Eddy’s Memorial
GSD/Great Dane Mix
From: Riverside, California
Adopted Dec 22, 2019
Crossed the Rainbow Bridge: Sept 5, 2022
My heart hurts to tell you that Eddy passed away today, Monday morning around 730a. He waited until I came home from my graveyard shift to pass away in my arms.
Eddy had been declining and recently lost his ability to use his rear legs. He had an acupuncture session on Thursday and seemed to be in better spirits afterwards. He was using his rear left leg to scoot himself around. And we had been hoisting him up to help him walk.
It had been a real struggle to lift his 80 pound body in and out of the house and around the ranch. But all he wanted was to be next to me. Eddy was so loyal and loving. And so when Vince left for work at 5a, Eddy positioned himself by the gate, so that he would be the first to greet me.
I knew when I arrived home at 630a, that he was not feeling well. He normally has a booming bark to announce my arrival, but he was unusually quiet. I laid down with him and called Vince to come home.
Eddy’s eyes began to flutter and I whispered in his ears that it was ok for him to go....And that all the other dogs that we had rescued in 2019, in memory of Teddy were waiting for him. Eddy was the last one of that group.
Teddy was a senior Cattle Dog that we rescued from the Front Street Shelter in Sacramento in August 2016. He passed away from hemangiosarcoma in April 2019. I pushed aside my broken heart and turned my grief into action by rescuing 5 senior dogs later that year. Those dogs were Maggie, Rocky, Snoopy, Kovi and lastly Eddy.
Eddy was completely opposite of a Cattle Dog... he was a big love bug with the biggest head and floppy ears. We couldn't believe that no one wanted the big guy. Eddy was at the Riverside County shelter for months.
His shelter name was 'Ted' and the last 4 digits of his shelter ID was 1184. Those specific numbers have special meaning to me. My first dog's birthday was 1/1/84 and I saw it a sign that we should rescue 'Ted' even though he was not a Cattle Dog.
Despite the fact that we had already rescued 4 dogs in Teddy's memory, there was one more dog that we were meant to have... and we renamed him Eddy.
Vince brought Eddy home just a few days before Christmas in 2019. Eddy had several lumps and bumps, but was otherwise healthy for a 8 to 10 year old GSD/Great Dane mix. We had the lumps removed and had him neutered at the same time.
Eddy learned how to be a ranch dog by following the other sanctuary dogs. He had a booming bark and would like to bark at the horses. Eddy sometimes played the part of the "fun police" and would bark at the other dogs if they got too rambunctious.
Otherwise, Eddy was a sweet soul and he would often be found lounging on a bed or rolling in the grass. Eddy loved shearing day and he would tear into the wool. And of course, he was always watching over me as I did ranch chores. Watching him steal Revlon's grain and catching Revlon's reaction is probably one of my all time favorite pictures of Eddy. So many good times in such a short period of time.
Eddy would often go under people's legs and especially with Vince.. hit him where it hurts.
Eddy even did a couple of pet therapy visits. But his rear legs progressively got weaker due to his Degenerative Myelopathy, so he stopped doing the visits.
Eddy fought every day for the past year to get up and walk. He had a lot of gumption and spirit, and he literally willed his legs to walk until his body gave out.
Donations by monthly sponsors enabled us to give him biweekly cold laser/acupuncture, weekly Adequan injections, and daily supplements that helped prolonged his life and ability to walk.
So thank you so much for your support. We will have his body cremated and we will bury his ashes under a memorial tree that we will eventually plant at the ranch.
Love you big head Ed