiffs and the Americans) help in finding your puppies a home. (Personally, I think that the husband is looking to get another puppy soon.) I think that we will have to talk about that a little more. I will be taking a lot of classes in the next three years and I will not be home during the days and a lot of nights. We will have to wait till I get out of school, now if I can just get him to wait.
Well, I do have to go and look over more stuff for school. Would it be o.k. if we came out to your ranch sometime? I would like to see Sandy and Jake again and see how well Mitch does around the puppies. I would also like for you to see Shelby again. I will never forget the day that we got her and you told that little puppy to take care of that little girl. I thought “yeah, right what’s that little furball gonna do.” That little furball has saved us from several potential bad situations and attacked another dog when that dog attacked Morgan and bit her in the face. I would never have anything but at least one of your dogs in our house.
Please always feel free to use us for references.
Sincerely.
Carrie
Date: Monday, November 08, 1999
Subject: Finally a picture for you.
Dear Fredericka,
Here is a picture of our Shelby. Here she is 2 years old . She is with her Mitchell at one year. She has been nothing but a pure delight to the family and when Mitchell was born last year, she just accepted him as her own. We have on occassion had to call her “Nanna” she acts like the dog in Peter Pan. If any of the kids are sick, she feels that it’s her place to make them feel better.
She loves the kids.
Carrie