I received a very sad email yesterday from Dogster member Minika Hall.  She wanted to share her recent tragedy at the dog park, which resulted in the loss of her beloved dog Miles’, as a warning to other dog owners.

Miles’ was an adorable Yorkie who loved the dog park, and Hall enjoyed taking him there on a daily basis.  On Sunday they went for a visit but this time Minika did something she had never done before, brought him into the big dog side of the park.

Here are the details from The Buffalo News.

Miles, an eight-month-old Yorkie who frequented the park with his owner several times a week during the warmer weather, was enjoying a late-October romp.

But Hall made a decision she will always regret. She let her five-pound pooch make his first visit to a separate running area that generally accommodates larger dogs. Until Sunday, Miles had always frolicked in an adjacent area reserved for dogs that weigh less than 30 pounds. On this evening, the special area was empty, and she wanted Miles to have company.

“Miles wasn’t afraid of big dogs,” said Hall, her voice shaking. “He loved to play with the bigger dogs.”

The Yorkie was playing with several other dogs, none of them very large or aggressive, according to Hall. She said what happened next is a blur, but she recalls Miles being stepped on and instantly falling to the ground.

At first, she thought he just had the wind knocked out of him or — in a worst-case scenario — was paralyzed. But after she and another Barkyard patron rushed the dog to an emergency clinic, reality set in. Miles’ tiny neck had likely been crushed as the dogs played, she said.

“People need to see my dumb mistake,” the distraught owner said. “They need to understand that when their dogs are playing, they have to consider the size of other dogs. I knew it, but I never recognized the importance of that until now.”

On the side reserved for small dogs there is a warning that it is only for pups 30 lbs. and under, there is no size specifications on the larger side.  Lisa and I bring the ‘kids’ over to our local dog park and we see many dog owners bringing their smaller dogs into the large side, and for the exact reason Minika did, there was no one in the smaller dog area to play with.  I’m sure just like Hall the owners don’t give a second thought to it being dangerous, why would they?

I know Minika feels guilty over her decision but this tragedy could have happened to anyone. If she had seen an article like this I have no doubt she would never have taken Miles’ into the large dog side, and that’s why she contacted me, to get the word out.  Keep in mind, the dogs in the park were just playing with Miles’, no one was vicious, but when you have a bunch of big dogs engaging in rough play it only takes a second for a tragedy to occur.

I want to extend our heartfelt condolences to Minika over the loss of Miles’.  Thank you for sharing your very painful story to keep other dog owners from experiencing the grief you are now going through, I know it wasn’t easy.

Harleydog is our Dog Of The Week,  sadly he earned his wings on November 4rh, 2009.  He was one of the first Dogsters that Bo became friends with, over the last two years he’s become a good buddy. We were so sad to hear the news that he, like so many other pups, was lost due to cancer. He was a very special boy and it was an honor being friends with him.

Harleydog has been a very active member of the Dogster community, a very popular pup who will be greatly missed. Extending our heartfelt condolences to Harleydog’s family, our thoughts are with you.

Harleydog made a big impact on so many pups, he will never be forgotten in the Dogster community.

I just want to remind everyone that our ‘Win A Memorial For Your Pup’ contests ends on Monday.

If you have lost a beloved member of the family now is your chance to win a beautiful handcrafted heart which has a small portion of your pet’s cremains infused into the glass as it is being made. Thanks to Peternity for offering up this lovely memorial, I have no doubt it will be cherished by whoever wins.

To find out all the details and to enter go to the original post, click here.

If you’ve ever suffered through the heartbreak of losing a pet you know how devastating it is. The terrible void it leaves in your life. It’s not just the loss of a dog, it’s the loss of a family member, a friend.

For those that aren’t dog lovers, they will never understand the importance of being able to say a proper goodbye. Being able to grieve without being criticized, share your feelings without anyone saying it was just a dog. There’s an online site, Peternity, where you can go to connect with others that are going through the grieving process. They have a place where you can post free online memorials, a wonderful way to honor your dear friend.

Peternity also has an online store where you can purchase a vast array of memorial products. They are the same company who gave us the memorial blanket last winter for a contest.  This time it’s one of their newest items that we’re giving away.  One very lucky Dogster is going to have the honor of putting this special heart in their home.

Does your pet hold a special place in your heart? If so, choose to honor your dear pet’s memory in a special and unique way. Instead of a traditional urn, this hand crafted glass piece has a small portion of your pet’s cremains infused into the glass as it is being made.

The contest will run today through Monday, October 26th when I will choose the winner.  To enter the contest just leave a comment in the comment section sharing a little about your beloved dog who you would like to win the heart for.

I want to thank Peternity for their generosity, I know that whoever wins this heart will cherish it forever. If you’re looking for a special way to honor your pet please stop by the Peternity site to consider one of their products, they have everything from art to urns.

I cannot start today without a special note to all the Dogsters out there.

Losing Logan was obviously devastating to us, he was such a special boy.  I posted the tribute because I was so overcome with sadness I needed to get the words out, I never expected the overwhelming response I received.  Horst and I cannot thank you all enough for the wonderful and heartfelt comments that were left. The poems, stories, and words of sympathy are appreciated more than I could possibly express. Dogsters truly are the best, you guys are amazing.

Anyone who has loved and lost a dog knows the heartache, the devastating feeling of loss. Logan only started having issues a few weeks earlier, we had been running every conceivable test but nothing was coming back conclusive, until that final day.  From start to finish, two weeks, never even saw it coming.  The hardest part, as I’ve expressed, is losing a dog who had finally overcome so much and had learned to enjoy life.

Over the weekend we had our ups and downs, but ultimately we have decided to move forward. After all, without sorrow there can be no joy. We are looking at a 5-year-old Berner girl who is in exactly the same place as Logan was when we got him, scared of everyone and everything.  This time going forward we know what we’re getting into, what it will take to try and save her.  It won’t be easy but we think this is the best way of honoring Logan.

So, the journey begins again.

Logan lived at a puppy mill for 4 years, he was the stud dog. He had no name, was kept caged, used and abused.

Eventually when the owner of the puppy mill thought he no longer fit the bill as a stud dog he was put up for auction. Yes, auction, so possibly another breeder could come along to buy him and continue his life of abuse. Or,  if he wasn’t bought he probably would have been put down.

This is where a wonderful organization called the Bernese Auction Rescue Coalition comes in. They bought him, got him medical attention, and put him in a wonderful foster home until he got adopted. On June 6, 2008  Horst and I went to pick up our new family member.  When I saw him I had tears in my eyes, he was so beautiful, and so scared.

We celebrated our 1 year anniversary in June, I left a message on his page because it truly was a celebration. Logan had overcome so much in a year, he was a different dog.

When we first got Logan, I’m not going to lie, it was hard. He barely moved, spent most of his days in our 1/2 bath where he was comfortable. We never pushed him, always let him do things on his own time schedule. Every day we spent quiet time laying with him and petting him. We started taking him for walks everyday and that was when we got our first glimpse at the dog who was waiting to come out.

We made progress, and had setbacks, working with Logan was like nothing we had ever dealt with. We’ve always had rescues but Logan was in a whole different category. I remember after a few months had passed wondering if we were just going to be Logan’s caregivers, which was  fine, or we would eventually breakthrough and show him life could be good and people could be trusted.

I don’t have an exact date or incident to mark the change but it happened. I do remember the first time he wagged his tail it touched my heart in a way I didn’t think possible. Every breakthrough brought us such joy.

As we were saying goodbye to Logan yesterday we knew our tears were for us, we would miss him but he would be fine. In the short time he was with us he went to the park everyday, up to the lake on weekends, had a vacation in Asheville at dog friendly B&B, came to Wilmington with us and saw the ocean, played with his siblings, and was constantly fawned over. He packed a lot of living into a year and a half.

On our drive home from the vet, without him, we didn’t think we could ever go through this again. We knew the risks of  adopting an older dog going in and we knew Berners are susceptible to cancer, yet we thought our dog would live to twelve. What happened wasn’t a total surprise but the pain that came with it was.

Yet this morning, although I’m still crying as I type, something happened. We brought such joy to Logan and him to us, isn’t it out of selfishness to not do it again? It doesn’t seem fair to not give what we gave Logan to another dog in need. So somehow Horst and I found ourselves looking at the BARC board this morning to see if maybe, just maybe, there’s another Berner that needs us as bad as we need him.

Rest in peace my dear sweet Logan, you will be missed every day you are not with us.

Chanel, a dachshund,  turned 21-years-old  on May 6th and became the oldest living dog on record.   Sadly, I just found out that she has passed away. On Friday, August 28th she went to Rainbow Bridge at the tender age of 147-years-old.

She was adopted by Karl and Denice Shaughnessy from a shelter in Newport News, VA. when she was only 6 weeks old. She appeared on the Today Show in May to commemorate her Woofday  wearing tinted goggles for her cataracts and a sweater because she was sensitive to the cold. After the show aired she celebrated with a big Manhattan Woofday bash.

(A.P.) Guinness World Records officials presented Chanel with a certificate as the world’s oldest dog at a Manhattan birthday bash hosted by a private pet food company in May.

Chanel loved the party, especially the cake, which had a peanut butter flavor and had been made for dogs, Denice Shaughnessy said.

There have been claims of older dogs but Guinness World Records has not yet been able to verify any birth records. According to Janelle Derouen her dog Max is 26-years-old. She said GWR officials are trying to verify this information, although they will not confirm this.

* Pic ourtesy AP Photo/Karl and Denise Shaughnessy

(L.A. Times) Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, wrote today that Kennedy was “a stalwart ally over the years on a wide range of legislation to protect companion animals, farm animals, animals in research and wildlife,” adding that the senator from Massachusetts was instrumental in the passage of animal welfare legislation including laws that cracked down on dogfighting and cockfighting, protected horses and other farm animals, and sent chimpanzees once used in medical research to sanctuaries.

The two pups closest to his heart were his own Portuguese water dogs, Sunny and Splash. His dogs were the impetus behind his book “My Senator and Me: A Dog’s Eye View of Washington, D.C.,” which introduces young kids to the political process. The book is told through Splash’s viewpoint, making it both a fun and informative read for children.

Even if Sen. Kennedy’s political viewpoint differed from your own, and you didn’t respect him as either a man or politician,  he diligently fought for the rights of animals.  For that, we should be grateful.

*Pic courtesy Steven Senne / Associated Press

I’ve just been informed that three Dogster pups, all belonging to the same household, have been poisoned by antifreeze. It saddens me to share the news that all have passed over to Rainbow Bridge.

The beautiful dogs lost were Jake, Joey, and Nari.  Not much is known at this time, but it’s suspected that someone in the neighborhood is responsible.  I will update as soon as I have more information. In the meantime, please visit their homepages and leave a little love. I have no doubt their owner is in desperate need of some kind thoughts to help get her through this. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family.

Antifreeze poisoning is a big issue because dogs are drawn to the sweet smell. Dogs  have even been known to chew through the container when they find it left in the garage or elsewhere in the house. It’s so important to make sure the container is stored in a safe and secure place, just like you would do if you had a small child at home. It’s reported that about 10,000 accidental poisonings, both cats and dogs, happen per year.

Death by antifreeze poisoning is not a pretty way to go, it’s a long and painful death. The good news is that if you get your pet to the vet within 9-12 hours after ingestion they may recover.

Symptoms of antifreeze poisoning include a drunken appearance including staggering, lack of coordination, and apparent disorientation and vomiting. The animal may appear listless and depressed.

Because early signs of antifreeze poisoning often mimic signs of other illness, neither you or your veterinarian may suspect antifreeze poisoning until it is too late.

Fortunately, in house lab tests performed by your veterinarian by assist in the diagnosis of antifreeze toxicity.

The above comes from a very informative article on antifreeze poisoning put out by VCA Animal Hospitals. Please take a few minutes to visit their site and read the entire article, it could make the difference between life and death for your dog.

* Pic at top is Jake, middle Nari, and bottom Joey. May they all rest in peace.

I want to wish all the moms out there a happy Mother’s Day, regardless if their “kids” have two or four legs.

I also want to give a shout out to Spy’s family who lost their human mom Wendy when she very unexpectedly passed away in early January.

Wendy was a wonderful woman and a big part of the Dogster community. It must be very hard on her family this first Mother’s Day without her. I would just like her family to know that although she isn’t here physically she will never be forgotten by her Dogster friends, and will always be a part of the Dogster family.

For all those lucky enough to still have their moms with them make sure you let them know how much they mean to you this Mother’s Day, and throughout the year.

Happy Mother’s Day!