Posts
Echo
March 20, 2001 - February 24, 2016
Breed: Sheltie (Shetland Sheepdog)
Occupation: Model, Philosopher, Poet, Blue Jays Shortstop (retired)
Hobbies: Leash Dancing, Napping, Guarding the Bathroom
As a puppy, his nose was partly pink.
Flying Superpuppy. This is not PhotoShopped.
About age 2.
BELIEVE YOU'RE A PUPPY
And Other Advice From Echo
Accept compliments graciously. (They're all true anyway.)
Keep nudging for treats.
Rules for effective nudging:
1. Gently touch your human with your nose.
2. Observe every time your human puts food on her fork. Watch the trajectory carefully. If it falls on the floor, it's yours!
3. If your human eats too neatly, put your head on her thigh and gaze adoringly at her. Works every time.
Eat each meal as if someone were going to take it away from you.
Keep nudging for treats.
Life is an eat-all-you-can buffet table.
Flowerbed fences provide a high-jumping challenge.
Guard the door from invasions by mail, newspapers and advertising flyers.
Chinese Food Delivery requires your utmost vigilance. Stay near the front door, in High Alert mode. The food could come at any time. Bark at any sound that might be a delivery car in the driveway. (You don't want it to get cold, do you?)
Keep nudging for treats.
Greet new dogs with a polite sniff, circle, leash tangle, and play invitation.
A well-timed burp is an excellent way to participate in human conversation.
Human "garbage" is often the tastiest of treats.
"Birthday" is a ridiculous human concept. Accept the praise and the extra treats, but otherwise, ignore it.
You're a puppy as long as you believe you're a puppy.
Always believe you're a puppy.
Dance with your leash.
Copyright 2014, Barbara Etlin.
ANTIQUE PIANO & OTHER SOUR NOTES
http://decoowlpress.com
I'm so very sorry to hear this, Barbara. Echo was a beautiful puppy.
ReplyDelete* I couldn't help smiling at the pink parts of his puppy nose and the way he leaped.
DeleteThanks, Claudine. He was an extraordinary dog, as smart as he was handsome. We were lucky to get to share his life for almost 15 years.
DeleteI am so sorry for your loss, Barb. Our furry pets give us so much joy and I love this beautiful tribute and advice (some points are applicable to humans too). Hugs.
ReplyDeleteHugs and thanks, Vijaya. He was joy personified--uh, canified.
DeleteWhat a hole Echo left.
ReplyDeleteHis beautiful reverberations are everywhere. All heart with some smarts to bring out the melody.
Thank you for sharing his beauty here.
Hugs, Mirka. I know you'll miss him, too. (And what a beautifully written comment!)
DeleteOh no! So sorry to hear this. Have enjoyed hearing about Echo all these years and following his adventures. Will definitely miss him. :(
ReplyDeleteHugs, Jama. He loved being a featured poet on your blog.
DeleteI learned so much more from him than he ever learned from me. We're sad, but we've been sharing our almost-fifteen-years' worth of happy memories with each other. Shelties' life expectancy is 12-15 years, so he had a long, happy life. His only complaint was when I gave him icky-tasting pain pills.
Those good memories will stay with you forever. Glad Echo had pretty much lived out his life expectancy for his breed -- no doubt your love and excellent care had something to do with it. :)
DeleteDid you hear that Laura Hamor's dog McGee died too? That was sad -- they'd only had him less than five years I think.
Oh, no! I didn't know. He was a cutie and looked very much like Echo. Thanks for the information. :-(
DeleteWhat an amazing dog, Barb. Superpuppy, indeed! I'm sorry it was his time to fly away.
ReplyDeleteSusan
Superpuppy is still very much here in spirit. He's like the child we never had, but better behaved and more appreciative.
DeleteThanks for your condolences. Lots of hugs.
Lovely tribute to your beautiful Echo. I'm so very sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Marcia. Hugs.
DeleteI feel as if *I've lost a friend--don't we all? This is such a lovely, loving tribute, and the pictures just about did me in.
ReplyDeleteMy deepest condolences, Barb. May you be comforted by these sweet memories of your philosopher king. I like to think that he's romping in the tulips fields now.
When he slept, his feet moved as though he was running through tulip fields. Maybe you're right. Lovely thought.
DeleteThanks, Melodye. Big hugs.
This is such a beautiful post. So sorry for your loss
ReplyDeleteTerry Lynn johnson
Thanks, Terry. You would understand.
DeleteWe still miss him, but the happy memories are starting to outweigh the sadness. I've framed a few of the best photos and that helps, too.
ReplyDeleteI am also so sorry for your loss. I loved, loved, loved the photo's of this incredible little soul. It makes me want to commit for another pup. My last dog, Skye was an Australian Shepard...my little prince. Maybe this will be the energy required to be a guardian again. Beautiful post, see you around Janet's blog. Cheers Hank.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Hank. I'm sorry about your Skye. Dogs are the best. They should live forever and maybe they do, in our memories.
DeleteBarb