Missing – Dad and Bob.

Of all the things I have ever written this is the toughest.

As this is Bob’s blog I will explain his story first.

On the 23rd of April, my best 4 legged buddy passed away. Bob has always been with me as I type my blog entries. His favourite position was to sleep on my feet and snore softly as I typed. It is an overused statement but – I miss him.

We were told, as many of you know, in March of 2018 that we would be lucky to have him with us for another month or two.

For me my emotions are like a daily rollercoaster as only four weeks before Bob, my Dad passed away. I was starting to come to terms with that loss when Bob left us.

I am still recovering from the shock of losing two strong well-loved individuals, (yes I know that Bob was to most – only a dog) who played such a big part in my daily life. In fact, in the past four years, my life has been centred around them and visits to Doctors and Veterinarians.

For Ellie, life has become a confusing place. She always had Bob with her except when she was working and even then when she arrived back home, he was at the back of the car ready to welcome her. Now when she gets out of the car she tends to stand and look around the yard as though expecting him to amble around the corner to say hello. She is not the only one who does this.

I really don’t want to stop writing the blog as I am still learning and working with dogs, but I am open to suggestions from the few who read my ramblings. But without Dad and Bob, the world has tilted.

I have visited the vets many times, as I stated above, but on that horrible evening, there was something that sort of freaked me out. The only four-legged client at the surgery was an Elkhound pup! Norwegian Elkhounds are not a popular breed here in Meath.

As always any and all comments are appreciated by me, and Ellie.

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17 thoughts on “Missing – Dad and Bob.

  1. Maria,
    I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of Bob the Norwegian Elkhound. In my life I’ve bred many litters and kept nearly a dozen of these lovable, loyal hounds close to my heart and in my home over the years. Several old ones I bred even came home to spend their last weeks with me. It is never easy when they pass over the rainbow 🌈 bridge. I once lost a horse 🐴 of 20 years, my grandmother 👵 and my first home-bred Norwegian Elkhound 🐕 all within a few months of each other. Your loss may feel tremendous today but in the future Bob will become the best memories you will cherish often. 🐾💕

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  2. Ah, Maria, that is the toughest thing. The missus and I just got a young pup to go with our 4- and 10-year old goldens, and this makes the sixth dog we’ve had together. That means we’ve laid to rest three (Mickey, King, and Maverick) in our time. Each time is agonizing. And with a ten-year old golden retriever I fear that agony is not far off again.

    My heart goes out to you. Bob was far more than a just a dog.

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  3. I am so, so sorry, Maria. Too many losses. I love the name decidinglybob and hope you decide to keep it. Much love to you and your family.

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  4. I recall years ago digitally thumbing through WordPress postings tagged with “dogs” when I encountered a photo of this amazing creature who immediately captured my attention. He was a furry guy with a face that had such dignity and which exuded such calmness as if he knew he was the master of all he surveyed. Over the years, I came to learn a bit of his family – two and four-legged – and heard of his stories and the expressions of his giant personality.
    I never met Bob but I counted him as a friend. He always was a fascination to me. I made a lot of Bob jokes, in part I suppose because some Bob’s lazy traits and fondness for comfort and naps cut mighty close to my own proclivities! Perhaps because my family ancestors counted Ireland as home, the notion of having a canine buddy in Ireland had a special appeal. I’m not really sure why I became enchanted by this dog.
    I knew Bob was an old pup and beset with challenges but it came nonetheless as a sad shock to learn of his passing. Oh, the sadness for you, Maria, and yours and my condolences to all. It’s my habit of a Saturday night to sit with a glass of bourbon and read a bit. Tonight, I’ll be switching to an Irish whiskey and I’ll raise my glass to to a very good doggo. The best of doggos – Bob.

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    • Your words brought a smile to my face, thank you. It is nice to hear you ‘got’ him. With him gone, I doubted if I could write the post. You are correct, I have lost three other 4 legged friens but his has really knocked me for six, perhaps it is due to losing Dad a few weeks before. My Dad was a kind patient, well educated man who always mde me feel safe and loved, just like Bob.
      Take care and give Maxwell a hug.

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  5. Oh I’m so sorry to hear about Bob and your dad. It really unsettles your world doesn’t it? In the past 18 months I lost my husband and both Chief and Inga. Inga was our Norwegian Elkhound. Chief was a chow/terrier mix. Right now I’m happy to just get through each day. Sending big hugs!

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    • My tears at this moment are for you, and me. I am sorry to hear you lost your husband and your 4 legged buddies. You are correct, all we can do for now is put one foot in front of the other knowing that if the roles were reversed we would wish they would find comfort in the good times and love we shared . Take care, Maria and Ellie.

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  6. Maria, I was so sorry to learn of your two huge losses. I’ve been AWOL a lot from the blog world over the past while, just dipping in and out at random, so I wasn’t aware Bob had gone until I read your post of today. I lost my sweet lunatic Destra last December, as you may know, and so many others before her … Keeping dogs means losing them, and it hurts every time. When it’s a “heart dog”, as Bob clearly was, the pain is excruciating.

    And then, your Dad … Dementia is a terrible thing – my Dad had Alzheimer’s – and I’d never wish the curse of living with it for a long time on anyone, and for those left behind it means you’ve suffered a double loss – the slow one to the disease, and then the actual physical loss. Again, I’m so, so sorry.

    I’m glad you’re not shutting down your blog, and I like that you’re not changing the name. It’s still Bob’s blog, after all! Even if he’s not physically there to help you write it, he helped you start it. Anyway … I’m just glad it’s still here, and look forward to reading more about your dog journey, and the other snippets of your life that you share.

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