Scarlett.... my friend... "better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all"!

Her name will be Scarlett, because she was the most beautiful snow white German Shepherd Dog I'd ever seen. (except of course her cohort, Chrissy)
We found her in Burleson, and brought her home at Thanksgiving almost 12 years ago.
Injury couldn't keep her from being one of the "smartest search and rescue dogs"
our trainer had ever trained.
We had decided to have both our dogs trained simply to be sure they would respond quickly as we had our first grandchild coming. Scarlett was 2 and the trainer was so impressed she wanted her to train for SAR.
It was always amazing to me...
I would try to pull her to another location as we practiced, but then lo and behold...
there behind a wall, or a tree, or a torn down building would be her "find".
When it was a child, it was immediate.
She never missed.
We had the full gear for helicopter lifts... but thankfully we never had to use it!
She was on call for 9/11... and even though Troy said I could not go, we'd already decided that should she be needed, we would let her go and another could team with her.
I was thankful that again, she wasn't called.
Yesterday, 2/25/10, the morning broke with fire in the sky.
I think I knew it would be a significant day... and God was telling me that HE was God,
and the world was in order just as HE planned.
The cancer had finally begun to take it's toll on my girl.
She'd beat the odds for 3 years this month.
The doctors had said, "6 months to a year"... but Scarlett was not bound by
the rules of the world. God had given her to me for purposes that the cancer could
not take. He left her here for 3 years more.
Scarlett held my secrets...
she would hear my shouts and she would hear my prayers...
all were safe with her heart.
She was such a safe place for me.
I was never afraid, even when Troy was on the road... I was safe!
Nothing got past those big ole ears... (Troy often called her Bugs... as in Bugs Bunny:)
or... erasure nose... teasing about that soft pink nose that would nudge us awake each morning.
She joked that Scarlett left herself everywhere she went.
Our vacuum bag would be full even if we vacuumed each day. That's the nature of the beautiful white coat that my girl wore.
She felt my heart.... and knew my thoughts,
she licked my tears, and danced when I danced!
Scarlett was the most altruistic selfless friend I could ever have had, and
I will miss her terribly.
I thank the LORD for this precious one HE allowed in my life for the past 11 years.
Her place will ever be hers alone.... and even if my tears continue to fall on occasion...
I will know...
Someday... I'll see this lady again, and she will run to me with that loping gate
to welcome me into eternity with the rest of the crew
that is being kept tenderly cared for in my Heavenly home.
I wonder.... could a white dog run alongside a white horse????
She was my friend!

Guineas, Yorkies and my big white lady

Latte and Ebear feel a bit disconsolate since the guineas have appropriated their outside pen!
After the attack on the flock of 12 leaving me with these two, Vinnie and Pearl, I have had them enclosed since April! Soon they will have a brand new home beside the barn... also enclosed until I can get them acclimated to their new home.
Scarlett's osteo sarcoma is making her a little uncomfortable since she cannot bend that left leg at the site of the tumor. But other than that, she seems to be just fine at her ripe old age of 12,
2 1/2 years since her diagnosis (that's 2 years longer than they told me she'd be with me!!!)
Thank You Lord for leaving her... I love her!
Scarlett still is the most majestic beautiful dog I think I've ever seen!
.... and not to be outdone... my little lady is quite lovely too!
Latte is dressed in orange for the season!
.... Then there is my little leaping hooligan Ebear!
Ever the clown, and always everybody's friend!
Such a winsome and silly little guy....

Osteosarcoma and our White German Shepherd, Scarlett

Recently I posted one of these pictures to my facebook, and found many of you thought my white lady is as pretty as I do.

Scarlett was diagnosed with bone cancer, osteosarcoma, 18 months ago. I was told all my options and that she would probably be with us maybe 6 more months. We could amputate her leg, we could do chemo, we could... you know the story.

We decided that we would not put her though any of this and that whatever the LORD wanted for our friend, would be fine with us... so long as she was as comfortable as possible.
I asked the LORD to help me find the right foods and nutritional supplements so that she could be healthy and as strong as possible since the x-rays had shown the OS in her front left joint.
(this is a hilarious pic... Troy always called her "eraser nose")


As you can see from the pictures here... taken this week... 18 months from her diagnosis.. Scarlett is doing GREAT! She is 10 years old and oh so very special to us.
She is a certified search and rescue dog. (her favorites to find are children... maybe I'll post one of my favorite stories about that someday)
She has a horrible tendency to leave herself all over my house
(white shepherds are notorious for shedding year round).
And yes... she still plays like a much younger dog.
In the picture below, you can see the lump on her left leg.
It has remained ONLY there as far as we can tell.

You might ask what we are doing??
1)we thank God for allowing her to be with us any time
2) every morning we use 2 supplements in her food
*4life... Canine Complete... Transfer Factor
*2 capsules of 4Life Choice 50 (opened and poured over her food)
3) we feed Innova dog food for older dogs
**I found 4Life as I was searching for osteosarcoma treatments, the website is
http://www.4-life.com/
they also have human vitamins and supplements though I've never used them.


Scarlett is very special to us, and to look in her eyes is to look into complete love.
Dogs are unconditional in their devotion to us, and this one has held my heart since
we first picked her out as my youngest daughter began college at TAMU.
We know she won't be with us forever,
but right now, we are thankful for any time we have with any of our
sweet 4 legged friends.

Let's go to puppy school!

Guess what???? 13 weeks old is old enough to go to puppy school!!! STARTING TODAY!!!! You've GOT to be kidding... that little 2 pound wonder boy is gonna learn to be obedient? You DO know who his mother is don't you???? She picks on me so much you have to separate us... yes, I said... SHE PICKS ON ME!!! I outweigh her by 80 pounds, but you know those terriers... and now HE IS GOING TO PUPPY SCHOOL?????
Yes, my Scarlett.... he wants to be a good boy. Maybe he will learn to be more friendly than his mom... Maybe Cody, Miss Johnnie, or even Hannah can come over without having to find him alternate surroundings. (Latte is notorious for her ankle biting sneak attacks on unsuspecting visitors... sorry!!! We do plan to work on this bad habit as well as Ebear's schooling!)
KG learned about sneak attacks in the morning as well as the wonderful shower companion of a walk in shower... Ebear does just that.... WALKS IN!!! can you hear the giggles in this picture!!!!??
and the next order of the day is to do something with this hair..... OH MICHELLE.... we need your grooming magic!!!
Yeah for obedience... we are working on "watch", "leave it", "let's go", and "nine", the more gentle version of "NO!!!!!!" so says his teacher!