You image needs to be Square!

Please crop your image below, then save using the green button, or cancel using the red X

BabyGirl: My heart and soul dog, by Susan Perreault-Demchesen

My former husband mentioned getting another dog because one of his regular customers was a breeder. I told him that I didn’t want a dog – I was already taking care of two cats and two dogs.

A month later he presented me with this tiny black dog with a brown face, eyebrows and underbelly. She was so small and cute. As I took her and placed her to my chest, she squirmed her way up to my neck, nuzzled me and fell asleep. The plan had been to bring her to me, knowing I wouldn’t be able to resist and then return her to the litter for another week until she was properly weaned. After her brief encounter with me, they told me all she did was cry and whine for 12 hours. So they brought her back to me the following day.

BabyGirl was the cutest little baby, and she insisted on always being with me, but I had to go to work. My former husband said that after she cried at the front door for a while, she would eventually return to our bed and burrow in the blankets. Every hour he would hear her use the steps I made for her to reach the bed, and then there was a banging on our front door. He assumed it was BabyGirl trying to break down the door.

After my divorce my roommates told me that after I left the house BabyGirl would get a running start and “catapult” herself at the front door.

Years later, when I lived with my dogs and my boyfriend and his dog, we recorded all three dogs sitting and watching the door while we were gone. There was no banging or “catapulting” but they got closer and closer to the door until all three were a nose away.

While I was living with my mom, she said whenever I left the house, BabyGirl did nothing but watch the front door. She wouldn’t eat, play, relieve herself or allow herself to be distracted. Once I was gone for eight hours and she relieved herself at the door.

Even as she got older and spent a lot of time napping, BabyGirl would focus all her attention on the front door until I returned. When I got home, my BabyGirl would smother me with kisses. When she was confident I wasn’t going to leave again, she would go outside to relieve herself and then take a nap, always with at least one paw on me or part of her body touching mine.

It’s been seven months since I received kisses from my BabyGirl. I am grateful for the 18 years of joy she brought me, but I miss her so much it physically hurts my heart. I think about her every day, and every day I end up in tears.

I finally found a silver lining to losing my sweet girl. The only way I wouldn’t be mourning my BabyGirl every day is if I died before her – and if that had happened, my BabyGirl would have ended up dying at the front door waiting for me.

Although I feel sad and regretful about helping her pass on (I knew she would never willingly leave me) I have the comfort of knowing that she passed in my arms instead of at the front door, wondering why I never returned to her.

Archives

Are you sure you want to Log Out?

Webinar: A Conversation on Pet Loss with Author E.B. Bartels

Join us for this exciting event

Rainbow Bridge
Memorial Celebration

In honor of Rainbow Bridge Memorial Day (August 28), we are offering a 20% discount on Silver and Platinum memberships throughout the entire month of August.

By joining us, you will have the unique opportunity to create a lasting online memorial for your pet, complete with photos and stories you can cherish.

Live Webinar

Navigating Pet Loss & Grief

Thursday, June 6th, 2024
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern

Sponsored by:

Navigating Pet Loss & Grief, hosted by Moose’s
March, this webinar is designed to support pet
owners through the difficult journey and depth of
pet loss, anticipatory grief and understanding
guilt. This webinar will also provide 3 key
takeaways for the management of grief,
Featuring insights from renowned experts
Colleen Rolland, Association of Pet Loss and
Bereavement and Dr. Nancy Curotto, Pet Loss &
Bereavement Specialist. Attendees will have an
opportunity to ask questions of the experts.

Special Holiday Schedule

We understand that the holidays can be a difficult time for pet parents missing their fur babies. APLB will be extending our hours this year to help you – we’ll get through this together.

Chat Room

Sun Dec 24: 2 – 4 pm EST
Sun Dec 24: 8 – 10 pm EST
Mon Dec 25: 8 – 10 pm EST
Tues Dec 26: 8 – 10 pm EST
Wed Dec 27: 8 – 10 pm EST
Fri Dec 29: 8 – 10 pm EST
Sun Dec. 31: 2 – 4 pm EST
Sun. Dec 31: 8 – 10 pm EST
Mon Jan 1: 8 – 10 pm EST

Video Support Group

Sat Dec 9: 7- 9 pm EST
Sun Dec 10: 7- 8:30 EST
Sat Dec. 23: 7 – 9 pm EST