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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:09 am Post subject: Lost my best friend, Trink

I am writing this for purely selfish reasons, hoping it will help me get over the loss.
I picked Trinket up from a rescue I found on Petfinder almost 8 years ago. He was a 6 ½ lb black poodle, around 6 years old, they guessed. I wasn’t looking especially for a smaller dog, but he was no kids dog (I don’t have any), and had allergy issues that I figured I could help with (my profession deals with allergies). First thing I did was change his name from Trinket to Trink. After all a guy dog belonging to a middle aged man cant be named Trinket. I was told he was taken from a house with little kids where he was roughly treated, broken toe, signs of broken ribs, not groomed regularly, etc.
It didn’t take long for him to settle in his new house and was with me whenever possible. He was a regular on my boat all summer at Lake of the Ozarks where he was also welcomed at the many outdoor restaurants around the lake. He usually got a treat at the bars before I could even order a drink. I was kind of the crazy middle aged guy who took his dog everywhere. I was even fortunate enough to be able to go home from work almost every day to feed him lunch and let him out. His allergies were a bit of a problem every spring and early summer but he responded to meds well and quit pulling his fur out.
He did me some good too. There is a walking path and lake right out the back of my house. The 3 mile walks took almost 20lbs off my waistline. I had to alleviate my MDs concerns about my lost weigh. Then had to explain the weight I subsequently gained was due to my dogs leg injury, which shortened our walks for about a year.
All my friends fell in love with him too, and several got dogs because of him and his personality. So make a note to all those here who adopt out pets, every one you place can be responsible for many more saved animals.
For the last 3 years I was fortunate enough to be able to work from home most of the time. Trink was always so happy to curl up on my lap and get his morning nap in. Even though he could now do it every day instead of just weekends, he never got bored with it and would do a little dance when I was sitting down. In the summer, I would stay at the lake with the two of us living on my boat. He took his job at the Marina very seriously walking the docks twice a day and chasing the ducks off. Good thing neither realized the ducks were bigger than Trink. After bounding down the docks resulting in a chaos of quacking and wing flapping, he would trot back so proudly with head and tail held high. I even swear he would stick his chest out, saying “look what I did” with just that look in his eyes, even though he never caught one. The Marina appreciated it enough they would stock treats for him every time he came in.
2 weeks ago, he woke me with a bad, almost constant cough, so I took him that morning to the vet. He was diagnosed with a murmur and enlarged heart and put on meds. I noticed over the following days he first quit playing, then quit the stairs, then getting up on the couch by himself, and increasing weakness. I suspected it was not a good sign. In spite of that he never lost his appetite for my baked chicken and never failed to follow me to the kitchen to inspect for himself if it was done yet.
Tuesday evening, he got off the couch and walked in the living room where he was standing in the middle of the room panting. I picked him up and off we went to the ER vet with him curled up in my lap. Even though it is only a 15 minute drive, he didn’t make it. He quietly passed away in my lap where he loved to spend so much of his time.
I sent out an email that evening to his friends, and found that I had to type a note to my neighbors who Trink adopted as his second family. My hands shook too much when I tried to write a card. I still cant bring myself to talk about it, so hoping this eulogy works as therapy. Yesterday, I boxed up his things. It’s surprising how much stuff a 6lb dog has. Also surprising is how much of your house and schedule is arranged around having the little guy. I also took a walk on his regular path where he would obsess about every new smell. All that has helped some, but it just so hard not to be looking for him every time I walk around the house or wake up in the morning.
I’ve arranged to get his ashes and will spread them off the dock where he so bravely defended it against the invading hoard of ducks. I’m not sure if that will help any more than writing this though.
I really miss him. Even though there are so many wonderful memories I wonder when will this feeling in the pit of my stomach go away.

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:30 pm Post subject:

What a lucky little boy to have had you as his caretaker all these years! I am sure you will miss him terribly. Sending prayers to all...Godspeed little Tink.

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 7:19 pm Post subject:

I'm sorry for your loss.
Sounds like he had a wonderful life with you.

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 7:49 pm Post subject:

Thank you for sharing Trink's story. And thank you for taking him in and giving him such a good life.

My thoughts are with you in your loss. I hope you can find some solace in the fact that Trink left this life, safe and secure, curled in the lap of the one he loved most. That is the kind of passing we would all wish for our beloved animal companions.

Rest easy, sweet Trink.

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 3:25 am Post subject:

So sorry your little one is gone. Thanks for sharing your loving story. Furperson has said it so well. Hope your writing this does help you.

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 12:16 pm Post subject:

So sorry to hear. RIP Tink Crying or Very sad

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 6:05 am Post subject:

This is the perfect place to vent. We all understand your pain. People who have never had the love of dog like Trink couldn't begin to understand the grief of losing him. So sorry for your loss.
Wish I could tell you the pain goes away but it doesn't. It fades a little and is replaced with memories of a happier time but you will have a poodle shaped hole in your heart.
The hardest part is coming home to an empty house. While Trink can never be replaced it might ease your pain to share all the love he left you. Consider fostering to help your grief. The distraction of an animal in need helps to keep your mind off the pain of your loss and in the end you will have saved a life.

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 9:11 am Post subject:

Thanks all for the kind comments. It's been a couple weeks and I have more occasions in the last few days where happy memories have left a smile on my face.

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:25 pm Post subject:

I am so very sorry for your loss. Crying or Very sad

What a wonderful tribute that you posted about your lovely boy.
I lost my heart dog in November. He was a 16 year old Rescue Pug named Chunk. I had (and still do have) many of the same feelings that you described. I will never get over losing him, but as time has gone on, I can actually talk about him w/o crying (most of the time).
Thank you for sharing Trink with us.

Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 2:09 pm Post subject:

We know from the moment we bring them into our lives that one day our heart will break. There is nothing like the love of your canine soul mate. My Mud has been gone over 5 years and I miss him everyday but the pain is now mixed with good memories. I will always have dogs in my life but none will be like him.

It was sugested here that you think about fostering, a wonderful idea, just make sure it is a dog you can live with forever as some fosters have a way of doing that. Do not feel like you are replacing Tink that will never happen, you just have alot to give and that is a gift to share.
God Speed Tink

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