by D Cramer
Shelby chose me as you mom. My young daughter and I went to a friends house and she had about 7 sheltie puppies, all playing together in the backyard. We went outside to sit and talk. The puppies ran up to us immediately and then went off to play, with my daughter following. All but Shelby. She laid right down at my feet, with her head laying on my foot. There she stayed until we got up to leave. Everytime that I looked down at her she was looking up at me with the biggest brown eyes ever; never raising her head from my foot. My friend came by a couple of weeks later and had Shelby with her. She said," Here, this one is for you." I tried to decline( I already had one dog) but she said no- She chose you.
I had my beloved Shelby for just shy of 11 years, 8 months. I have 4 children of my own, but if I was home Shelby chose to be by my side always. If I were gone, she would lay at the garage door and wait on my return. I was once gone for 3 months, getting to come home for the weekend, at the end of each month. Aside from finally eating, and going outside, my family told me that she was always waiting at that door. On my first visit home, when I came in the door, both dogs were very glad to see me. As I sat down on the couch to pet them both, she just started talking to me. I had never seen or heard anything like it. It was not barking but marbly talking. She was scoulding me for leaving her. She didn't leave my side for those 3 days.
Shelby got sick last December. I laid with her on the floor,crying on Christmas morning as I didn't think that she would make it through the day. I don't believe that she was ever in any pain but I could tell that she was very sick. I had had her to the doctor many times. She had been on numerous antibiotics and even a steriod to try to fight the bacterial infection that her blood work showed.
Everyday, I would carry her up and down the stairs so that she could be where ever I was. She was getting to where she was having trouble with the stairs and I didn't want her to fall, as I knew she was going to try them. I had a week off and laid with her, petting/kissing and talking to her. I told her a number of times to just let me know when she was ready, that I wouldn't let her suffer. Then on January 6,2004 about 11:50 pm, she cried out to me just once. I immediately got up and could see that she was having trouble breathing. As soon as she saw me she laid her head back down and relaxed. I called the vet and he met us at his place. I got to be with her the whole time. Crying, kissing her and telling her how much I loved her. I thanked her then, as many times before, for chosing me. I had her cremated so that I could bring her home again. When I received her ashes they were in a beautifully carved box with a crimson velvet bag covering it, saying " Until we meet at the Rainbow Bridge".
I miss her terrible but will see at the r
rainbow bridge.