Farewell to the Duke

[Brian Shaffer]

My faithful dog Duke passed away yesterday morning.
He will be forever missed.
So long my friend.
Brian

[Larry S]

Brian:
Sorry about Duke's passing. Our animal friends give so much and demand
so little in return. Lots of folks on the Kiene board can relate to this.
Best,
Larry S

[Scott V]

I feel your lost, I lost 2 of my best friends last year that were 14 years old. Nothing harder than to say good bye to someone that always loves you no matter what. I have the ashes from them both and it helps a lot emotionally for me and my wife.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

We had two good old dogs who finally went to doggy heaven too.

I still miss them.....

[Frank Alessio]

Duke was a fine looking friend...It is hard to type thru tears....

[BillB]

The very reason I never took a replacement for Art. I was so devastated that I promised to never let that happen to me again. I had to drive him to the vet to top it all off. Now my pet is an Oklahoma box turtle that will outlive me!

[Ed Wahl]

I feel for ya Brian. It's tough to lose an old friend.

I have an old Duke myself, and I appreciate him all the more the closer he gets to the end of the trail.

You know when you buy a pup that it's only for a short time, but that knowledge never makes it any better when they go.

I'm raising a toast to your ole Duke right now, never met him but I've never met a dog I didn't like.

R.I.P. Duke.

Ed

[Terry Imai]

Gene Hill was the finest outdoor writer especially when dogs were his subject. Please enjoy his wisdom:

He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds; my other ears that hear above the winds. He is the part of me that can reach out into the sea. He has told me a thousand times over that I am his reason for being; by the way he rests against my leg; by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile; by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him. (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along to care for me.)

When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive. When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile. When I am happy, he is joy unbounded. When I am a fool, he ignores it. When I succeed, he brags. Without him, I am only another man. With him, I am all-powerful. He is loyalty itself.

He has taught me the meaning of devotion. With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace. He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant.

His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things. He has promised to wait for me... whenever... wherever — in case I need him. And I expect I will — as I always have. He is just my dog.

I can't imagine living in a house without a couple of dogs. If I ever got out of bed at night and didn't have to step over a Labrador or two or three, or move one off the covers so I could turn over, my nights would be more restless and the demons that wait in the dark for me would be less easily fended.

I can't think of anything that brings me closer to tears than when my old dog — completely exhausted after a hard day in the field — limps away from her nice spot in front of the fire and comes over to where I'm sitting and puts her head in my lap, a paw over my knee, and closes her eyes, and goes back to sleep. I don't know what I've done to deserve that kind of friend.

I like them all — pointers, setters, retrievers, spaniels — what have you. I've had good ones and bad of several kinds. Most of the bad ones were my fault and most of the good ones would have been good under any circumstances.

It's not really important that Tip was a good dog to hunt over, but it is important to me that she was a good dog to be with. She was my pal. We enjoyed being with each other. I don't know that you can ask for much more.

No one can fully understand the meaning of love unless he's owned a dog. A dog can show you more honest affection with a flick of his tail than a man can gather through a lifetime of handshakes.

We never really own a dog as much as he owns us.

Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot little puppies.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4HBTjzFQ8k