Franklin
April 10, 2009

IN MEMORY

Our beloved Franklin died a year ago today. It still smarts right behind the eyes to write that.

He was a wonderful being.

Yesterday, we put his neck chain and "jewelry" in the cabinet along with his ashes and other mementos.

We had kept it out, hanging on the back of a cabinet door, so we could feel it and hold it. For a long time, it smelled like him.

The other night, Booker was lying in Franklin's place outside. Near the spa on the other side of the little wall.

We figured that Franklin was whispering to him again. A way of commenting on the similarities of the two Airedales.

And then there are the differences. Franklin was and is a unique animal to us. And he does smell different. He was flightier in a good way. Always ready to welcome people and to be petted and adored. He was a character. Sometimes baffling and rarely annoying.

He barked a lot. We had complaints from the neighbor. Only one. The one without a dog.

Franklin wanted to be everyone's friend. Human and dog. Not everyone would cooperate. He would persist.

He did have some enemy dogs and he would not hesitate to try to kick their asses.

Emotional. Volatile. Energetic.

When he got sick at the end, it took awhile to figure what was wrong and then it was too late.

We could not have done anything about it. The cancer was not obvious and it moved fast.

We said goodbye in his favorite spot. The vet, his "best friend" (there were many of those) came over and helped us all along through the process.

It is one of the hardest things that I have ever had to go through. Bar none.

Franklin's life compelled us to find an Airedale brother as soon as we could. We missed that unique energy so.

And now we have sedate, powerful, sweet tempered Booker. The gentle giant. He purrs. He "talks" all the time. A low groan not a growl. I have never heard such a thing. Lisa says he is an old soul. He is a looker.

He is not Franklin. He is Booker.

He allows a lot of room in our hearts to mourn and appreciate "the first dog". I think that he knows.

He takes good care of us as we do of him. We have a bargain to make this time together count because, in a way, we thought the time with Franklin would somehow be forever. And it was not. He left early.

Love the ones you are with while they are here. And take their love in return. That is the best Franklin lesson I can think of.

Earl and John

National Airedale Rescue has allowed me the privilege of establishing this fund to honor my darling Grace, and also Duchey, Chloe and Celeste (by proxy) to help rescue dogs.  The fund will be used as needed by NAR, but the primary focus will be to assist in special needs training.  Grace was the little girl who would not sit, and later went on to earn her CGC.  She was always ready and willing to perform demonstrations for all my training classes.  She was a very most special girl!  All of my dogs were rescued dogs!  Some times they just need a little extra support.

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DONATE TO THE GRACE J. SIBLEY MEMORIAL FUND

If you would like to make a donation to the Grace's special Fund, please make your check payable to National Airedale Rescue, Inc., and note in the memo section that it is for the Grace J. Sibley Memorial Fund.

Send your check to:

National Airedale Rescue, Inc.
ATTN: Rusty LaFrance, Treasurer
8524 Maggie Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89143

You can also make a donation by PayPal or credit card by clicking the "Donate" button below.

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APPLY FOR A GRANT FROM THE GRACE J. SIBLEY MEMORIAL FUND

The Grace J. Sibley Memorial Fund is meant to assist with the expenses of Airedales in rescue that need more training than the foster home is able to provide in order to be adoptable.   Volunteers need to contact the Treasurer with the full background of the dog, the behavioral issue that needs to be addressed, the plan for training and the amount requested.

Rusty LaFrance
Click Here to Email
702-656-2736

Gabbie Talusan

Gabbie was our first Airedale.  She wasn't a rescue -- she came to us through a reputable breeder and we saw her through her championship and 2 litters of pups.  We were so in love with Airedales by that point, that we kept a pup out of each litter and our hands were full with three Airedales running around.  She was everything you could ask for in an Airedale -- lots of sass, attitude, spunk, smarts, loyalty, stubbornness, a clown and a best friend.

She was there when my husband and I met, saw me through graduation with my masters degree, was there for our wedding and the day that we brought home our newborn son.   Those 10 1/2 years went by so fast that there isn't a moment when I can't remember her not being there.   She was there through lots of laughter, joy, tears, and any other mood that you can think of.   She came on so many road trips, thousands of walks, romps in the park, and watched countless hours of TV just laying by my side.  She loved playing frisbee, loved NOT playing fetch (she would chase after the ball, stop and stare at it….and would wait for me to go get it), loved sticking her head out of the car window, loved sitting beside me, loved going through her trick routine to get a treat, loved counter surfing, loved watching me cook in case I dropped something, loved playing with her pups, loved waiting by the door for someone to come through the door and loved getting petted, scratched, kissed and belly rubbed. She was just filled with so much love.   The day that we saw her off to the Rainbow Bridge, she was surrounded by her two favorite humans -- petting her, kissing her, hugging her and telling her how much we loved her.   We showered her with love right up until the end and are still loving her, even though she is gone.   She'll always be in our hearts and our memories.  Gabbie, we miss and love you so much.

When I experience the loss of a senior canine friend I always feel for her human companion. People who adopt our senior Dales, especially when they have a load of medical problems, hold a very special place in my heart as do those crippled old Airedales themselves. So my thoughts are with Trisha (Airedale Rescue volunteer) during this time and wish her comfort with the loss of her beloved Gracie.

Gracie had been in rescue far too long--often kenneled. I guess she was what many considered "hard to adopt" because no one wanted to take on an older dog with tumors, hip problems and as it turned out liver problems. But Trisha saw her photo on a website and she knew it was meant to be.

I met Gracie the day Trisha got her and I knew the two would be inseparable. It was mutual love at first site. Gracie was not the most glamorous Airedale I had ever seen and her medical problems were readily apparent. She displayed difficulty getting up from a down position and walked with a bit of a shuffle. Trisha in her reliably obsessive way scheduled Gracie to meet with her vet. The vet exam was extensive. Several cysts and tumors were oozing and were removed for biopsy, blood work indicated elevated liver enzymes (from rimadyl), her teeth were in poor condition and she exhibited a lot of pain. ATCA Rescue came to Trisha´s aid to help her deal with the first round of vet costs understanding that Trisha had taken on a senior Dale that would continue to need special care.

But I never cease to be amazed at the heart of an Airedale and how miracles seem to happen when connection with the right human is made. Progress was slow but day-by-day Gracie improved. The vet used a combination of traditional veterinary medicine and homeopathy to soothe Gracie´s weary system. While at first Gracie could only walk a block or two, by last summer she was up to one mile. Trisha followed the vet´s recommendations administering special herb combinations and preparing special food when needed. Trisha cared for her with absolute devotion.

Gracie was with us only 18 months. But she will be missed as if she had been here 10 yrs. On Christmas Eve my husband and I had been with Trisha and Gracie and Gracie was doing her usual inspection of the goodies. So the end came rather quickly. Her body was filled with cancer.

I write this tribute for Trisha and in memory of Gracie. But I also write it for all the true Airedale lovers who have it in their hearts to bring a senior Airedale into their home and love and care for them until the end comes. To me that is the most generous gift of all.

Dorothy Duff
New Mexico Rescue

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