Jess, I am so, so sorry for your loss. I did not expect to start my day in tears, but here we are. Having shared part of my life with a ridgie, I know a little about the kind of love they give. Though each is a unique soul, I recognized my Spencer in your descriptions of Zeus. Each and every dog is a fucking miracle of unconditional love and loyalty. We truly don’t deserve them, but I honestly don’t know how we’d survive without them.
Sending so much love and comfort to all of you. There are no words to ease the heartbreak. Even time only does a half-assed job of that. 💜
How did I not know about Spencer?!? I so appreciate you sharing your experience with another Ridgie. I just don't know how they are so human like and yet come with none of the bullshit that most humans bring to the table. We are definitely struggling with survival without our Zeus dog, but every moment he brought to us was so very worth it. Many thanks for helping to honor him.
Oh, the pain of this heartbreak is so familiar. The connection some of us are blessed to feel with our animal partners can be otherworldly. This piece is a beautiful tribute to your canine bestie as well as to the magical connection. Zeus was a handsome good boy. And clearly lucky to have 'chosen' you.
Thank you so much, Wendy, for seeing Zeus and the power of that magic in this piece. I have always thought of it as us "choosing" him, but it brings me comfort to think of it the other way around, that Zeus maybe chose us too. I hope we did that choice justice.
I'm sure it won't surprise you to learn that the last dog we lost was Voodoo. As I read this through tears, I saw so much of Voodoo in Zeus, and not just in his looks. The boundless energy, the protector of our home and property, long naps in the hot sun, and the squirrels...so many squirrels to chase. Voodoo once sat under a tree in the back yard for an hour waiting for that darn squirrel to fall out to the ground. Never did happen, but the the hope was always there.
I know in my heart that both Voodoo and Zeus's sire, RV, were there to greet Zeus. I'd like to think they showed him the way to the big green field so they could all run zoomies, chase squirrels, and then collapse into a nap in the sun. They all take a piece of our heart with them. It means a lot to learn more about what Zeus has meant to you and the family. A breeder always hopes that their puppies go to great homes, but you guys really had a special relationship.
I love knowing that with my description of him, you can see some of Zeus in Voodoo and vice versa. While all of our ridgies are special in their own ways, there was just something about Zeus. He brought a laugh or a smile to everyone he met, and our home has felt heavy every day since he left. We are so grateful to you and Paul for placing Zeus with us. He was the best boy, and will always be deeply embedded in our souls.
What a love story, Jess! Dogs gift us with unconditional love, and Zeus gave it with a heart full of joy. How wonderful you chose each other on that Ohio day! May your touching memories be a balm during this time of mourning. 💝
Jess, I am so, so sorry for your loss. I did not expect to start my day in tears, but here we are. Having shared part of my life with a ridgie, I know a little about the kind of love they give. Though each is a unique soul, I recognized my Spencer in your descriptions of Zeus. Each and every dog is a fucking miracle of unconditional love and loyalty. We truly don’t deserve them, but I honestly don’t know how we’d survive without them.
Sending so much love and comfort to all of you. There are no words to ease the heartbreak. Even time only does a half-assed job of that. 💜
How did I not know about Spencer?!? I so appreciate you sharing your experience with another Ridgie. I just don't know how they are so human like and yet come with none of the bullshit that most humans bring to the table. We are definitely struggling with survival without our Zeus dog, but every moment he brought to us was so very worth it. Many thanks for helping to honor him.
I am so sorry - what a special tribute to Zeus.
It took me a long time to read this because I knew it would be hard for me to get through it, not because I didn’t care.
I am so glad you had Zeus and Zeus had you - both were very lucky.
I totally understand. It took me over a week to write for the same reason. He was just such a special boy…and we are so lucky he was ours.
Oh, the pain of this heartbreak is so familiar. The connection some of us are blessed to feel with our animal partners can be otherworldly. This piece is a beautiful tribute to your canine bestie as well as to the magical connection. Zeus was a handsome good boy. And clearly lucky to have 'chosen' you.
Thank you so much, Wendy, for seeing Zeus and the power of that magic in this piece. I have always thought of it as us "choosing" him, but it brings me comfort to think of it the other way around, that Zeus maybe chose us too. I hope we did that choice justice.
I'm sure it won't surprise you to learn that the last dog we lost was Voodoo. As I read this through tears, I saw so much of Voodoo in Zeus, and not just in his looks. The boundless energy, the protector of our home and property, long naps in the hot sun, and the squirrels...so many squirrels to chase. Voodoo once sat under a tree in the back yard for an hour waiting for that darn squirrel to fall out to the ground. Never did happen, but the the hope was always there.
I know in my heart that both Voodoo and Zeus's sire, RV, were there to greet Zeus. I'd like to think they showed him the way to the big green field so they could all run zoomies, chase squirrels, and then collapse into a nap in the sun. They all take a piece of our heart with them. It means a lot to learn more about what Zeus has meant to you and the family. A breeder always hopes that their puppies go to great homes, but you guys really had a special relationship.
I love knowing that with my description of him, you can see some of Zeus in Voodoo and vice versa. While all of our ridgies are special in their own ways, there was just something about Zeus. He brought a laugh or a smile to everyone he met, and our home has felt heavy every day since he left. We are so grateful to you and Paul for placing Zeus with us. He was the best boy, and will always be deeply embedded in our souls.
What a love story, Jess! Dogs gift us with unconditional love, and Zeus gave it with a heart full of joy. How wonderful you chose each other on that Ohio day! May your touching memories be a balm during this time of mourning. 💝
Such a perfect characterization, Cathy. It was and is a love story. Thank you for giving me that way of thinking about him.