" THE LOSS OF A GERMAN SHEPHERD"

If you have ever known the joyful sound

Of Barks that fill the air

A sloppy kiss, A friendly Paw

A quite adoring stare

If you have ever had a special friend

To share a tear or two

Or maybe just a listening ear

To lift you when your blue

If you have ever felt the wrenching pain

That only death can send

Then you have lost not "just a dog"

You have truly lost a friend

But God is good and treasures love

And there at Heavens Gate

A sloppy kiss and a joyful bark

Your precious mate awaits

This is dedicated to all my friends that have lost their best friend.

This paragraph is for the children who are mourning the loss of their friend.

I have had many children ask me over the years if their dog has gone to Heaven? Heaven is a place your dog has gone to rest now. I believe they have gone to Heaven or otherwise where has that spirit gone that made them the special dog you grew to love and tell all your secrets to while they were alive on earth? A Heaven without animals doesn't seem like a Heaven to me. I have met more animals with spirit than I ever have humans.

Losing a pet is hard, really hard so don't be afraid to talk to Mum or Dad about how you are feeling because it is very normal and most children feel the same.

I have met people that have mourned for months even years. Your German Shepherd was your companion, your guardian, your best friend and he lived to keep you happy and safe. How do you think he would feel to know you are alone, not safe, unhappy and no-one to look over you? Keep his memories safe in your heart but deep down you know he would love for one of his kind to now do the job he can no longer. You are not betraying him. You are helping him to settle into his new home where he will await for you. Some people like to memorialise their pets. Some may have a special portrait done, some may keep a special lock of hair, some may have a special garden burial or ashes in a special urn. What ever you choose it may be advisable if possible to organise this before your friend passes to give you time to yourself just to grieve. You may go through stages of anger, guilt, denial. You do need to resolve these issues so you can move on. Do not be ashamed to talk to a grief counsellor to help you through this process. It is ok to love again and honour your dogs memory by allowing one of his friends to do the job that he or she can no longer do.

"I know no animal which in it's sentiments and sympathies, is so tender and intimate

as our German Shepherds or one whose moral charachteristics that are so strongly developed that one must in this respect indeed rank him higher than humanity"

I would like to invite you to scroll down into our world and meet some of our very, very special friends that we miss so much and that will be in our hearts forever.

JACKSON: "THE LOSS OF A GREAT FRIEND".

Last Thursday night we had to say good- bye to our very very special friend " JACKSON". We bought Jackson when he was 5 years old from a chap in Adelaide who had decided to go around Australia and was not able to take Jackson with him. How very lucky was I. His flight was the last flight out of Adelaide and it had been cancelled and poor Jackson was left stranded at the airport so after contacting an animal transport company, they went and picked him up for me and housed and fed him until the next day when he flew out just after 6.00am. I felt like I had been waiting forever. That was the start of our wonderful journey together 12 years ago. He never had a mean bone in his body. We had lots of fun at our agility classes. He just really enjoyed life. Most of the time mother's with their new babies do not allow any other dogs near them. This being boys or girls but all our mothers adored Jackson. Many times I have found him snuggled up with a mum and her babies. Jackson also produced some lovely babies himself many years ago. I have many, many wonderful memories he has given us.

JACKSON had just had his 17th birthday and unfortunately we believe most likely suffered a stroke.

He had a beautiful meal of his favourite cocktail frankfurts before we had to say good bye. He was put to rest in my arms. You will always be in our heart. Love Mum and Dad. xxxxxxxx

DIXSON: SAYING GOOD - BYE TO ONE OF OUR BABIES - A FRIEND, A MATE AND AN ABSOULETE CHEEKY CHARACTER

Unfortunately last Christmas 2010 we had to say good - bye to Dixson. He had developed prostrate cancer which took his life.

We had bought Dixson 12 years ago. What a great journey it has been. He has produced many sensational puppies in his time including Oscar who has very large shoes to fill. Dixson was our wonderful guard dog. Well he thought he was. He would always bark at strangers that visited us doing us very proud and when they were surprised you could almost see the smerk on his face. He was very proud to alert us all the time . This was one side of Dixson. As anyone knows that has owned a German Shepherd there is also a very sooky and lovable side to the boys. If he didn't get a cuddle as soon as you went to see him of a morning he would cry until you stopped what you were doing and cuddled him and rubbed his belly and anything else he may of demanded. He would love playing with the girls but was always a perfect gentleman and they knew he was always in charge.
We have many great memories of our mate that will always put a smile on our face. We also have many photos of his children and he is remembered by his grand daughter Lucchi. Until we meet again my friend. Love Mum and Dad xxxxxxxxx

"CUJO AND SUZY"

SAYING GOOD-BYE TO OUR VERY LOVING & LOYAL FRIENDS

This has taken me quite a while to put words to this pair. They will always have a huge place in our hearts made just for them. Cujo and Suzy were the absoulete perfect married couple. They were the best of friends from the day they met until the day they died and I am sure they still are. Cujo was Terry's fishing mate.

He was a fussy old buggar. I would pack his supper (which had to be plain biscuits as he did not like sweet ones)

and off they would go down to the river to have a fish. At night time he became what he thought was to be Dad's protector (Mind you Dad is 6'5 and really doesn't need protecting). He would claim the public wharf as his own. Suzy was our tree climbing dog. The property we previously lived on had an 8ft concrete fence and a tree next to it which we caught her many times climbing up the tree to sit on the concrete fence just to check out the view. Suzy just adored everyone's puppies. She was a real mother hen. Cujo and Suzy had 3 beautiful litters and are remembered by Nitro, Sally, Montana, Victoria and grandaughters Callie and Lexi.

We are reminded everyday of the love and quality they have brought to our breeding stock, in which we will be forever grateful for. You have left us with a thousand wonderful memories and you both will never be forgotton. They say that love is measured by loyalty. Well these two definately have set a standard which every German Shepherd should follow.

Until you are in our arms again my sweethearts. Lots and Lots of Love from Mum and Dad xxxxxxx

SOPHIE

SAYING GOOD - BYE TO OUR LOVING TERROR CHILD

Saying good-bye to Soph was so very very hard. She had a very cheeky side to her. Most of our males were terrified of her making this very hard to mate her. They were really only two boys she liked and that was Cujo and Jackson who she is now at rest with. She was the bossiest dog we have ever owned. When Sophie was only 3 our horse kicked her in the head and she survived the kick but we had to have her eye removed. She coped quite well and within no time she was back to being the boss again. She is the mother to Olivia who now lives with her new family Amanda and Craig. They had just lost Hippi who was Sophie and Cujo's daughter from her 1st litter and now they have another daughter. She is also Arden's & Winston's mother. She produced some of the best long coats I have seen. She was a tough old chook but one of the things I will always remember about Soph is her huge bottom which all of her babies inherited. I hope you are having fun with your mates sweetheart. Until we meet again. Lots of Love Mum and Dad xxxx

SINDY: "OUR STRONG BUT GENTLE SOUL"

We purchased Sindy and her sister Siriah almost 15 years ago. Sindy weighed around 50 kgs and she certainly knew how to use her weight to her advantage. If something was in her road she would just barrel it out of her way. When she was younger she hated bedtime so she would sit up on the hill every night and wait for Terry to carry her to bed. Well this was alright for a few months and as she got older this task became a little difficult especially when she hit the 30kg mark. She also loved sitting on Terry's lap whilst he was driving around the paddock. As trucks don't really cater for Beer belly's and large dogs on laps it wasn't long before she was moved over to her own seat. Sindy really did have the patience of an Angel. She had four litters herself and helped many other mums raise their puppies. She was like a clucky hen. She welcomed every dog that came into our home as she had been their mate for years. We have a very cheeky younger dog called Bubbles. Well many times she would try and steal Sindy's food but she never once put it over the old girl. We both miss her very much. Our house is alot quieter and our bedroom is not the same without having to climb over her to get to bed. She was put to sleep in our bedroom on her favourite doona after suffering not one but two strokes. We were hoping she would recover as she did from the one two weeks before but when she put her paw out to me and gave me that look of "It's time to say good bye Mum, I really have had enough" I knew she wasn't going to recover this time. She fought right until the end. You will always be in our hearts sweetheat.

Lots and Lots of hugs and kisses from Mum, Dad, Bubbles, Tiny, Victoria, Ewok, Mr Chin & Amara xoxoxoxoxox

ARLEY : OUR TOUGH BOY

Arley was one in a million. We had trained Arley in Dog Sports in which he thoroughly enjoyed and took to his advantage every opportunity that arose. I lost count of how many "New Staff" members he had his fun with. I would be up the other end of the kennels and you would here a very soft "Heeelp" and any of the permanent staff knew straight away Arley was at it again and off we would go to see what he was up to. Usually he would just take the hose from them and wouldn't give it back so a tug of war would be going on and the look he would give me when I would tell him to drop the hose was like you were taking a chocolate away from a child. He also loved flappy clothing. One lovely lady that worked for us for quite a while wore a pair of nice light material cargo pants down to her ankles for work and well by the time she had finished hosing his pen they were very short cargo pants. He decided he wanted her clothes to chew up so he ripped her pants off literally. Arley would never bite a human unless he was instructed to and which he didn't but was quite proud of himself once he got her pants and was throwing them around. Arley had a lot of devilish ways about him but I have never owned a dog that I have felt more safe with, than him. Arley also had a very affectionate side to him when there were few people around. He was my guardian, my friend, my soul mate. If people turned up and he didn't like them and he would certainly let me know and unfortunately for them a dog was not sold to those people. I do apologise to those people but all I can say is I trusted his judgement 100% and he never once let me down. I miss him so much. Our home is not the same without him. He certainly kept everyone on their toes.

Until we meet again my tough boy, your thoughts are always with me.

Loads of cuddles and kisses, Mum & Dad xxxxxxxx

ZOEY

"OUR LITTLE PRINCESS"

Zoey was just that. She was our little Princess. She loved both of us but when Terry was around nobody on this earth existed but him. We bought Zoey as an adult from a lovely retired couple in their 80's that thought they were going to start breeding again as they had in their younger days. Well Zoey had almost demolished their home by the time we had met her. She had eaten their kitchen handles off all their cupboards, chewed the legs on the table amongst numerous other things. She had eyes that would "melt an iceberg" and so I could understand why she had been given very little discipline. When she came to us she never done a thing wrong ever, never dug a hole or chewed anything just gave us loads of love. Zoey was 12 when she had a stroke that she never recovered from and when you see that frightened look in their eyes you know you have to do the right thing for them as much as it hurts us to say goodbye we owe it to our babies not to let them suffer.

We will always miss you very much. Until we meet again sweetheart.

Lots of hugs and kisses. Love Mum and Dad all all your mates.xxxxxxxxx