RIP Pearl the Dog, 1999-2012
 

She started her life as the little niece to Bean, her elder. Bean, my first dog, was a typically bold Boston Terrier, having gotten the bulldog side of the Boston Terrier family. Pearl was the terrier side. My ex described them perfectly: Bean was the OCD dog and Pearl was the ADHD dog. Bean had his obsessions and Pearl was the insouciant dumb blonde.

We always thought Bean was none too bright, but Pearl came along and showed us what a doofus dog really was. Bean went through obedience and learned certain things he’d know his whole life. When we called, he would instantly come. He knew the hand signals for each major command. Meanwhile, Pearl went through and only wound up with basics: sit, and recall. Pearl was just too easily distracted and just didn’t have time for all that nonsense.

But Pearl was special from day one. The name “Pearl” was inspired by Perl, the programming language. We picked out her name before meeting her... and before learning that she was a kind of rare, all-white Boston Terrier. And her breeder had been calling her “girlfriend”, rhyming with our chosen “Pearl”.

Aside from her all-white color, Pearl was a model Boston Terrier. Her immediate family of champions produced a strong dog indeed. I didn’t realize what this meant, until owning two very different dogs. Bean came from super-champ stock, but he had faults. His gait was all front-wheel drive; he had a massive and powerful chest powering his front, but his hindquarters seemed like an afterthought. We said he had “sexy legs”, but they were actually underdeveloped.

Pearl, in comparison, was AWD, with a strong hinders and powerful rear kicky-legs. With a straight back and a beautiful expression, if she had turned out the typical black-and-white Boston Terrier she would have been a champion for sure.

Although Bean was your typical dominant personality, and Pearl your typical submissive personality, Pearl at age 1 had more powerful jaws than Bean, and so they settled into a pack order where Pearl was dominant. Bean seemed resigned to his fate, living under a powerful bitch. With age, he was starting to show the signs of his other weaknesses as a dog: a spine that did not develop properly, and a jaw that had pain during tugs-of-war. In dog land, tug-of-war outcome is really important.

The amazing differences between Bean and Pearl taught me about personality. Bean was very much a “dog’s dog”, and would boss around bigger dogs five times his size. Pearl was very much a “people’s dog”, enjoying the company of humans over dogs. She was always skittish around other dogs, but she was always comforted by the presence of people. Her temperment was simply beautiful, and she had not one bone of aggressiveness in her body. She simply loved people.

When Bean died, Pearl was 5. Pearl, then, would become my one constant companion through married life, divorced life, dating life, girlfriend life, engaged life, broken-up life..Through two business startups and business failures. Through several adult children trying to find their way, and then a toddler visiting every other weekend. Pearl would be loved by many family members, related to me or not.

She lived a gifted life, from owners that cared for her deeply and insisted on only the best food and the best veterinary treatment. I have always said, one of the great things about life in our modern society is that we get to spoil our animals.

At age 8, she would eat a cooked steak bone and require vet treatment. They wanted to operate on her and remove the bone, but they found she had a fairly bad heart murmur. At the time, they thought her life expectancy would be 12 without the murmur, but her heart would get her by age 10.

Pearl, the well-built, hearty trooper, would keep going to 13.

She began passing out due to arrhythmia on Feb. 15. Ten months later, she moved with me to the farmhouse, having one cardiac event per day, but hanging in there. The vets had given her one longer final inning, with the medication updates and monitoring through this time. And it was a great favor to me to have my companion around for these big changes in my life. I’m glad she made it to the farmhouse, even though the last two weeks must have confused her.

And companion for sure. During most of her life, I worked from home, and Pearl would follow me everywhere. If I went upstairs she would trail me and stand where she could see where I was going next. She spent most of her life napping by my side, with one eye open to make sure I wasn’t leaving. It’s going to take a long time to get used to not having her there.

Through the last six months and all her difficulties, I must have mourned for her 100 times. I thought to myself that it wouldn’t make this day any easier. But you know what: it has. I feel stronger today and I know that I was more able to do the very best thing for her this morning.

During the last two days she got very much weaker; along with the cough, she had labored breathing and was starting to suffer. This morning she collapsed harder than she normally does, losing her bowels and coughing up fluid, and I could not feel any heartbeat for five minutes. I thought she was dead right then, but she came back to consciousness only to be half-aware. She was obviously having great difficulty breathing, and quaking in either fear or pain. She survived the trip to the vet but was barely aware of me when I said my last goodbye before her emergency euthanasia.

Even the vets were sad to see her go. They had come to know her through her regular visits.

I thank the Cellar for reading my bits about her final months. It was helpful to me to be able to grieve to you all. I actually feel a sense of relief that her long final battle is over. I have been spending the last six months worrying about her, medicating her, taking care of her. Tomorrow I won’t have to make sure I get home with enough time to take care of my little Pearl. But the house will be emptier, and that’s the saddest part.

heartbreaking Tony, I'm so sorry.

endings are so hard, but this is one of the best possible. just like the great life you shared, together. my heart goes out to you Tony.

Another light in the sky! Bless you and dear sweet Pearl...

I'm sorry to see this thread, but knew it was coming. I'm glad you had her over the last several months through your life changes. You did your best for her, right up to the end. :sniff:

Aww, I'm so sorry, UT.

Rest in peace, Pearl.

Ahhh Tony, my heart goes out you. *hugs*

A worthy tribute to a true friend. RIP Pearl.

So sorry :(

Oh Tony. So sad.

RIP Pearl. You were loved and you will be missed. :apaw::heartpump


(((((((((((((Tony))))))))))

What a lovely tribute. Tony we all know, as I'm sure that Pearl did, that you did your very best for your most faithful companion. Like you, I am glad that she was able to move with you to the farmhouse, and that you will still see her investigating the new smells, and trotting away I the dark in her new territory. I am glad that you shared so much of her last days here with us. What are friends for, if not to help you bear your troubles? You are both in my thoughts.


Sent by thought transference

So sorry man, it is hard to lose a good friend. Dogs are just so simple, honest, and loyal, they're just the best companions evolution could provide. :sniff:

I first met little Pearl in the cellar. Fitting I should pop back in to bid her farewell and give my condolences to you, UT. She was a good dog.

So sorry for your loss ,
Rip Pearly girly .

I'm so sorry Tony.

What a beautiful tribute to a wonderful companion, Tony. Thank you for sharing with us, and for the privilege of sharing something of the last months of Pearl's time here. I will also remember that photo of her heading off along the trail in the woods, nose down, intent, so happy. You gave her the best life a dog could have, and she gave as much back. Much sympathy. {{{hugs}}}

<3 Pearl.

Sorry to hear this, Tony, well done for caring for her throughout her illness.

Tony, I'm so sorry to hear this - but she knows how loved she was. Bean is waiting to welcome her to the great DogPark. Warmest thoughts to you.

<3

I'm so sorry.

Thank you for sharing this.

My condolences.

My condolences on your loss.

So sorry. You were an awesome owner/companion.

That was a beautiful post Tony.
When I saw the thread title I said out loud, "Oh no, she's died." I didn't expect to read something so moving.
Thank you.

And very sorry for your loss.

sorry, bro

I'm so sorry, Tony. :(

So sad about Pearl. She was a cute little puppy dog. xxx

I'm late with my condolences (I did paste on FB) but wanted to tell you, tony, that that was a beautiful tribute you wrote.


You did Pearl proud.


I'm so so sorry. I have a terrier and she's the most significant relationship in my life and has been for the past five years. My heart goes out to you once again.

Pearl, I wish you endless frisbees and table scraps in your doggy heaven.

UT, I wish you heart-healing and peace.

You've had a hard road lately. I hope next year brings better things for you.

Amen to that.

I thank everybody for your thoughts. You are touching. You are important to me.

It makes me wish I would have shared more of her story during her life.

Of course, what I would have shared would have been my life, reflected in her story. I guess that's what it's really all about, to some degree...?

When I miss her now, it's when she would have been there... and isn't. When I finish a dinner she liked the smell of, and when she would have loved to lick that plate. When I get under the covers and there isn't a little dog wanting to get under the covers too. When I hear a noise that maybe she would have created -- but no, it's just a random noise, not the Boston Terrier snort behind the corner.

It's not fair to reflect on this now and not have reflected on it so much more when she was around.

The girl was headed downhill for so long that I was ready. Strong enough to handle the emergency euthanasia and still hold it together to manage the plumbing emergency that night. I really did get to have an extra six months with her. And that was what was beautiful. The "extra inning" thread, that was really what it was all about. Not this one.

Yes, it's about the life you shared. You were both very blessed. A loved companion will always be near you, in your thoughts and in your memories.
Hugs, Tony.

Sent by thought transference.

I know from my own experience that the extra innings is a precious thing. Vets are truly amazing. They gave my lad extra time and I was and am deeply grateful for every minute of that time.

I know you didn't talk a lot about Pearl before all this started, but you talked of her enough, and posted pictures enough, that I felt a connection to her, as a loved dwellar pet. I feel priveleged to have been able to share some of her last journey with you. She was a special little dog.

This time last year I was heading to where you are now at. And all of you here, all my friends, helped me immeasurably to cope and to find the points of light in a very dark time. It helped somehow, to know that his passing was marked by so many people beyond his immediate pack. And even that someone in a whole other country, who had never met him in the fur, felt moved enough to cry salt tears for him.

Pearl touched so many people without even knowing. She was and always will be in some way a part of the Cellar. More so than most because she was your baby. In a way, like the landlord's dog in a favourite bar, she was The Cellar Dog. And she will be missed by us all.

I still think of Shila (our beagle) every day when I come home from work. I still expect to see her at the door wagging her whole body.

I am so sorry for your loss. I am even more sorry you had to endure the "cough" I was hoping you would not have had to go through that.
The stress part is over, the emptiness is just starting. Only you will know when that will be over :)
My thoughts are with you, and while I know words do not help much on the bad days, on the good days, they mean more than some can imagine. If you ever want to talk, please let me know. I know several of us have gone through this same loss in the past few years, and I know every one of us would be willing to help someone else get through it too!
Keep strong and remember all the good things about Pearl. I know from reading about her, there is lots!

It was a great favor you did for me, Jaydaan, to share the symptom that would be her final sign of life.

To die of a heart that was too big was a beautiful, final symbol of what Pearl stood for.

That's a beautiful way to put it Tony.

Having been distracted by the holidays I just caught this thread. Sorry to hear this, even though it was expected by all of us, it's still sad. :(