Petal 1995-2008

In October 1995 we helped Petal into this world and today my mom and I helped her out. She was in my arms at the beginning and at the end and had my heart every second in between.

She was the smallest puppy born into a litter of 9 - one of the largest litters Immerzu Pulis has ever had. We bottle fed her several times a day and encouraged her to keep fighting for life. I used to sit with her in one hand and sing The Last Unicorn to her. She did eventually blossom, I can remember a time she was being nursed on my mom's lap and let out a spontaneous little howl, she wanted to be heard! She was also the only puppy at 5 weeks to ever get out of the expen between the bars of the pen ... not over it. She was that small.

Petal stayed remarkably tiny while her siblings grew like weeds - and then the day came that they were old enough to go to new homes. Petal stayed a extra few weeks because we wanted to be sure she was healthy before placing her. In this time Petal fell in obsession with my Skye Terrier Rena - who hated puppies. Petal followed Rena everywhere and no matter how many times Rena threatened her Petal continued to shadow her wherever she went.

Eventually her new family came to get her and took her away. We knew we would miss her because she had captured our hearts so completely. A few days later they called to tell us she was lame on her right foreleg. We had noticed she held it oddly but was never actually lame. The family had her x-rayed and it was discovered that she would need expensive surgery to correct it. This family - while very good dog owners - just could not afford the surgery; however, they said they'd keep her if we did not intend to do the surgery and put her down instead.

So Petal had her surgery and became known as the little Gimp. She returned from the vet with a little blue cast that said OUCH! all over it covering her entire foreleg and a tuft of black hair peeking where her toes would have been. She used the cast like a crutch and you could always hear her coming; tick tick thump, tick tick thump she would run across the lino. When her cast was removed she was spayed at the same time with another dog named Flo. Flo was thrilled to see me ... Petal wouldn't even look at me she was so ticked off.

With the cast gone Petal became Rena's obsessive shadow. Petal wanted to be my dog and to be my dog you had to get in good with Rena because Rena was 'my' dog first. It took some doing but Petal's determination meant that eventually they both slept on my bed together and spent a lot of time chasing gophers and lying in the sun together. Just before Rena died she seemed to genuinely like Petal but now Petal was in her glory. I was hers.

There is only one time in my life I did not have Petal with me and that was when I moved to Saskatchewan to work. She was absent from my life for about 18 months and while I know she was fine with my parents I still feel guilty for having left her behind.

All through my twenties Petal was there - we went through some pretty rough times me and her but always she had love and food - always she came first and was foremost in my thoughts. When I was working two jobs to pay the bills Petal patiently waited hours for me to come home. Always happy to see me, always ready to snuggle and never failing to be there for me no matter what. We did some therapy dog work in a pallative care unit and while she was a very good girl she was always there for me, not for them, so we retired after a year.

Petal loved Philip. Initially she didn't think much of him and threw up in his truck a couple times to prove it but eventually she started to really like him. Once his parents got a dog we went to the park a lot and Petal tagged along not because she liked the walks but because she was with me. Petal also liked to lick the windows of Philip's truck which drove him crazy but I thought was hilarious. Philip, Petal, Zoey and I had some pretty fun adventures together and some not so fun falling-out-of-the-car type adventures. That's a story for another day.

Eventually Halo showed up at 9 weeks old. Petal seemed completeley disinterested in Halo and remained so to this day. It's a tolerant relationship. I enforced the "Petal is the boss' rule and it has stuck these four years with Halo eyeballing the seat of second in command with calculating eyes.

Raimi's litter fascinated Petal and she was a nurse maid as much as Halo would let her. She cleaned them, played with them, followed them, and they adored her and respected her to this day. Raimi is very careful where he puts his feet so he doesn't step on her and he makes sure that he doesn't lie on her when he gets on the couch. Here at 3 weeks little Raimi is whispering a secret to Petal.

Petal is remarkably patient. Some may call it long suffering. She has been used by three Ridgebacks as a pillow and has endured endless walks at the park to amuse them. One of my favorite memories is walking in the park last autumn, sitting under a shady tree with Petal to read Harry Potter while the Ridgebacks ran circles through the warm tall grass. It truly was Petal's autumn.

In twelve and a half years Petal and I have seen many things, been many places and had some pretty cool adventures. Always my thoughts were with her above all else.

No more worry now Petal, no more pain, breathe easy now and be not lame my little friend, my Precious, my darling girl. Such a easy decision to make for you and such a hard one too.

Quantum in me fuit Petal. I will see you at the Bridge, greet Rena for me and I will think of you fondly and often until I see you again.

No goodbyes Petal, just good memories.