A girl and her dog

Dani

Well-known member
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I very seldom have placed any pictures of my boy Kenzie here on the board but it is actually because of this board that Kenzie came into my life. Thirteen years ago someone joined and posted just one time saying that there was a Nova Scotia Tolling Retriever in the pound down south of me. I had been thinking about a Toller as an option for a duck dog because I am a sucker for red dogs and then that post pops up and it was like HEEEEEEEEECK YEAH I am interested. I got all the info I needed and I headed down to the pound to meet him. He was picked up on the road by animal control and he was somewhere in the 18 month age range. As I said, I'm a sucker for red dogs and before I knew it he was mine and I was his.

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He entered my life just as I was graduating college and he was my first dog of my own. I still worked as a lifeguard and since he was crate trained, I could take him to work with me and then when I got off work we could go to the beach and work on training stuff and just have a good time on the beach. I learned a lot during that summer. He taught me a lot. And I taught him a lot. He went from a sweet dog with no manners to speak of to a dog that I was quite proud of. He came to me terrified of car rides but very early on I spent a weekend teaching him that trucks were okay to be in and they were not scary places. They were fun. From that weekend forward, he became a joy to be in the truck with. All summer we worked on basic manners first on the leash and then off as well as duck dog stuff, including manners in a canoe, taking hand signals and marking. We were inseparable.

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And lordy did he love a dummy.

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Unfortunately, throughout the summer I came to find out that he was gun shy, noise shy, long item shy. Who knows what happened before I got him but whatever it was, I learned he would never make me a duck dog. I didn't know enough when I first went to look at him to even think about checking to see if he was noise shy. I was disappointed but there were so many other things that we could do together. And we did for the next thirteen years we had together.

He became my beach buddy. There wasn?t a shorebird that he could see that he didn't try to catch. He especially loved the little ones.

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He became my scouting buddy.


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When I got into turkey hunting, he would go turkey scouting with me too. We had many enjoyable walks through the woods looking for turkeys. He was my lucky charm. The days I took him, we always found lots more turkeys than when I went solo. And since my turkey woods were about 3 hours from my house, he made a great little heater at night when we stayed the night and slept in the truck so that we could scout for two days. He was an awful deer chaser and good lord did he have a grudge against armadillos. There wasn't an armadillo that he would give a pass to if he saw them. They always stayed just out of reach though. It drove him nuts and gave me many smiles to watch him try.


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My boy sure loved the water and he loved to play. And oh boy did he suffer through some truly awful hair cuts. I will never make a good living as a barber. Luckily, I had someone who would help me from time to time when she took pity on Kenzie and my awful trim jobs.

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He was quite a sociable fellow and enjoyed his four legged family as much as he enjoyed his two legged family. And I do believe that the addition of B to his life helped keep him young. He always was bummed when B went home or we had to leave B's house to go home.

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When I moved to Tallahassee I learned to resign myself to the fact I couldn't have flowers in the front yard with him. We shared a major love of flowers. He tended to show that love though by rolling in them and smooshing them. Something about the front yard flowers was like catnip for him. It drove me crazy at the time but now I miss it more than I ever thought I would.

The curse of being owned by a good dog is watching them age and sometimes that process isn't kind. Kenzie dealt with hip arthritis though was surprisingly mobile and then the last few months watching him with dementia was heartbreaking. To the end though he loved the beach, a good butt rub, his dummy and my flowers. And of course his pack.


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Friday it was time to let him go. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do but perhaps one of the kindest things too. I like to think that he is waiting for me to join him so that we can go on more grand adventures. He brought me many smiles, tons of joy and much comfort throughout his life.

I miss you more than I can say and love you more than I ever thought possible Kenz. See you later....

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Glad you have great memories of your buddy but also sad for your loss.
Hug the rest of the pack I bet they miss him too
 
Dani, so sorry for your loss. It is was of the hardest things to do,but sure you made the right decision. The memories will always etched in you mind.
 
I am so sorry. They give us everything, and then, we have to give them the only thing that we can.... The greatest act of love... Taking these pain from them, and carrying it in your heart. They never leave us .
 
Oh so easily our dogs steal our hearts and then break them when they pass. So sorry for your loss but remember there is another out there just waiting for the love you,ll provide.
 
So, so sorry to read this Dani. I AM chocked up as I write this. It's always difficult to say goodbye to such a loved companion.

I see you have lots of pictures to remember him by. Whenever you want to be humbled, or have one of those sad smiles, you can bring those out and peruse.



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Dani -


My deepest sympathy.

Reading your wonderful story I got a lump in my throat...

Kenzie and you shall meet again.


Best regards
Vince
 
Very nice Dani, however sorry about Kenzie. It sounds as though he would be writing the same about you and what you added to his life. Those final days are always the hardest, you have my best.

Troy
 
Dani,
In addition to being a devoted and competent owner of your dogs, you are a very excellent writer of your story. On many levels this was a blessing to read this morning.

One level: the story of your Toller's "redemption" so to speak by a wonderful lady in Florida. (What the heck was a Toller doing in FLORIDA?)

Another level: the pictures of you two together. Terrific story in itself.

Another level: you well written description.

Another level: your chronicle of pain.

The only way to avoid such pain, be it with a dog or another person, is not to love at all.

That price is too much to pay.

Thank you,
Larry
 
Dani,

It is never easy to let go, but you will always remember the great times you both have had together.

Kenzie will be waiting at the Rainbow Bridge when it is your time to cross over. I know he is now joining my three girls that have gone over, free of pain, running and playing and waiting for us.

Dennis S.
Rio Rancho, NM
 
I love the expressions on his face Dani.It was nice you found each other and could spend thirteen Great years together.
Sorry for your loss.

Tom
 
Hey Larry...the funny/ironic thing was when we were at the vets office and we were talking with him he told me that he just got a new patient. He said the lady brought in her new dog that she had gotten from the pound and had the same exact thought as you....NO WAY there is a toller in FL. The lady did a dna test and sure enough he comes back as toller all the way.

My vet was telling me that and for some odd reason it did make me feel better but my vet was just flabbergasted...no way does he have TWO pound puppy tollers but he did.

Jon I love that cartoon
 
Dani, my deepest condolences on your loss, i have been there far too many times, my eyes well when i reflect.

I have used this before but will repeat it hoping that you will find comfort in it.

This was a card of condolence sent by my vets office after my beautiful IKO passed, a victim of lukemia.

Grieve not,
nor speak of me with tears,
but laugh and talk of me as if i were beside you
I loved you so-
'twas heaven here with you.

I.P.Richardson.

Bill.
 
Dani

What a wonderful tribute Kenzie. He was blessed you came into his life and cared for him. My sincerest condolences on your loss.

Eric
 
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