Everybody needs at least one good dog in their life. I have been fortunate enough to have 4 that were very special. I am writing a series on Tucker, Sydney, Gumby & Cricket. I certainly hope that I can add more to the list, but if not I still consider myself extremely blessed. Thank you for allowing me to share a bit of my “Dogs Life” with you.
Those of you who are recent to the Animal Care Hospital scene may know only of Tucker. He was a Border Collie that I found living under a Track hoe in Lenox. I saw him one day as he slinked out to see who was driving by his accommodations. I told him if he was still there the next day, I would take him home. I checked with the only 2 houses in the area and nobody knew anything about him…. So I took him to work.
He just lay around the treatment room and seemed very comfortable. Actually, at the time, we thought he was just tired…..which is why “Tucker” won the name game competition. My Golden Retriever, Sydney, was not happy to see a 5 month old puppy enter her life. At the time she was 9 and slowing down some, but they eventually connected and the increased activity got her in better shape and helped her live longer.
Sydney really enjoyed the back of the truck and had been taught to ride back there by my first Border Collie, Gumby. I felt that Tucker would love it, so I took him to the farm for “Truck Practice”. He LOVED it! He only jumped out once, when he saw some deer in the pasture and I thought I might never see him again. He was fast. From then on his spot was in the truck. I’m not sure if he liked me or my truck more. He would always ride on the back right hand side……….unless it started raining, then he would jump thru the back sliding window into his back seat. He was very seldom, not with me (or my truck). He was a Border Collie, but would have never made a Stock dog. Cows made him nervous if he was in the pasture, unless of course he was in his truck.
Tucker was fixture at Animal Care Hospital for many years. I’m embarrassed to say that he was prejudiced. He liked most other Border Collies and a few others that would come in the hospital. If he heard a familiar voice he would leave my office to go up front to say hello. The majority of dogs he would ignore and he almost NEVER liked puppies. He did have an affinity for kittens. Tucker was intrigued by the birthing process and would wander into the treatment area whenever we had a C-Section occur. He would go up to check a new puppy out and promptly throw up. People on the other hand, he liked. He learned his social skills from the master….. Sydney. He went to numerous class rooms to visit, sometimes with Sydney, sometimes alone. He was tolerant of 20+ kids crawling all over him.
My wife Amy & I were scheduled to go to a seminar when I noticed that Tucker didn’t seem right. I did some testing and took some chest X-rays and found a chest full of fluid. I drained the fluid off to alleviate some problems and hopefully get a diagnosis. I’ll admit that I was very nervous about leaving him. Not because he wouldn’t get the care he needed, but the stress that my employees would be under taking care of the boss’s dog. He did fine and we would periodically draw fluid off of his chest. I took him to a Specialist in Memphis for additional testing, but even after all that we did, I never got a specific diagnosis. Yes it was cancer, but not in a place that would do well surgically or be cured with medication.
I made the final decision about 4 months after his problems started, to make sure he didn’t have to go through anymore. I have talked and counseled people numerous times about making that final decision and when the time is right. I always talk about sometimes being lucky enough to have a defining moment, when we’ll know. It doesn’t always happen. My defining moment for Tucker was when he didn’t want to go with me when I left for lunch, (He always knew what time it was) and he didn’t ride on his side of the truck. I knew him well and felt he was ready to go. He was one of my fantastic dogs that I was able to spend time with for well over 13 years.
Those of you who are recent to the Animal Care Hospital scene may know only of Tucker. He was a Border Collie that I found living under a Track hoe in Lenox. I saw him one day as he slinked out to see who was driving by his accommodations. I told him if he was still there the next day, I would take him home. I checked with the only 2 houses in the area and nobody knew anything about him…. So I took him to work.
He just lay around the treatment room and seemed very comfortable. Actually, at the time, we thought he was just tired…..which is why “Tucker” won the name game competition. My Golden Retriever, Sydney, was not happy to see a 5 month old puppy enter her life. At the time she was 9 and slowing down some, but they eventually connected and the increased activity got her in better shape and helped her live longer.
Sydney really enjoyed the back of the truck and had been taught to ride back there by my first Border Collie, Gumby. I felt that Tucker would love it, so I took him to the farm for “Truck Practice”. He LOVED it! He only jumped out once, when he saw some deer in the pasture and I thought I might never see him again. He was fast. From then on his spot was in the truck. I’m not sure if he liked me or my truck more. He would always ride on the back right hand side……….unless it started raining, then he would jump thru the back sliding window into his back seat. He was very seldom, not with me (or my truck). He was a Border Collie, but would have never made a Stock dog. Cows made him nervous if he was in the pasture, unless of course he was in his truck.
Tucker was fixture at Animal Care Hospital for many years. I’m embarrassed to say that he was prejudiced. He liked most other Border Collies and a few others that would come in the hospital. If he heard a familiar voice he would leave my office to go up front to say hello. The majority of dogs he would ignore and he almost NEVER liked puppies. He did have an affinity for kittens. Tucker was intrigued by the birthing process and would wander into the treatment area whenever we had a C-Section occur. He would go up to check a new puppy out and promptly throw up. People on the other hand, he liked. He learned his social skills from the master….. Sydney. He went to numerous class rooms to visit, sometimes with Sydney, sometimes alone. He was tolerant of 20+ kids crawling all over him.
My wife Amy & I were scheduled to go to a seminar when I noticed that Tucker didn’t seem right. I did some testing and took some chest X-rays and found a chest full of fluid. I drained the fluid off to alleviate some problems and hopefully get a diagnosis. I’ll admit that I was very nervous about leaving him. Not because he wouldn’t get the care he needed, but the stress that my employees would be under taking care of the boss’s dog. He did fine and we would periodically draw fluid off of his chest. I took him to a Specialist in Memphis for additional testing, but even after all that we did, I never got a specific diagnosis. Yes it was cancer, but not in a place that would do well surgically or be cured with medication.
I made the final decision about 4 months after his problems started, to make sure he didn’t have to go through anymore. I have talked and counseled people numerous times about making that final decision and when the time is right. I always talk about sometimes being lucky enough to have a defining moment, when we’ll know. It doesn’t always happen. My defining moment for Tucker was when he didn’t want to go with me when I left for lunch, (He always knew what time it was) and he didn’t ride on his side of the truck. I knew him well and felt he was ready to go. He was one of my fantastic dogs that I was able to spend time with for well over 13 years.
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