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Schautzie
Rescued Jan 1999 and to the Bridge 8/26/2000
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Schautzie came to us a little over nineteen months ago supposedly as a deaf dog. Our suspicion was that she had been abused, we know she had at least one broken front leg that never healed properly and even though she was a dominant female she was very head shy.
She had been picked up by the dog officer in a Petco store trying to eat off the treat bar they have. No one ever claimed her. The shelter adopted her to a man who returned her claiming his health wouldn't let him keep her, then they adopted her out to a family with a history of taking and returning animals. The also returned her. Then we walked in and asked if they had a German Shepherd. We took her home for a
day which became two and then five and then I made one more trip to the shelter to let them know she was never going to return to the shelter, she would be with us for the rest of her life.
She was and always will be in our hearts the most incredible dog. Even with all the horrible things that had happened to her in her life she treated everyone with reserve but kindness. She was good with dogs, and the most obedient and kind dog in our house. It was amazing to watch her never disobey but still maintain by gesture, action, and personality that
she was her own individual. Within a few weeks we were to learn that she was not deaf and able to hear quite well, she had just been withdrawn.
She went everywhere with us and was welcome everywhere because of her personality and gentle kindness. She loved sitting outside stores with me just watching the traffic, people and general events that were going on.
We now know that she had been sick with the slow growing brain tumor since we adopted her, we started taking her to vets for tests as her activity level declined in the first few months we had her, but the tumor never spread outside her brain and test after test showed no abnormal results. Through all of this she maintained a level of grace and behavior
even more astonishing knowing as we do now that she was ailing.
We can only guess that she was around ten years old today when she left us. We have never doubted that she gave us everything that she had to give every moment that she was with us.
Two weeks ago as it became apparent that she was desparately ill, I started a notebook writing down just the special memories I had of her, it goes page after page of sweet, special, and goofy things that were the essence of special times with her. As amazing as all of those are, the true magic of her was the everyday common things she did every moment of every day that enriched our lives.
She did all of this while fading slowly away. I talked to her an awful lot today, telling her how much she was loved and treasured. The most important thing of all that I could tell her was even with all the pain and sorrow and the short time that we were privleged to spend with her, that if we had known all that was to come and happen it would not have changed our decision to adopt her.
She was an incredibly sweet and wonderful dog. We will always love her.
--Gary