I Help

"What?!  You said you didn't like your toothbrush!"

Recovery

Hello friends!

Melee provided a visual recovery update following what appeared to be yesterday's traumatic experience.  As you can see he's doing just fine and is bouncing around the house as usual.  Except we don't know where he is since his toenails don't click on the floors now.  Just don't tell him we may have missed him while he was gone.

I Was NOT......

........DIRTY!

"Wait a minute......."

                                                   

"This is wrong!"

"Shampoo is stupid"

                                                                                                                                       

"Blueberry facial....really??!"

                                       
The good news is, Melee looks FABULOUS and smells fantastic!  Maybe he'll let us take pics of the finished product tomorrow.  A big thank you to our girl for making him look even more handsome than he was before.

The Chair

"May there always be an angel by your side"

Echo                                   Melee

I've often thought Echo sent Melee to me.  All that was missing was the big red bow. 

Where have we been?

Hello friends!

Now that we're back from our extended hiatus, we feel it's only fair to bring everyone up to speed on what we've been up to.  Over the past few years, we've heard from some of our past followers asking whether we'd resume blogging and the answer has always been the same....probably not.  At the time, it didn't seem as though we had much to say.  Echo was the driving voice and inspiration and we had lost our voice. But things do change as time marches on.  Inspiration has returned  (how can it not when you live with three Siberians??)  and we have a few surprises under our paws which we'll be sharing soon.  In the meantime, we'll bring you up to speed....

Soon after Meeka and Echo abruptly left our pack (that was a rough year for us!) we realized Shyla was lonely.  She had never been without her Siberian pack and needed that canine companionship. Shadow - the matriarch of our pack - was still with us but was happier keeping to herself.   So, the search was on for just the right friend.  There were some necessary qualifications of course:

• The new candidate must be a rescue or shelter dog
• Charming - the new guy (we wanted a male) must have it and know how to use it to win Shyla over
• Cool confidence - This is Shyla we're trying to impress after all.  Hurt feelings when she disses you is not an option
• The ability to mend a few very broken hearts

That was a tall order.  We decided we would screen the potential candidates and let Shyla make the ultimate choice.  Many suggestions came rolling in but one name kept coming up....Shanuk. After some conversations with his Foster Mom,  a meeting was arranged.  The previously posted video was the result.  A depressed, sad Shyla tried her best to ignore him but his infectious personality and persistence won her over.  He kept trying despite her unwillingness to pay any attention to him, as you can see in the video.  Mom got a few drive-by kisses which completely sold her (this guy's good!).  So, another meeting - just to make sure - and a couple weeks later, Shanuk became an essential member of our new pack.  He had BIG paws to fill but that didn't bother him.  He got right to work and before long we were trained to endure his endless and somewhat relentless mischievous antics.  He was young, energetic, and tall.  Nothing was out of bounds for this guy's mouth! But he was charming and even managed to win Shadow's approval.

We were assimilated (as any good Siberian owner would) and life continued.  Time passed and Shyla's laundry list of serious health issues robbed her of her physical ability to play as much as she did before.  With the support of a dedicated team of vets, we found meds that have made her more comfortable but life had changed somewhat for her.  It was apparent that our young boy needed a new playmate who could keep up and burn some of that snarky teenaged Siberian energy.  Enter a bouncing fuzzy baby - 18 week old Echo's Melee arrived on the scene.

 He came to us straight out of a filthy puppy mill and was absolutely terrified. Shanuk had a new job and adapted to his role as "Mommy" without any hesitation.  Everything Shanuk did, Melee did.

With Shyla's sweet, gentle nature,  and Shanuk's endless patience Melee's personality gradually emerged.  Our new pack was complete.  With their help we have healed from our losses as much as we can.  It's still tremendously hard.  Looking at pictures from our years with Meeka and Echo is still difficult some days.  

At an amazing 17 years of age, our Shadow left for The Bridge.  We miss her.  She tolerated numerous young, obnoxious Siberians, foster dogs, and an invasion of privacy for years.  She kept everyone in their place but was tired.  Over the years, some gray muzzle hairs appeared but she wore them proudly.  She certainly earned them.   With the greatest respect, we peacefully let her go.  Her whimsical confidence will always be in our hearts and there will never be another quite like her.

So here we are - Shyla, Shanuk, and Melee.  The two human kids are grown.  One is married which added a daughter in law whom we love (she doesn't mind dog hair!).  Our girl still has Logan and Niko - her two beloved and very  handsome horses and is a talented dog groomer. How handy is THAT?!

We look forward to sharing the new pack's antics and adventures with all of our friends and appreciate the warm welcome back.  

Unveiling

Hi friends!

Thanks to our very talented Kyra, we have a new look!

We really love it and are so grateful that she offered to help us out. Kyra, of K Wensing Photography, specializes in photography services in the suburban Philadelphia region but is also a talented artist.  You can see some of her work on her website as well as on Facebook.  We particularly love the  photo shoot she did with our furry cousins after a recent snowstorm.  Thanks Kyra, for helping us make Echo's blog look even better!

TGIF

Road Trip Recovery

Hello friends -

You may have noticed we've been off the grid for a few days.  Road trips are occasionally necessary and sadly, the pack can't accompany us.  This is rarely something they understand and in true Siberian style, they usually let us know exactly how they feel about it.  As resilient as they are, when we pass the initial euphoric reunion we prepare for retribution. That's okay though.  We're just as happy to see them as they are us.  Just don't tell them.  We'll get a brief reprieve today as they catch up on their sleep.  We'll enjoy the peace while we can. 

Shyla's Gotcha Day!

Hello friends!

A Gotcha Day anniversary is a good opportunity to bring you up to speed.  Many of you remember Shyla from our original pack.  She arrived when she was very young - only about a year old.  She was left in an overcrowded, overwhelmed shelter and had mere hours before some tough decisions had to be made.  She was emaciated to the point of it clearly being a case of neglect (there's a fine line between neglect and abuse!), and looked like the proverbial deer in the headlights from the noisy, chaotic environment she found herself in.  We slowly put some healthy weight back on her but over time, it became clear the early malnutrition had taken a toll.  There were significant nerve abnormalities in her hindquarters which we knew would cause some serious issues eventually.  Fast forward ten years (now) and those serious issues have arrived.  This is a good day:

Peaceful slumber is a win for our senior sweetheart.  Due to significant chronic nerve pain, tremors, and now a fracture which was recently found in her spinal vertebrae, we consider any day that she can relax a good day!  She's on a cocktail of potent meds which was carefully crafted by our amazing veterinary team who have followed her throughout her life.  The meds relieve her discomfort (on most days) and even allow her to play from time to time.  Despite her challenges her loving, gentle demeanor prevails.  Tomorrow is her GOTCHA DAY and we've been the lucky ones.  She's an inspiration for many and we look forward to a few more good years with our sweet girl.

Friends

"One who finds a faithful friend finds a treasure"

Meet Melee!

Now that you've met Shanuk, we'd like to introduce you to our "little guy".....Echo's Melee (Melee or "Monkey" for the cutest moments).  For those that diligently followed us in the past, you know it would take a very special bundle of energy to bestow a name linked so closely to our beloved Echo!  This guy seemed to fit the bill.  He arrived when he was 18 weeks old, filthy, terrified, and straight out of a not-so-pleasant puppy mill.  Although we had fostered numerous Siberians of all ages, this was our first experience with a puppy mill refugee.  It was sobering and heartbreaking.  Melee came to us completely unsocialized with absolutely no self-confidence or the typical canine skills you'd expect even at that young age.  He was a scrawny little guy who trembled nonstop for the first two days.  With our pack's help, he began to realize life wasn't so bad.  His charming, affectionate personality began to emerge after a couple weeks and he was cuter than cute.

It didn't take long for Melee to become completely enamoured with big brother/surrogate Mommy Shanuk.  Wherever Shanuk went, Melee followed.....

Today Melee is a perpetually happy, confident young man who's ready to take on the world!  Which is a good thing because we've got some important jobs for him in the near future.  :)

"I've got this Mom!"

A Girl's Prerogative

I don't always eat my breakfast.  But sometimes I'll change my mind if one of the pretty

cereal bowls is part of the presentation.

It's a girl's prerogative to change her mind.  It's just why they love me!

           Love - Shyla 

Shyla meets Shanuk

"If you're brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you
with a new hello"
                                           

Watch as Shyla chose a new companion.
Join us for a new beginning.

In Memory

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said - "It is not the length of life, but depth of life". I attribute many of my life lessons to the privilege of spending some very special days with my precious boys - Meeka & Echo. They each came with a story and maybe a little baggage. Though some might perceive that as daunting we never did. In fact, we were always amazed at the wisdom that came with their trials in life. It was ingrained in their souls and made them who they were. Each day was a new adventure and my family and I represented the "extras" in their cast of characters. Some may have found that to be unacceptable - we however, were honored. It is this attitude that is required to successfully coexist with a Siberian. The mere fact that they often would lie next to us, sometimes even touching a paw to our hand communicating something far more that only we could understand.

We always knew one day we'd have to say goodbye. It was just something that would enter your mind and you'd quickly push it aside. Meeka's demise came quickly leaving us a mere 2 weeks to come to grips with the inevitable. A mass was discovered and it swiftly grew. As gut wrenching as it was we made that excruciatingly painful decision that many pet owners must make. A final gift to the one that gave you the best years of his life so that he would not suffer and could leave with dignity. He passed very quickly which to us was his way of saying that he was tired and so ready. Echo left our world on his own terms, sparing us the pain of making that final decision. He was happily playing in our home one minute, and was gone the next - collapsing in front of me, dropping his favorite bone that he had been carrying. I've spent many years pondering which would be worse - having to make that fateful decision for them, or having them make it for me. I still don't have that answer.

Life has changed since they have left us. Many, many tears have been shed. I can barely say their names without noticing the lump in my throat. This ride is over and it was such a good one. The boys were my family's introduction to the concept of rescue. It taught us that the world can be a cruel place yet we are surrounded by compassionate, caring people and have watched so many dogs overcome so much. It has taught us resiliency. Each dog has a story and their gentle faces are haunting, reminding us that no obstacle is worth giving up the fight. We've made many friends along the way. Meeka and Echo's legacy will not end and on their behalf we will continue to devote our efforts and time to rescue. They will forever remain in our hearts and one day we'll see them again.

This will be my final post on Echo’s blog. Although his life has ended, his spirit is alive and is bright. He made so many precious friends through his blog and we have treasured their numerous adventures and comments and will continue to visit their blogs. We hope that Echo’s story has touched some hearts along the way and will encourage others to become involved with rescue even if for just an hour. We ask that in his memory, please donate a small moment of your life to a rescue or shelter. Volunteer for a few hours....ask what you can do to help whether it be transporting, walking, brushing, or stuffing envelopes. Spend a moment petting a rescue dog looking for his forever home.... look into his eyes and tell him that he's special and that he's loved. Tell him he’s beautiful and didn’t do anything wrong. Tell him he’ll find his forever family, and that they’re worth waiting for. Then tell him Meeka and Echo sent you.

With all our love -

Sweet Meeka

Meeka 2001-2010

On Thursday, July 8th at 7pm we sent our sweet Meeka on his final journey. Although we knew in our hearts it was the kindest gift we could give our beloved friend the pain for us is overwhelming.

Very recently Meeka was diagnosed with a mass in his abdominal region. Within a very short period of time it had grown extremely large. Rather than subject this proud boy to painful surgeries and treatments none of which came with any guarantees, we opted to bring him home where he belonged so that he could spend his final time with his pack. Sadly our time was very limited. We barely had time to come to grips with the reality of life without him. His mind was intact....his body was failing. I don't think there's anything more heart wrenching than that. I have to say that Meeka handled all of this much better than I. To the end he maintained his Alpha status and I could see the others communicating with him. It was subtle but it was there if you watched. They rarely left him alone yet respected his space, lying a few yards away.......ever watchful.

Our hearts are broken. The pain is tremendous. I feel him everywhere yet it's not a comfort yet. I want to reach out and pull him back to me. But I can't. I know that in time it will get easier. Every second feels like hours. I miss his gentle nature. I miss the way he took your breath away when you saw him. I miss his joy when you came through the door, even if you were only gone for 10 minutes.

The outpouring of kind words and prayers has been amazing. One never knows what to say when this happens. I read every email and message left, sometimes only a few at a time because my tears get in the way. I will save them all and will put them in his scrapbook. One of the most profound messages came from a close friend of mine. It's from a book called The Art Of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein. It is written from a dog's perspective:

"My life seems like it has been so long and so short at the same time. People speak of a will to live. They rarely speak of a will to die. Because people are afraid of death. Death is dark and unknown and frightening. But not for me. It is not the end.".......... "after a dog dies, his soul is released into the world around us. His soul is released to run in the world, run through the fields, enjoy the earth, the wind, the rivers, the rain, the sun, the - When a dog dies, his soul is released to run until he is ready to be reborn. "

For now I'll hold on to that thought. It will get me through the day. I thank all of you for loving Meeka as much as we did.