WE REMEMBER FRIENDS AND FAMILY
This video is for all of us who have loved and lost our pet family
GOING HOME
Sometimes life is just not fair. Tahoe, a stunning GSD/WOLF DOG
and much loved member of the 3-dog Durham pack, followed his "sister"
Takoda to the Bridge in just two and a half months time.
(see tribute below)
His grief stricken Mom wrote:
"Tahoe was my shadow dog, and a total sweetheart. I always said I could have trained him to do anything as long as there was a treat involved.
We competed in flyball for about five years, and although he was not even close to being fast ;-), he loved every minute of it.
He was also the first one of my 3-dog pack to always make friends with the foster-dogs that were in and out of our house,
both male and female. He was a blessing and will be very missed."
> > > We are very saddened to hear of yet another victim of hemangiosarcoma,
and send our love and sympathy to these special family members
Bridget wrote: "Sadies filled a huge hole in my heart and meant the world to me. I considered her my little girl. I think my wife said it best:
..You have brought such joy and laughter to our family.Getting to spend your final days at home with you has meant the world...You put up a great fight. Thank you for everything you have given us, especially your unconditional love. So I will not say goodbye. I will say "see you later". Until then you will be in our hearts."
We spent a few hours acclimating the threesome after which Rainee literally experienced a Renaissance in a whole new, active and very loving family. She had never before made weekly jaunts to Starbucks, or experienced daily walks and car rides and playtime too.
Then there were the grand kids for her to shepherd.
She blossomed into the happiest Velcro dog and lived a blessed, nearly two years with her kid and fun filled family.
Rainee left for the Rainbow Bridge in her sleep on December 11th, 2015, two months shy of her 12th birthday. Just a week prior she was vetted and given a clean bill of health..no suffering, no sickness, she simply said, "thank you..I'll be going now"
Pictured below is Rosemarie and Jolie, one of the longest lived GSDs we've known (16 years) TODAY OUR HEARTS ARE BROKEN FOR OUR GOOD FRIEND AND STAFF VOLUNTER, DARLENE. OLIVER WAS DROPPED OFF AT THE NEUROSURGEON FOR HIS CERVICAL SPINE SURGERY TO ADDRESS A HERNIATED DISC.
Optimism and hope prevailed at the thought of Ollie being restored to
full range of motion with his painful neck. Mom Darlene was prepared to do whatever it would take to ensure that happened.
Then the call came; Oliver passed away on the operating table..
.....his heart just stopped and CPR failed.
Ollie wasn't special simply because he was a gorgeous representative of his breed; he had the distinction of being placed in a situation in which
we are rarely comfortable; with another large male GSD and in a 3-dog pack.
To him, they were sister and brother...no problem.
What makes this loss so deep is the extent to which Darlene has had to cope with loss. She lost her husband, Keith around Christmas, 2011. Less than a year later, she bid fairwell to Dawn, the female matriarch of the pack
after more than twelve years of sharing.
Ollie & Monty helped Darlene through those difficult times.
This morning Darlene sent this to Oliver:
"To Oliver: Words can not convey the depth of sorrow or void I'm feeling at your parting my friend and companion. Your devotion, zest for fun, your pride in conquering fears and the unknown were a testament to your indomitable spirit! I love you and will miss you my precious boy, but all that you taught me and your loving nature will live on in my heart. Thank you my friend!"
To Steff: "Thank you for your support and bringing Oliver, a precious gift, into my life."
We mourn with our partners at White German Shepherd Rescue at the passing of Baer. A wonderful representative of the breed, Baer met most of the new whites coming into rescue and did more than his share of evaluations. We will see you again...
No words can express the depth of the relationship I had with Cooper nor the level of grief that has overtaken me. Yet despite the immeasurable pain and the huge void unlikely to ever be filled, I remain so very grateful for having had an experience with an animal that few are fortunate enough to realize.
Oh my Super "CooperMan," how I hope and pray there really is a "Bridge." Love, Mom
I lost my GSD and my partner. For almost 5 years Allie and I have been pet therapy partners. She achieved her AKC Therapy Dog title this year. She has taken my breath away so many times while watching her work. She had an amazing way with people. We worked together, volunteered together and lived our lives together. Sharing her with people who needed her was her amazing legacy. She is Miss March 2012 for the Hospice of the Valley pet therapy calendar. Hemangiosarcoma brought her life and work to an early end. Your work is done My Pretty Girl, now it is time for you to catch Frisbees and chase those elusive rabbits all day long. I miss you everyday - Your mom partner.
Our sympathies go to our dear friends and supporters Dee & Rob Dwight who wrote:
Steff...it is with a heavy heart that we said farewell to Trinity on June 8, 2011. She went to join her big brother, Courage, and little sister, Tina, at the Rainbow Bridge. Those that knew her were aware of her courageous life. She was born with megaesophagus. The average life span of a mega dog is two years. Trinity lived 10 years. Except for the mega, she was one magnificent German Shepherd Dog. She was a happy girl and full of fun. She made us laugh and she taught us more about love than we thought possible.
She had been failing for the past few months. We asked her to hold on until we made it back to Michigan and the beach. She loved road trips and she had such a great time moving from Phoenix back to the beach. When we got here, her tail was wagging so hard, I thought her butt would shake right off!! The attached photos were taken on the trip
After a long battle with many health issues, our sweet Nick went to the Rainbow Bridge early this Palm Sunday morning.
His mouth started bleeding yesterday again and we took him to the vet and it subsided enough they sent him home. During the night he was bleeding and because of his VonWillebrans (his blood doesn't clot) we couldn't control the bleeding and by this morning he was bleeding internally and we had to say good-bye.
Our hearts are heavy with sorrow, but he is now free from his body that was so broken. He put up a good fight until the very end and there will be no other dog like him. He was a wonderful therapy dog, he adored children, he was a big brother to all of the foster dogs who came into our home and he taught us many lessons about life. He had a good run and we think he was about 13 or 14 years old which was a very long life for a Doberman.
One month ago today Hope died, and I am pretty sure they are together at the Rainbow Bridge. Phil and Becky
Raven was always up for a ride in Dad Jack's convertible Mustang GT..almost as much as she loved basking in the sun.
Every morning, like clockwork, she would lay in the grass to watch the sunrise.
In 2008 our friends and puppy fosters Marcy & Jerry elected to do
surgery on their Chocolate Lab Coco who was diagnosed with anal cancer.
The surgery was a success and bought Coco a great quality of life until
January of 2011 when the cancer reoccurred.
She declined rapidly and peacefully left for the bridge on February 5, 2011.
Pictured below are Coco playing tug with their foster kid Jerome
and choosing the holiday toys over tug with Conan & Jerry.
These wonderful giving people have fostered several youngsters for us;
we feel their pain and hold them in our hearts as they heal from this loss.
She was one of many fostered-then-adopted gals belonging to Jessica
and her parents who shared 'custody' as they live within blocks of one another.
Jess & her parents, Tio & RoseMarie, have fostered then adopted several seniors including
Honey, Ossie and Jolie along with many homeless or sick Greyhounds.
Our deepest sympathy to a special family
MWDB163- BENNY- ALOVE IN MEMORIAM: MWD Benny B163 (Ret.) It is with a broken heart I must tell you of the news of our Benny's passing on January 3, 2010, at 3:30 pm. He died as he lived...with dignity and on his own terms. He was not in pain, but he fought valiantly to live. As we gave him every chance to stay with us, his great and precious heart ceased beating and Benny died in my arms.We were together till the end...and he was surrounded by love.
We realized from the start that this Great and Mighty Warrior with the Gentle Soul was a very special loan from God. When we adopted him in January 2008, we thought we could be content to give him even a month of retirement. Little could we know HOW MUCH this AMAZING Benny would change our lives. We will NEVER be the same...and TWO LIFETIMES would not be enough to share with our Special Boy.
Hug those that you love...both human and animal... each day...cherish even the mundane moments for life is fleeting. Let there be no room for regrets.
Rest in Peace, Our Darling Benny...Mighty warrior and Faithful Friend. Your Mission is Accomplished and your job is well done. FOREVER we will love you!
Debbie and Mike Kandoll
Just one week later they lost their 12 year old Doberman, Faye, an ambassador for her breed when she received an award from the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce for her work as a Therapy Dog at Nathan Adelson Hospice.
Our thoughts are with you dear friends
TAHOE
10/13/2004 ~ 12/22/2016
Adorable puppy Tahoe and with Takoda, together in life and beyond
TAHOE & FLY BALL TEAMATE
Making fosters Cedric & Dax feel right at home..just two of many
BIG HUGS TO YOU, DEAR FRIENDS
TAKODA
12/2/2003 ~ 10/5/2016
Takoda was part of the 3 dog pack of the Durham family.
Bridget and her husband James are part of SW GSD Rescue's family;
friends, supporters, volunteers, foster to many and always ready to help
IN HER ELEMENT
"Takoda took a little piece of me with her, but I will always have the 13 years of memories"
BABY TAKODA
WITH MOM IN THE CENTER OF HER PACK-2016 and LAST DAY, LAST HIKE WITH HELP:
"Jim picked her up and put her on a dog bed that he placed on top of a pull cart.
We took her out for her last pack walk with the boys. I couldn't believe how content she
was to sit on that cart and just let us pull her around.
It was a really special moment that we will cherish forever."
SADIES
November 28, 2009 ~ May 16, 2016
Sadies belonged to the Clark family's son and soon became
Mom & Dad's dog. She had several health issues to which her family
was committed to tackling. They wrote:
Got it!
DADDY, MOM, AND PAPPA WITH MISS SADIES
RAINEE
February 2004 ~ December 2015
Rainee's Mom passed away just under two years ago; what to do with her 10 year old senior GSD? In stepped her Mom's friend and our adopters and volunteer, Sharon and Dan Girardin.
Despite having two GSDs of their own, they added Rainee to the pack.
She had been very sedentary for several years due to her Mom's failing health and hospitalizations..she was depressed and not in great physical shape.
Rainee's 1st few days in her new home, standing back, trying to make
sense of this thing called play....and above, after joining the group
Our deepest condolences to Jessica, Dad Teo and the Jaworowski Family
on the passing of Rosemarie Jaworowski.. January 2015
Rosemarie and husband Teo, along with their daughter Jessica,
opened their hearts and home to
several of our sick or senior orphans over the years past.
Rosemarie & Teo with Honey, (left) and Haley & Jolie (right)
OLIVER Z ALPINE DRAGON
"OLLIE"
APRIL 13, 2006 ~ JANUARY 9, 2014
TO SAY THAT THIS DAY AND THOSE TO COME ARE FILLED WITH
SADNESS IS, AT BEST, AN UNDERSTATEMENT
Dawn, Oliver & Monty
Darlene meets her boy for the first time
Ollie & Monty hoarsin around while Dawn supervises 
OLLIE, A STUNNING BLACK SABLE, PAPERED IMPORT WITH A HEART OF GOLD AND THE PERSONALITY OF A TEDDY BEAR.
Our friend, adopter and Jack's Mom, Robin Vandehei
finally lost her long fought battle with breast cancer on November 1, 2013.
We wish to express our deepest sympathies to Robin's friends and family.
Jack, adopted nearly 7 years ago, remains with his best buddy, Robin's son Nick
https://www.facebook.com/rlvandehei
Robin & Jack, 2010, when still able to take one of their frequent hikes
WGSDCII ALTERED CHAMPION
TERROR'S PAWS INN's BAER CUB, TDI, CGC, HIT
5/7/1999 - 10/17/2012
With his kitty, Belle
A regal senior
In his prime
Herding at age 10
BAHNBRECHERS MOXY von RADCLYFFE
March 3, 2001 ~ August 24, 2012
COOPER
"After a long bout with various health issues, our sweet Mikey earned his Angel wings today. He was one month short of his 12th birthday. He now joins his fur siblings at the Rainbow Bridge.....run free Mike, chase the tennis balls....no more pain....we will all miss you."
Our prayers and heartfelt sympathy go out to dear friends Becky and Phil Gang on the loss of the senior member of their pack, Mike.
ALLIE Vom Lundborg Land 8/23/05 ~ 2/16/12
"Pet Therapist and Loyal Companion"
LUCCA 1/25/05 ~ 12/29/11
"He was a sweet and loving boy and even though the catheter at the vet hurt him,
he yelped but didn't bite anyone. I was there to hold him in his final moments.
He will be missed. Sleep well my sweet boy. You will always be in my heart"
We extend our deepest sympathy to our good friend Marilyn on the loss of her boy Lucca
who finally succumbed after a courageous battle with lymphoma.
Lucca was diagnosed this past summer and knowing she could only buy him about
six quality months, Marilyn chose to aggressively treat with chemo which did just that.
Lucca had a very GSD-like temperament; confident, smart, dominant
and loaded with personality. He left us far too early.
Some of his more recent months:
LUCCA'S SILLY SIDE..............................
AND REGAL SIDE
...AND HIS SOFTER SIDE
TRINITY
July 01, 2001 - June 8, 2011
TRINITY & BFF COURAGE who left for the bridge in JULY, 2010
HOW A MEGA DOG HAS TO EAT~NO PROBLEM
IN THE GOOD OLE DAYS
EARLIER THIS MONTH (JUNE) HEADING HOME TO MICHIGAN
AND SHORTLY BEFORE LEAVING FOR THE RAINBOW BRIDGE
April 17, 2011
DALLAS
April 2000 ~ February 7, 2011
DALLAS NEVER MET A STRANGER ~ ALWAYS READY TO SHARE HIS BED
Dallas, Mom Jennifer and yet another friend
DALLAS BELTIING OUT IRISH SONGS ON ST. PADDY'S DAY
RAVEN
June 7, 1999 ~ February 8, 2011
It's been a very tough week for many friends, including Jack & Diane Holliday who bid farewell to their regal lady Raven today.
Raven was a unique GSD in that she was an easy keeper; easy to be around, easy to please, easy to love.
Our deepest sympathy, dear friends, you are in our thoughts and prayers.
COCO
Coco with Mom Marcy, Dad Jerry & foster pup Lily
AERYN~11 YEARS
ADOPTED FROM A SHELTER IN NEW JERSEY IN 2000
MUCH LOVED BY OUR FRIENDS & FOSTERS,
THE JAWOROWSKI FAMILY
AERYN LEFT FOR THE BRIDGE ON DEC 17, 2010
Giovanni v Kleiner Feuerball
December 4, 1998 ~ August 10, 2010
GIANNI AKA G-MAN
Gianni, in nearly four years you taught me more about German Shepherds
and myself than I had learned in the previous thirty...I love and miss you. Steff
1999
2001
2003
2007
MORE RECENTLY WITH HIS FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS
Kathy & Marty Froncek in loving Memory of "Reign"
from MILITARY WORKING/WAR DOG
TO FAMILY COMPANION, TO THERAPY DOG,
TO KITTY SITTER
HE EPITOMIZES OUR BREED
MWD Benny B163 (Ret.)
wears his award for being an "outstanding" Therapy Dog from the American Kennel Club
(click for slide show tribute)
September 11, 1997 - January 3, 2010
MARKIAN & KERRIE PELENYTSCHKA have made a donation in memory
of their beloved GSD GUNTHER..a much loved family member of 14 years.
See you at the bridge sweet boy.
Our deepest sympathies to our good friends and SWGSR's Tucson contingent, Carl and Nicki Lewis, on the loss of their precious Kady.
Kady left for the bridge on October 21st at the age of thirteen. She was not your classic German Shepherd or your typical Labrador Retriever, two of the Lewis' favorite breeds; Kady was, well, a classic character. She was the shortest and the oldest yet without a doubt, the matriarch of her three-dog pack. She was a constant source of joy and entertaining antics. Even with her funny little waddle she kept up with the big boys. Kady was special; she left very deep paw prints on her family and will be missed beyond words.
May was a rough month for our dear friends and Vegas fosters Phil & Becky Gang. They lost their precious Zoe after nine wonderful years and a long battle with Degenerative Myelopathy. As a puppy Zoe had been in training as a guide dog for the blind but washed from the program due to allergies. Becky and Phil never let a physical challenge stand in the way of adoption and took her as their own at eleven weeks of age.
Their friend Karen Buck made a donation to SWGSR in this special girl's memory.
IN MEMORY OF MITZIE
There isn't anything Bob Johnson would not have done in order to spend more time with his "Mitzie"
who finally succumbed to cancer in April 2007.
Bob & Alice Johnson have made a donation to SWGSR in memory of their special girl and that of their dear friends,
Jack & Diane Holliday's "Blackjack" who left for the bridge in May 2007.
Both Mitzie and Blackjack led charmed lives, spoiled rotten by their respective families. They will be missed.
"Mitzie Johnson" & "Blackjack Holliday"
In 1999, Gene & Betsy Hackman were visiting the football stadium in Baltimore; they had their two GSDs with them. When a staff member at the field saw that they were German Shepherd folks, she told them about a stray that had been wandering about the field. "Duke" flew home with the Hackmans and after some "polishing" became Gene's number one buddy. In 2005, now down to just Duke, they added "Maisie" with whom Duke quickly bonded and constantly frolicked.
Duke left for the bridge on July 4, 2007.
In August, 2007, the Hackmans drove to Phoenix to give Roscoe his forever home; he has some big paws to fill.
GENE & HIS BOY
MAISIE & DUKE'S 1ST ENCOUNTER
FAST FRIENDS