[Dailydrool] Queen Cleo ATB 12/12/2008 A lot late, but she deserved to be written about

Mon Nov 23 17:56:16 PST 2009

4 days short of 4 months of my Kai's  anniversiary of going to the bridge, Cleo decided it was time for her to make her journey.  Cleo was 15 yrs old, she came into rescue in 2006 with her pal Oliver, (I adopted Cleo in 2007)  their mom was very sick and needed to go into a nursing home.  Cleo spent a couple of months at the kennel with the rest of the rescued hounds.  Cleo was a very determined old lady, nothing got her down or stopped her, she plowed through anything or anyone in her path,  telling them off as she passed , humans she was never fond of and would disappear somewhere in the kennel area and someone would have to go searching for her when it was time for everyone to come in, her favorite hiding place was under the untrimmed pepper tree.  This was Cleo's daily routine, rain or shine,  I believe she enjoyed, messing with the humans and making them work to find her.  One day it was decided to bring her into the house.  She
 ran straight outside, well for me that was not how it should be she should be in the house, as there was a very nice bed in the family room for her and she was going to sleep on it,  With alot of patience and love we finally accomplished this after about 2 months.  I knew we were heading in this direction when one day I came into the family room and she was behind the couch so no one could see her, well when she saw me she ran right pass me and out the door to the back yard.  So I thought what if I move the couch out so it is at an angle away from the wall, put a bed behind it and she would have a nice large place to hide. It worked,  again the next day while we were all at the kennel she made her way to Cleo's spot and then out the door when she saw me come in. As the days went by she would stay and not run, when I came in the family room.  Then there were the guest that came and could not understand why I did not want the xpen across the door
 of the family room, I tried to explain Cleo's story and was told I put the xpen up because I didnt want the dogs to get whatever they had put in the room, well I said then put it the landing to the upstairs, where you can close the door and no dog will get it.  You know that didn't go over well,  I realized then how protective of Cleo I was and how she little by little began to trust me and only me in the house of humans. Cleo would look for me and start this dance when she saw me, it was the look in her eyes of total devotion and I promised her that day that I would let no human mess with her even when she was a total little brat *S*  Cleo was 15 when I had to make the decision to send her to the bridge, Cleo was a fighter, she never gave up, even when she became paralyzed within her last year, she was down for about 3 months. I would watch her drag herself outsude down the steps and would work and work at trying to get back up. One day when I
 went out to help her up as I did daily I saw her stand up on both legs and wobble up the steps, her face was a face of determination. I never had any doubt she couldnt.  Cleo was in end stage kidney failure. I never realized how much I really loved this girl until I knew I was going to lose her. I tried all I could to keep her around longer, but with the daily I don't want to eat to the throwing up of water I knew that the kidest thing I could do for this very very stubborned and determined old lady was to help her make her transition. I have a Vab so i stuffed a comforter on the floor so it was level with the passenger seat, put pillows down between the seats and thne put another comforter over all of it so I could spend the time going to the Vet petting and holding her. As I got off the freeway to drive the next 10 minutes to Dr Kim's my last memory of my girl was grabbing a hold of her paw and she immediately layed her head on my hand and we
 rode this way the rest of the way.  I stayed while she was helped to the bridge. Over the year she has been gone, I have memories of her, but their is a certain post that comes to the Drool by way of Elder Clara or brother Elwood about Miss Clara and I see Cleo and laugh, because these post bring me back memories, happy  memories and I so appreciate them. 

Next will be my Cinnamon that went to the bridge Noverber 7th 2009.  This are tuff things to write and I will do this one shortly and wont let it go a year

http://community.webshots.com/user/carolsd21

Carol and her hounds and a beagle
Specializing in Senior  Hounds. They are the best
Senior Bassets  Adopt one It will add wonderful and special moments to your life.  Not to mention giving them as many loving last days or years they have.

Megan 15 GD 8/07, Cleo 15 GD 8/07 ATB 12/12/08, Josie 13 GD 5/04, Cinnimon 13 GD 8/07(Beagle) ATB 11/07/09, Kai 12 GD 2/07 ATB 8/16/08, Kami 9 GD 1/07, Baxter 9 GD 7/01

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