A Sad Good-Bye to Baloo

I am single-dog-parenting while Carl is out of town this week. With work and caring for the dogs, it has left time for little else. 

One thing that kept me busy and had me worried was Baloo. He was barely able to get to his feet, and somehow I'd managed to keep him going, but by Thursday I knew he needed to go to the vet. The vet decided to try cold-laser therapy as a tune-up to the same treatment he received back in June in hopes he would get a bounce from it.  But by yesterday (Friday) I knew that it hadn't.

~A tired Baloo on Thursday~

This morning Baloo's strength and willingness to try to stand or even put his head up was totally gone. This only told me what I'd known and was feeling all week. It was time for us to say good-bye.

In the peaceful setting of an apple orchard Baloo and I spent our last tender moments together.

~Baloo's harness and collar afterwards in the orchard~

In the cool grass I stroked his beautiful white muzzle, and I couldn't help but reflect how quickly our 4 months together had passed. I told Baloo how he'd totally stolen my heart that first day we met -- How even though I knew he had happy times with us, I wished I had been able to mend what I knew was his broken heart ...

~Baloo, the first day we met, such sadness!! ~

I told him how I wished I'd known him in his younger days -- How I loved having him as part of our lives and I told him what I would remember about him -- I told him how I wished he could have stayed longer -- And I kissed him one more time and told him how I look forward to seeing him again one day.

God-Speed to blue-Baloo. This quiet and gentle, old soul easily took with him a piece of my heart, and I will always have a piece of his in mine.

~The last photo I took of Baloo - A much happier face!!~

Baloo's Rainbow color is blue. I've given him that color for several reasons. One is because the cataracts in his eyes sometimes made his eyes look blue. I especially noticed that today. And the color blue can also be one of sadness, which was something that I felt from Baloo. I hope that as he arrives at the Rainbow Bridge, that sadness is replaced with joy and he's able to do something his tired old body wouldn't allow, and that's to run.... 

                                                                            Run free Baloo..... 


This video of Baloo from about 3 weeks ago, always makes me smile - He loved mealtime and would always grab any nearby bowls!  One time, he even grabbed Charlie's while he was still eating!