Rudy - June 2, 1991 - February 17, 2006

He was always just so very glad to see ya, But when you were ready to leave, he never wanted you to go. He loved to be touching some part of you, Just his own way of letting his love show. He’d jump up on the couch and sit with you Whether or not you wanted him to Nobody seemed to mind Everyone knew he was kind And everyone was kind back to him, an automatic reaction - a whim - Everyone knows how we love him so and how he loved us back - the bond between the 3 of us cannot compare to anything - will not compare to another. This January, Rudy couldn’t walk due to arthritis of the spine. Modern medicine, our love and support and the love and support of our caring neighbor Allen, (who helped me lift Rudy and take him outside when Ken was traveling) helped Rudy walk a bit for about 3 more weeks. Then, all 4 legs went down again and all the medicine, physical therapy, love, support, care, prayers and hopes failed. His spirit remained as it ever was until his last days, when his sweet body began to break down and we chose to be by his side when he slipped away and went to sleep. Our lives are changed forever and our hearts are broken. Our home is filled with a deafening silence and a lonely void.

…we were always so very glad to see him, but when he was ready to leave, we never wanted him to go. Rudy - June 2, 1991 - February 17, 2006 (14 years 8 months) (aka: Rudz, Roo, Roo-Roo, Arty, The Boy, Baby, Mum-Mum’s Baby Boy, Buddy, Sweet Boy ) AKC - “Mama’s Boy Rudy” was pick of the litter. His parents and grandparents were all AKC registered champions. He hated mushrooms. He loved vanilla ice cream from Dairy Queen and Budweiser. He lived for the weekends to take walks with Ken and he loved going on Jeep rides Sunday mornings to get the newspaper. He never bit or disliked anyone. He was Mum-Mum’s ‘Angel Boy’ an eerie nickname that just came out one day in January. You could always count on seeing him in the window waiting to greet you when you visited. He has left paw prints on all of our hearts. ------------------------------------------------------------
Mark, I wanted to give you an update on Rudy. It hasn't been very long at all, in fact, he has only had 3 treatments of the oral cortisone - my mistake, I previously had said they were administering an oral steroid and I was wrong - but already, he is putting weight on both of his back legs, which previously, he could not do, and today, he pushed himself up from a lying position with his front paws (unaffected), then pushed himself up with this back paws, (which had been dead a few days ago) stood up all by himself, very wobbly and awkward, and hobbled slowly about 8 or 10 steps to grammy (my mom). We both had tears in our eyes. His feet were turned under and righted themselves a few times - but he got there and then lowered himself and she got down on the floor with him and so did I. I have to also tell you, that I took the rear end support leash that I purchased from you, unpackaged to the vets office with me the day I went to pick him up to take him home to see if I should try to use it or if I should return it as when I ordered it, he was walking independently and when it arrived, he had gone into the state of not being able to walk. The vet said "Yes definitely use it" and even though it is still rough for me to handle him on my own outside, this leash has really taken a lot of stress and pressure off me. I use it in conjunction with his seatbelt to help balance his weight. Today he walked a few steps independent of the rear end leash - it was attached, but I didn't have to hold him up - he didn't want to go inside and it was snowing and raining outside, a mix that usually, he will not even go out in. Baby steps - I know, but if they are the least bit positive, I will take them. Mark, I am glad I found you too. I would like to get some info about your website to my vets office as - for as good as they are at hands on care and emergency situations, and emotional support when I asked for local special needs products and support, the only thing they could do was refer me to the internet. When you become the owner of a special needs pet overnight as I did, you seldom have the time to browse the internet for support and product information and then try to narrow it down.