What People Said on Message Board

 

by JMuller » Sat Dec 19, 2009 9:50 am

Sorry for your loss.  Never easy losing a good dog. Josh

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by maberi » Sat Dec 19, 2009 9:56 am

I'm so sorry for your loss
It sounds like Ari was a special dog

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by kendell » Sat Dec 19, 2009 9:57 am
I'm so sorry, Laurel. I'm sure Ari will be greatly missed

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by Christie M » Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:00 am

Hey Laurel, I know that loosing Ari was so very difficult. At least you have the comfort of knowing that he was ready yesterday, and he could rely on you to keep him with you as long as he needed. He was such a cool dog! As I have already said to you a hundred times, you were so lucky to have him. However he was even more lucky to have found himself in your home. Few would have gone the lengths that you did to keep him comfortable and happy. Know that you are in my thoughts and I love ya bunches!!!!

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by Katrina K♥ » Sat Dec 19, 2009 3:20 pm

Laurel I am so sorry. I saw the title of this thread, and my heart sank. I knew what it was...and I was so wishing this day wouldn't come.  Ari was such a great dog...I know how much you loved him....and do love him! He will be missed by many! Love you!

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by Pit♥Bull » Sat Dec 19, 2009 4:44 pm

R.I.P. Ari

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by Cathy M » Sat Dec 19, 2009 5:32 pm

Laurel,  So sorry for your loss. No words can make it easier, but you and Ari will both be in our prayers.

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by Don Tapp » Sat Dec 19, 2009 8:53 pm

Hi Laurel, We are saddened to hear this news. You and Ari made a nice team. Hang in there... Rest easy Ari

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by Greg Williams » Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:32 pm

I am truly sorry for your loss. Ari was a good dog and I am privileged to have been able to train with you and Ari. He will be missed.

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by laurelstone » Sun Dec 20, 2009 8:30 pm

Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts... It was a weekend of ups and downs and Ari is now in his resting place on a hill behind my house. 
I have him to thank for getting me into this crazy sport called PSA. I remember helping Paula at a decoy seminar and telling Joe.. I have a dog that can do this.. I went home to get him and yes.. he could do it. I didn't even know what PSA was.

He loved his decoys, especially you Greg. I remember him sitting on the couch next to you when you were doing a seminar in WI and I have a picture of him pretty much sitting on your lap after a bite work session in Baltimore. I also remember (as a number of people do) how he blew me off in his first trial in Baltimore in 2005 in the PDC and then Greg you agreed to trial him minutes later for a PSA 1 and scored in the high 80s 2 days in a row and almost titling him that day. As you walked onto the field, your words were "what are his commands"? Here's the video of the courage test from that day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kItw8Tyso3o ...and here is the obedience.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELbMhCyoJ4o

It was then I knew he could DO the work... now he had to learn to do it for me. When we returned to Baltimore a year later, I believe he surprised some people by not only titling but scoring very well. During the trial I remember hoping Don wouldn't say "are you ready" so darn loud because those words to Ari meant "where's the guy to bite". Here's the clip of the end of the handler attack and the courage test from that day.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2O0-HlbIpE from that trial.
And Jerry... if you're reading this... I'm SURE he was going after the purple MN Vikings shirt and not really you, the judge, when he headed to you instead of the decoy for the call off in the MN trial. Here's the clip of that (better turn the volume down.. I'm yelling NO pretty loud) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlMoZOwTvYQ

It definitely was a RIDE of ups and downs, days of being humbled and days of being proud... but that IS dog training and competing, isn't it. Ari has passed the torch to Brita and I think has secretly taught her how to be a whining, on the edge of being out of control, GSD.... but one that loves to do the work! I'm looking forward to meeting new people and to getting back on the trial field in 2010.
Thank you all!

Laurel
Brita (06–present)CGC,TherapyDog, HIC,HT,RN,RA,BH,AD,RH,RE,T1,WH,TR1
Ari (99–09)CGC,Therapy Dog,BH,TR1,PSA-TC,PSA-PDC,PSA1,RN 
Olivia (99–present)CGC,Therapy Dog,BH,HIC,UCDX,CDX.RN,PSA TC
Kobie (01–present)CGC,Therapy Dog,BH,CD,UCD,HIC,RN 
Teddy (99–09)CGC,Therapy Dog,BH,CD,UCD,RN

 

Rugs are everywhere now…

….except on the back porch.  When he comes inside which snow on his feet his legs go out from under him so tomorrow I think a trip to the thrift show might be on the agenda. 

I have noticed some other things recently about him.  One is how he gags.  And then it’s like if I were to eat something that I didn’t like so based on his facial expression, apparently he has a bad taste in his mouth.  He is not as tolerant of the other dogs as he was.  He also snapped at Kobie who was trying to get him to play and that is SO rare… she is his best buddy and that just doesn’t happen.  Oh…..and good news…  I slept until 5am last night… only once did he have to go out… that’s what limiting his water intake does. :)  Tonight he was standing right in front of the place where his water usually is looking at it like…where did it go?  It was about 5 feet away…hhmm…  I think I’ll add these things to the list tomorrow. 

So Ari always like to retrieve items… not a formal retrieve but in play of course OR because I said so! Here is a variety of some of what he did!

   

He’s not going in the right direction… <big sigh>

So I bought Ari a soft fleece coat to wear.  Actually a miniature horse blanket from a horse catalog.  All their coats are made like horse blankets and there have been times when I was really glad I had them.  This new one is much softer since he wears it almost all the time otherwise his body feels cold. The others were for outside and were either quilted or waterproof.

Here are Tori and Ari…  modeling the coats did NOT make them happy campers!!  As you notice… Ari has his pitiful look on…

I added to the list tonight….

1. He wobbles when he gets up and walks and he paces instead of trotting. 12/16-it’s gotten worse since I wrote this last week.  Sometimes he almost topples over.
2. His tail curls under his butt when he sits.  This happened before when he did not have the use of his rear end.  12/16
3. He seems always cold – his feet especially.  I put a coat on him even when inside.  One day he came inside with ice crystals on his feet.  This was before the big snow and deep freeze.   And his feet are, as usual, enlarged at times.
4. He is afraid of noises (mouse trap).  He will hang out be me or if I get up he will hide in the bathroom.  12/16-sticks pretty close to me when I’m home.
5. He gets disorientated.  He will go out through the basement and then either I have to come and get him or he waits in basement and when I call him, he comes up.  It’s like he can’t figure out that going around the corner will bring him to the stairs.
6. He drinks lots of water and will urinate in the house – not in front of me but overnight if he’s not sleeping in the room with me.  Otherwise he gets me up in the middle of the night to go out which he never did before. 12/16-because I don’t want him going in the house (of course) he stays in the bedroom with me so I’m up a few times a night. (I’m exhausted) I’m trying really limiting his water intake in the evening.
7. He no longer gets up on the couch which says to me his legs are weaker.  When you look at the them the skeleton look is returning from lack of use. 

I just don’t know…

One minute he’s charging outside with the rest of the dogs and then 30 minutes later he can’t walk through the house without stumbling.  One thing I do know… he doesn’t seem to be in pain.  He doesn’t seem to understand what’s happening and will look at me as if to say… what’s going on??   He’s never lost his appetite and would eat way more than he should if I let him but carrying extra weight around when there is no strength in the back legs just isn’t smart!

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These photos were taken 2 years ago even after his Addisonian Crisis.  He definitely was a handsome dude… and he still is!