Monday, January 17, 2011

Oreo!

(I apologize in advance....this is a very long post with lots of pictures. Some of the pictures have been scanned so they are not the best.)

I woke up Saturday morning very excited. I was excited it wasn't snowing. I was excited that it was Noah and Jaz's first basketball game day of the season. I was excited that I was going to help my brother coach them during the game. Little did I know that in a few hours that Saturday would end up being the hardest day of my life, so far. After many discussions and hours of thinking, my family and I decided that it was time to put my sweet precious Oreo to sleep. Great Danes often suffer from arthritis in their hips. Oreo had been struggling with this for a while. Her condition was getting much worse and she had started to not be able to walk without falling. We knew the day was coming but in no way were we prepared for the events that occurred that day.

My sweet Oreo lived a wonderful life of 12 years! She was my first dog. I decided on my 12th birthday in September 1998 that I wanted a dog. I had always been scared of dogs but knew that I wanted to know the experience of having "man's best friend." After months of searching, I found my perfect dog. She was 5 weeks old and weighed 10 pounds!
Oreo and I on her first day home!
(Ha! Please excuse how I look!)


Oreo curled up on my Dad!

I was so excited to have this beautiful new dog I could barely sleep, which is good because sleep was not on the agenda that night. She whined ALL night! This was all new to me and at 12 years old I did not quite understand why my cute new puppy did not know how to sleep. After a little discussion with her the next night she slept like a baby! Her puppies years were very short. She just kept on growing, and growing, and growing! She was at full grown size by six months, weighing in around 130 pounds. She slept in my bed with me for about 4 years. She loved to be covered up and have a pillow under her head. I finally "kicked her out" of my bed because she would nibble on my butt in the middle of the night if her covers fell off.
Oreo laying in my bed with her toy!

My parents snuck in and took this one night while we were sleeping.

Once I kicked her out of my bed, she slept right beside my bed and sometimes under! Ha!

Oreo was a very active dog when she was young. Great Danes sleep most of their life so when they are active they are "very" active! Oreo loved to swim. She would take off across the lake and swim as hard as she could. She loved to swim and be on the lake. She became our marina's mascot. Everyone loved her and wanted to pet her. They would always ask about Oreo before they ever asked how we were.
She always sat on the boat like this. We did not allow her on the furniture at home but she knew that on the boat this was okay.

Swimming!

She also loved the ocean! We had a house in North Carolina on the beach and we stayed there for 7 weeks one summer. She became such a beach bum. She loved going out in the ocean and jumping over the waves.

Oreo and I playing on the beach!

She also loved guarding our yard. She was an inside dog but would spent countless hours looking out the windows and making sure everything was okay.
When she was outside, she did the same thing. She loved to lay outside (only in the summer...of course!) and guard her area. We have six acres and she made sure that no squirrel, deer, cats, raccoons or any other creatures made it through without her approval. She loved to chase the animals out of the yard and then prance back like she had just done the greatest thing ever!
Another thing Oreo loved was sleeping and laying in the sun! Great Danes sleep about 20 hours a day! Lucky them, right? You never knew what position you might find her in when you walked into the room. She loved to sleep covered up and she would peak her head out to see what was going on.
She loved laying in the sun. She would curl up into the smallest ball possible if it meant her body was going to be in the sun. We had to limit her time in the sun several years ago once we found out that she had skin cancer. She had several surgeries at University of Tennessee to get rid of the cancer. The cancer never broke through the skin so she only ever had skin cancer...thank goodness!
Oreo was my best friend and sister for 12 years! I never realized how attached to her I was until she was gone. Saturday was the hardest and most horrible day I have ever experienced. She brought so much joy into our home and family. Our house feels so sad without her! I keep looking up thinking that she is going to walk in the room to see what I am doing or just so I can pet her. My parents and I feel like part of us is missing now. I know that many of you understand exactly how I feel and some of you may not. That is fine. I loved my dog like she was a human and part of our family. I loved her more than most people I know. It has taken me since Saturday to be able to sit down and put all of this into words and pictures. Not a day has gone by that I have not cried and I would give anything to see her walk through my door! I know that with time it will get better, but for now I am in mourning!

Here are a few more pictures that I love...
Oreo loved the snow! This was our last picture of us playing in the snow!
This was our last picture together. On Saturday morning she couldn't get up at all so I laid in her bed with her. I will cherish this picture forever!

I love and miss you Oreo!


Tasha

13 comments:

Rachel said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

I'm so sorry. It seems that she was a great dog and a very important part of your life.

Shawn said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Oh Tasha, I am so sorry for your loss. This post brought tears to my eyes and I feel your sorrow.
Oreo was one of the most beautiful Danes I have ever seen. She was a Regal Princess. I know it was a hard decision for you, and you family, but at least she is out of her pain.
You posted such beautiful pictures. I was able to get a sense of her personality and your love for her.
Rest in Peace, beautiful Oreo,
You are now in Heaven running, without pain, in a scenic meadow with the sun shinning on your beautiful coat!

Shawn

Nicole said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

This is such a precious post. I can really tell that she was part of your family. I'll be thinking about you, girl!

Lindsi said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Oh Tasha, I'm so sorry that your heart is aching so much! I completely understand your hurt--I have lost family pets in the past too, and I currently I have dog that I love unconditionally. It's so hard to say goodbye, but Oreo is so fortunate to have a family that didn't want to see her suffer anymore.

She was a beautiful dog, and your love for her was shown in his post.

Hugs to you during this time! I'll be praying for peace and comfort during your time of grieving.

Marian said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry. I know how close one can get with "man's best friend"...its like another brother/sister (as you said). Sending you lots of love!!

Elise said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

I feel for you completely! It's so hard to say goodbye to our pets and I know you must miss her! I'm sorry for you and your family.

Jamie Danielle said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

I cried! This is why I do not own animals ...lol
Oreo was ADORABLE!!!!
I'm sorry you had to do what you did, but you knew it had to be done. At least Oreo isn't in anymore pain.
::hugs::

Brian's Home Blog said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

I hope you don't mind a stranger stopping by, but the Beckers told me what happened with your sweet Oreo. I am so very sorry to hear that sad news. There were two very big doggies that lived here many years ago and they each had that same problem. I wish I had known Oreo but after reading your loving tribute, I feel so much as if I did. Eventually the sad will turn to happy memories, it just seems like it takes forever. We send you love, hugs and purrs.

Leslie said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Well, now I'm crying! Saying goodbye to pets really and truly is the HARDEST thing.. like you said, they're part of your family. I had to say goodbye to my dog when I was 13 and it really was like saying goodbye to a sister! You grow up together, and we you need comforting they're always there to make you feel better! I can only imagine how hard it was for you to write this post, but you'll definitely be glad you did it so you have all your memories and pictures in one place! Time will make things better! I'll be thinking about you.. I know exactly how it is to feel like something's missing in your home :( Best wishes sent your way girl!

Jenni@Story of My Life said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Oh Tasha... I am literally almost sobbing right now. I can feel your sadness as if it were my own because I KNOW how incredibly hard it will be when my Gracie and Cooper are no longer in this world. Just the thought if it makes me sick.

Oreo was such a beautiful dog, and all these pictures made me laugh and smile and, yes, cry. She will be in heaven. She just has to be, if God has half a heart. Like I said on Twitter, dogs have the purest of all souls.

Big big hug right through the computer!!!

Nuha said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Oh no :( So sorry to hear about Oreo, he looked like a precious dog! Now he'll be in doggie heaven watching "All Dogs go to Heaven" :) xoxo

Ally said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Oh my goodness Tasha I am sitting here BOO HOOING! I am so so so attached to my dog and I cry every weekend when I have to leave her and go back to school because I know my time with her is so limited because shes gotten so old. This reminds me so much of my relationship with her and these pictures are just precious! I'm so so sorry for your loss and I know you will forever have her in your heart!

HS @ Our Debt Blog said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Beautiful post! sorry for the loss.

HS