For Keiko

Yesterday I said good bye to my sweet Keiko. She was 11 and had starting taking fits back in May. She was being treated with epiphen and we also gave her metacam for her achy joints. In the last week she displayed all the typical signs of doggie dementia and we knew it was time to let her go.

She stopped greeting us when we came home, would pace the floor panting, didn't want to play or go for a walk. She stopped wagging her tail
Early Saturday morning she was lying on the couch with me with her head in the crook of my arms looking into my eyes, it seemed she was crying and I kissed her and promised I would make it all better. She licked me and dozed off while I held her, listening to her breathe.

Our vet was so sensitive and compassionate giving us all the time we needed. We held and kissed her while she slipped away.

I lay this morning in the same place on the same couch without her comforting weight against me. My heart was so full with love and memories and missing her, a heart that has loved and been loved by a staffie can never be empty again, that's the way it works. I could feel her gratitude that I kept my promise.

Keiko came to us at 5 weeks old, too young to be away from her mother I know but the 'person' who had the litter was weaning them early as he needed to get rid of them. He didn't want money but accepted £20 towards the food for the mother as he couldn't afford to keep her either. Now I was mad at my husband for bringing her home, I was a cat person and no way did I want a dog especially not a 'vicious killer breed' Yes. I'm sorry to say I believed all the misconceptions. But, here's one of the things people like me learn about staffies. They will take the smallest space on the bed or couch, wiggle a little more and a little more, then push and stretch til they have all the space they need..plus a bit extra for good measure. that's exactly what she did to my heart and I'm so grateful to her for that.

Keiko was amazing, smart loyal, loving gentle ...she always had to be touching you when she slept, either on your lap when she was little or a paw or nose on you when she was bigger. She loved to lie in the crook of my legs.
Her tail was the waggiest you've ever seen and asking her if she was a wagawag dog sent it into a frenzy of activity.
I could spend ages telling of all her wee quirks and habits,

She had the softest ears and I would rub them for hours, her black hair formed a zizag pattern down her back , her tail was a little crooked with a white tip. I miss her more than words.

She taught me unconditional love and in honour of her we have decided to get another pup. I will not let her lessons go to waste. Some may think it's too soon for such a decision but it feels right to us.

Keiko will always be alive in my heart, love like hers doesn't die.

Good night my sweet angel thank you for being mine, I love you always xx

i'm soo sorry

So very sorry for your loss. Our hearts and prayers to you and your family during this difficult time

Hiya again, thats a lovely tribute to Keiko my heart is sad for you also. She will always be with you, run free gorgeous girl at Rainbow Bridge. We are here if ever you need to talk xxx

its so hard to loose them I put my staffie bitch down at 13 year old after cancer r.i.p kieko run free in heaven I said I woudnt have another but I did chin up and think of the good times thats what got me threw the bad times

What a beautiful tribute and so precisely describes how a Staffy leaves a paw print on your heart

What a gorgeous tribute. They do spread across your heart as they do the bed and oh aren't they so very good at that. So very sorry for your loss. Time will pass and you will remember all the funny times, all the good times and all the love

so sorry to hear of your loss,rip keiko gorgeous girl

Thank you all for your kind thoughts, means a lot x

R.i.p keiko heaven gained another angel

So very sorry to read of your loss, run free at Rainbow Bridge Keiko

Dear Keiko, I'm missing you today, I miss you everyday but today seems harder somehow. It's only been 2 weeks but people expect you to be 'over it' somehow like 11 yrs of love can be grieved in such a short space of time. We talk about you a lot, all the good times the little things you did our wee mischief maker but I'm not supposed to cry any more . So here I will tell you I miss you and wish I could hug you one more time, take another walk, feel you lay your chin on my knee looking up at me with your beautiful brown eyes, hear you come into the kitchen when I'm grating cheese to clean up the crumbs, have you stretch your paw out to touch my leg when I sit on the couch even though you're asleep and snoring like a hog, so many precious little things.. The cows were in the field today and I swear they were looking at the house waiting for you to give them a row for being in your field, maybe that's why it feels raw today. I love you puppychick and miss you my little wagadog, sleep tight x

oh my nicky,i cried my eyes out reading that love,two weeks,two years will never be enough time to grieve for our beloved dogs,i know i will be a complete wreak when the time comes,so you cry all you need to and like you say remember all the good times and come on here if you need to talk xx

Thank you Stella, it helps to have a place where people understand and don't think you're strange.

Oh Nicky, crying with ya hun, must be raw some days more than others. Grieve as long as you need too and as Stella says we are always here so cry and type away all you want Xxx

So sorry pal, we are always here for you and I'm sure Keiko is watching over you.

So sorry Nicky, of course you'll miss her and you need to grieve as we all do when we lose our beauties. I try to think of all the love and special gifts they give us and hope we give back as much.

Nicky, two weeks is no time at all. Keiko was such a huge part of your life and will have left such big empty space. Grieving is different for all of us, some seem to keep busy and move on quietly whilst others are visibly stunned for some time.

What I can promise you is that eventually the grief subsides and over time the happy memories take over. There is no timescale for this, we are all different. If ever you just want to say something about Keiko or just relive some happier times feel free to share them here on this forum with people that understand.

Xxxxxxxxxxx