The Passing of my Grand Dog " Barkley" !

 The Beginning

  

Oh, tears well up  in my eyes as I try to post this. We had him 12 years and would have been 13 in June 2012.   I remember the day he was born as our Golden Retriever's Megan and Jordan were his parents. They had one litter till we had Megan fixed and what a fabulous experience it was. She had 11 puppies and Barkley was the one my daughter picked out to be hers' the day he was born.   HE was a beautiful dog and grew very tall and large. He had a beautiful red coat and shiny as could be. He is in my heart and will be forever as his parents are also.  I guess he is with them at the " Rainbow Bridge" in heaven with his sister " Ally" and brother "Bailey" that kept in touch with us.

eating from food bowl of mush milk and softened food

We came to North Carolina pet-sitting "Ally" and her sister "Maggie" , a rescue Golden when their parents traveled. This is how we fell in love with this area and moved here after my husband retired from his work.

Barkley

Playing TUG with Mom and Dad

First 1st Birthday Party

When Ally and Megan passed very soon to each other, we had a ceremony  at the  Hiawassee River they all so much loved to play  in. We had a priest and many friends in attendance for their good-bye's.  I can't imagine a more fitting way to release them to where they loved and we also brought "Jordan " a few years later when we passed.  Barkley never came to this river but he went boating with my daughter and fishing with my son-in-law on their boats.  He went everywhere they did as did our dogs. He was just like their child! He also slept with them in their big king bed and made friends  with all you came into the store they opened, in fact he was their mascot at " Big Dog Trading Co.". They even had to finally ask the mail lady to NOT bring treats to him as he was eating everything everyone brought to him.

He just had that kind of personality and shared his love with everyone.  As he aged and got a tumor on his head, everyone always asked about him and how he was doing.  I thought we would lose him a year earlier as the tumor was like a tennis ball on the side of his head. It was drained and came back several times. But, he was happy when he had that weight off his brain and no more migraine like feeling the vet told them.   He lasted another year and that was a gift for all of us.

Barkley and Megan, his Momma

They came up here at Christmas last December and then to his other grandmother's house traveling many miles on that adventure.  He was a delight for us to see and he had fun playing with our two new golden's, Emma and Bailey", also our two cats, Lily and Blak!

Christmas 2011

Then we got to see him again in January when we went back to Alabama for a doctor appointment and to get more of our things still there.  He perked his ears when he saw grandma come in the door and call his name. He was having trouble getting up but he did! We attribute the MSN capsules to his lasting that last year. It seemed to keep the tumor smaller and it almost went away completely to everyone's amazement.  He loved to leave his daybed and get on our airbed and my last photos of him are with his head out of our quilt covers. I adored these photos even before I knew it would be the last visit with him.

He was born 6-15-99 and passed 1-17-12 and he lived his dash to the fullest.  He was the sparkle in my daughter and son-in-laws eye's  as he was in their lives for so long, in fact their whole married life. They are experiencing a huge loss in their lives but will get a rescue Golden Retriever when it comes along to them.

January 2012

I cannot say how much he is missed by everyone with his presence! He just glowed with delight!   My tribute to him is small in the hugeness of his wrapping me around his paw. I would do anything for him as he knew it.

God Bless you Barkley, I love you!

Smiles, Grandma Cyndi