To my sweet noble Linzi. We had to send her over the Rainbow bridge today. She was only 8. She became ours in South Africa, at 4 months old shortly after arriving in August 2010, and before our household belongings arrived!!!

She will be happier now and certainly more comfortable. Things came on fast and after a week, several vet visits and a horribly long weekend we just couldn’t see prolonging her ordeal. This picture was taken Saturday afternoon. I have never seen these 2 lay like this ever! There several other instances where Goldie laid close to Linzi. 

Her truly happiest days were with Axel. Those two had a bond and an understanding. Absolutely zero alpha issues. She was not quite the same without him.

We always teased that she was all beauty and no brains, but I think she was a follower, for the most part. Happy to do assigned tasks and just be quietly in the room, unless there was a squirrel or a rabbit in the yard. Not only did she know there was varmint in the yard her nose told us that we often had overnight visitors other than rabbit. She could find a bread crumb in the lawn.

She was also a ladies dog. Tolerated men… and my fierce protector when on the lead. We always considered her not dog friendly, but a stay at a kennel, where there was dog social time… showed (the kennel posts videos) us that it was only when we were holding her lead that there was a problem. Her humans not around… no threats.

I think she and Goldie might have forged a relationship similarly… as the one with Axel, eventually. Some of the best times she had with Goldie was before Goldie became toy alpha, and they would run in tandem around the yard each carrying a toy. The only way Linzi played with a toy in the yard. She had hers and carried it while the other dog played fetch. Linzi NEVER played fetch.

After Axel left us, I would take Linzi up to the Creative Space with me after dinner each evening. She would just lay on the floor and nap.  After that it became a ritual, that we have carried on with (especially after Bandit). It became nearly as important to her as mealtime (which was like clockwork with her).

Linzi had never lived alone… she always had dogs around her, since she was raised in a breeders kennel, she also had a kennel mate that she was very fond of. Because Linzi got along so well with Axel and we really missed his big presence… we got Bandit… Not a good IDEA!!! but we were looking at the next decade of years and Bandit was going to be our last puppy… ha! I never appreciated Linzis calmness, until we had Bandit. Goldie… is just a year old this month and active, and still in puppyhood, and is calming down… as she matures. She did ok today, not even sure she has noticed that she is living alone. I did give her the whole box of toys and she entertained herself all afternoon, (she and Linzi would not play with toys well in the same room).

I had to go back through pictures to find Little Linzi pictures and of course, there was Axel…. and all the years we lived in Africa. So I have taken a little walk down memory lane… and there were some tears (ok lots of tears), and some smiles and some joy… but there is a part of our family missing…. so there will be more tears!

If you have a pet give them a nice scratch behind the ears or belly from us!

More Later-Beth