# My heart is so heavy



## alleyyooper (Aug 14, 2012)

Bosco

I came home from work on the morning of January 4th 2000 to find my path to the kitchen blocked with a child gate. Once I stepped over the gate I was standing on layer after layer of new papers. Turned on the light switch and saw this ball of fur standing in the middle of the new papers wagging his tail. A cute little springer Pup.
For the rest of his life he knew that on very cold nights when he was shut inside his 10x10 pen he went potty on th4e news papers.
I had taken Kare to a rescue near Detroit to get a Chocolate lab pup they had showed on TV just a couple days before new year’s day. They were closed on that day and we were to late the first day they opened after the holidays. I had to return to work that afternoon so left Kare home telling her if she wanted to check other rescues for a chocolate lab that was fine with me. She went to the Humane society and found the springer. She and the son named him Bosco. I have no Idea where they got that name but when I was a kid there was a clown named Bosco that did commercials for a chocolate drink syrup. 
Over the next 12 years we have had some good times. He traveled well to Minnesota in the middle of winter to meet my new grand daughter born January 11th 2000. He was real smart quickly learning what door on the truck to go to after going on a bath room walk with me in the cold and snow on the way there. He would lay in the rear seat never making a fuss but learned to stand up and stick his head thur the opening between the seat backs and whine letting me know he wanted a potty break.
We made a second trip out there with him in May 2000. He was much bigger then but rode in the truck just as well. He enjoyed a swim in the St. Croix River near Afton one day as we walked the path along it. He wasn’t what I call a water loving dog though. He waded out to his belly in Lake Michigan when we stopped at a park on the way home.
He did have a couple faults I never could break him of. I would take him to the woods with me when I was blocking up fire wood, when he got tired he would come to the house and lay on th4e porch or lay by his pen door in the pole barn if the door was open. The second fault was he wanted to see what was on the other side of every hill f one of his sisters would go with him. No amount of calling would bring him back , resulted in his being in a harness with a 50’ check cord when we went for walks and his never getting to hunt with his sisters.
Sunday the 12th of August wse had went for our daily morning walk then I fed them. He hadn’t been eating well for the last few day. I went in the barn to see if he had ate and saw him standing in the middle of his pen looking at me and blood all over the place. Thinking some critter had gotten in the out side pen and he had killed it I started in the door and then saw blood coming out his right ear. I grabbed a roll of paper towels I keep in the bar and a leash. I got him outside near a pail of water stuffed a wad of paper towels in the ear to stop the bleeding while I used wet towels to clean the blood off him. Seems no vets work week en ds in our area either. I got the blood cleaned up in his pen once the bleeding stopped putting him back in there . I checked on him the rest of the day. At feeding time that evening I found him bleeding again but not as hard. Got it stopped finally and gave him a Benadryl to calm him down and make him sleepy I hoped. I checked him thru the night giving him another Benadryl at 1:00 AM. 
When morning came Kare called the Vet to see if we could get him in. We got a 10:00 AM appointment as there was only one vet there and he was doing surgerys at that time. We got there and was sent to an exam room. Doc knows Bosco since he has been our vet for a long time. He did an exam and gave us the bad news, he found cancer thru out his body a plulip in his ear had ruptured and was the cause of all the bleeding.
Ya we could have ad a couple extra months with him but that would have been selfish on our parts. Saw no reason to prolong our grief at his expense and having pain and drugs to take every day.
I buried him down by the creek Where so many of my kids bodies now rest. He is in good company with Peanuts, Bobby and Bobbies body the cat that slept with him, Chip the chocolate labby, Razz the cat and Jewel who was buried there Just this June.












Bosco and Jewel















Jewels story.
A heavy heart for one of my adoped kids - MyTractorForum.com - The Friendliest Tractor Forum and Best Place for Tractor Information

Al


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## hanniedog (Aug 14, 2012)

Sorry for your loss.


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## Tobystihl (Aug 14, 2012)

Very sorry to hear of your loss! Reading your story, made me think about my best friends (four legged) that have passed. You just have to take comfort in the fact what a wonderful life he had with you both and also that you didn't let him suffer! RIP Bosco.


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## climberjones (Aug 14, 2012)

alleyyooper said:


> Bosco
> 
> I came home from work on the morning of January 4th 2000 to find my path to the kitchen blocked with a child gate. Once I stepped over the gate I was standing on layer after layer of new papers. Turned on the light switch and saw this ball of fur standing in the middle of the new papers wagging his tail. A cute little springer Pup.
> For the rest of his life he knew that on very cold nights when he was shut inside his 10x10 pen he went potty on th4e news papers.
> ...


 Sorry for your loss! By the looks of those pics that dog had a good part of lab in him, you can see it in the one were he is standing at attention!


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## Mike Williams (Aug 14, 2012)

Sorry for your loss. It does sound like he had a great life though. RIP Rosco.


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## russhd1997 (Aug 14, 2012)

Al I'm sorry for your loss. I feel your pain. I lost 2 dogs 2 cancer in the past. A 9 and 1/2 year old German Sheppard 12 years ago and an 11 year English Coon Hound last summer.


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## crowbuster (Aug 14, 2012)

Boy I hate to hear that. Sounds just like what happened to my basset. You made a good choice.


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## Genius. (Aug 14, 2012)

Sorry for your loss.

It's hard having to say bye to a pet


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## Fifelaker (Aug 15, 2012)

It does suck to lose a family member. Sorry you lost Bosco.


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## alleyyooper (Aug 16, 2012)

Thank you all for the nice comments.


Al


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## sun64 (Aug 16, 2012)

i am sorry for your loss also. i had to put my best mate down 18 months ago . He was a Rotti / Bullmastiff . I had him for just on 12 years also.
I know your pain, but I bet with you just telling your story that your dog had a great life and was loved.
Never is easy but we are a lot richer from their loyal companionship.
All the best
Wayne


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## esshup (Aug 24, 2012)

My heart goes out to you. I've had Springers since the late '80's. I'm on my 5th one now....


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## alleyyooper (Aug 26, 2012)

Thank you all for the nice comments. While looking for a picture yesterday I ran across these that brought a smile to my face.

Jewel was 11 when she had a stroke this June and I had to have her put down. She along with the rest are waiting for me to join them.











Chip the chopclate lab was 17 when she passed in 2010. she just loved the water and being under foot when I was trying to work.






For now Daisy the Visula runt we save is getting on great with me as she likes all the attention.






There is the youngsters who take time to play in the side yard nearly every day.






 Al


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## Old Blue (Sep 11, 2012)

You're a lucky man Al. I must say I'm a little jealous.

Old Blue


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## benp (Sep 11, 2012)

I am very truly sorry for the loss of your friend. I understand your grief and pain. 

As odd as this sounds, you showed your pet the greatest act of love there is in my opinion. 

As hard as it was, you put what was best for your pet before you and your family's own feelings....and that is beyond hard. 

Hang in there, I understand. 

ETA - It actually got dusty in here writing that.......


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## mtrees (Sep 11, 2012)

I'm sorry for your loss. It was 1 year ago tomorrow that I lost my horse of 10 years Snake. I was truly not myself for quite some time. He died at my feet from an advanced case of colic. I arrived to late but still in time to say good bye before he left me.


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## ft. churchill (Oct 11, 2012)

I'm so soory to hear about your buddy Bosco. I've had two springers and just a few years back lost my best huntin' dog ever, Hawkeye. He was an English setter. His end was similar to your buddy's, he got cancer all of a sudden and I put him down not long after that. You did the strong thing for your pal, they offered me the same surgery and chemo , but why make you best pal suffer so that we can feel better for a short while. He's buried overlookin' the river, where we used to go quail hunting. Trust me, another wonderful dog will come along, let him fill your heart with joy.


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