RIP Shelby (d:09/26/2011)

Shelby - 05/14/2011

Shelby, a black-lab mix we had gotten from the Lafayette Humane Society a little after Christmas, 2002, died this morning.

When my wife moved up here in July, 2001, she'd had to leave her dogs. The cats we had were ok, but she really wanted a dog. So I promised her a dog for Christmas. Early in 2002, we began looking. We went to Lafayette, where my parents lived, and to Lafayette's Humane Society. We'd gone to look for a small dog, but they didn't have any at the time. Among the dogs they did have, this black lab was super friendly, and Chris decided she wanted her.

When we got her, we were told they thought she was 2 to 2-1/2 years old. Also, when we got her, they thought she'd been spade. We took her to the vet's, got her shots, and he said he thought she'd been spade., but I'm getting a bit ahead of myself.

Shelby was a "mama's dog", meaning she hung out around Chris all day, including "vulturing" from the back of the couch over her as she watched TV or read. (For those who remember, think of Snoopy on a limb or the back of a chair.)

2002

She also considered herself a lap-dog. Chris would get home from work, sit down, and Shelby would be in her lap, licking away. (I called her a Yaegermeister - you know... A black licker! LOL)

She was a pretty good dog. We'd take her out back, and if she wandered out of our yard, we'd call her, and she'd come running back to us. We tried to give her a "run" with a wire stretched across the yard, and a relatively long leash, so she had the run of most of the back yard. But the noise the wheel made on the wire scared her, so all we could do was tie her up.

Well, seems there was this male black lab mix running around the neighborhood at the time. We tied her up outside to do her business, and apparently, HE did HIS. A few short months later, and we had puppies. Here are the updates I sent to friends at the time about Shelby, her puppies, and what our cats thought about the situation:

• Shelby's Pups - 20020728.pdf
• Shelby's Pups - 20020804-05.pdf
• Shelby's Pups - 20020813.pdf
• Shelby's Pups - 20020819.pdf
• Shelby's Pups - 20020827.pdf
• Shelby's Pups - 20020910.pdf 
• Shelby's Pups - 20030503.pdf

As mentioned, we kept two of her puppies - Kirby and KC.

Chris visited home at least every month or so, and Shelby and the other dogs tended to be very depressed when she was not home. But when she got back, they almost attacked her, hoping onto her lap and licking away.

Well, Chris' 12yo rat-terrier became pregnant by the next-door neighbor's Spitz. In September, she had three puppies. In October, Chris went back to Fort Branch, and when she came home, she had one of the puppies, she called Jake. Shelby and the "grrls" nosed and licked him, and he had a home.

Whenever we went out on our deck, Shelby and KC would wrestle a bit, and Jake would try to join in. Kirby tended to shy away, though she'd join in now and then. Over the years, Jake came to "rule the roost", and he and Shelby would "wrestle" around the living room. Jake would growl and nip at her back legs, she'd run around with him chasing her, and he'd stand over her chewing on her ears. The others were scared when they did - I think Shelby could be a bit rough, and with Jake growling and such - they tended to huddle by Chris or me.

2003

 

Shelby also tended not to hang around OUR yard, but visited the neighbors' at times. However, early on, we didn't worry about that. All of the dogs would go out with Chris or me, and would come right back in, when they were done. But, there was this one day ---

I got home from work before Chris. I took the dogs out, and they did their business. However, Shelby wandered on down the street while I was dealing with the other two. I called to her and she kept right on wandering down toward 39. Kirby and KC wanted to follow, but I corralled them and ushered them into the house. Then I headed down toward 39, calling Shelby's name. By the time I got to 39, and a little north on it, I saw a black lab being loaded into a car - Actually, the people opened the car door, and the dog jumped in! I was SURE it was Shelby, but couldn't be positive. I went back home, grabbed the leash, and headed back out to 39. I went the same direction, and by the time I got to Brendenwood's stop-light, I was sure that Shelby was gone. About that time, a pickup went through the light, across to the gas station, carrying a man, a woman and ... a black lab. I crossed 39, and as I was getting close to the truck, I asked if that were their dog. They said no, that they didn't have a phone right now, and was going to call the number on the tag. I asked if the number was - our number - and they said yes. So, I hooked up Shelby, and dragged her back home. At the time I had a hard boot on one foot (after a surgery), and at the distance I had already walked, it was hurting. Anyway, I got her home, and shortly after, I believe, Christopher got all three dogs tags with name, address, phone number, etc., on them.

2008

That was a long time ago. More recently, Shelby was much slower than the other dogs in coming back in for Chris (no leash, again). She tended to stop and smell the air. (We live close to Pizza Hut, so that's probably part of what she was smelling.) Her eyes were starting to get a little cloudy, but she seemed to be able to see and hear ok, Still, she was getting old - about 84-90 in dog years.

Well a couple of days ago, there was no real indication that anything was going to happen. Shelby and Jake wrestled a bit, and Shelby acted quite normally - taking her time outside,... laying by the food bowl (guarding it) and munching while laying down... etc.

We had a garage sale, and for the last part of each day - Friday and Saturday - the dogs were out, greeting people, enjoying the freedom, etc. Shelby was the last to come back in, but again, that was normal.

I got up Sunday at about 12:45, and Shelby was laying in the bathroom. She normally would get up and go into the living room, but she didn't. She bent out of my way. She was panting, but that was relatively normal for her at times, too, so I didn't think anything of it.

I went out to the living room and a few minutes later, Shelby came out of the bathroom. She came into the living room, and I noticed she was kind of wobbily on her feet. She hacked up some mucus, and wandered toward me, heading into the laundry room. I called her out of there, because I knew she'd probably poo there. She came back, and about 1/2-way back, she gacked again. When she got to me, I petted her. She sat down, like normal, but then she laid down, breathing hard, on her side.

I petted her a few minutes, and after she didn't move much, I called Chris, and told her something was wrong with Shelby.  She got up and took the dogs out and Shelby didn't even try to get up. When she came back in, I told her about the gack - mostly food in one - I'd already cleaned up, and the two new puddles

Then we put a sheet under her and dragged her into the living room, so I could use my wheelchair into and out of the kitchen. She didn't even raise her head when we did this. She laid in the living room, and Chris laid by her all day. Chris got up a couple of times to take the others out, and Shelby struggled to her feet, and went out, but either Chris had to pick up her front end and drag her in (very bad for her already bad back, but I couldn't really help very well from the wheelchair, and if I'd have tried standing, I'd have fallen over), or as soon as she hit the hardwood floor inside the door, she'd lay down, and Chris would have to drag her over to the sheet.

Chris had also looked up some things on the internet. We thought maybe she had a stroke, and some sites said that the dog could not only survive, but with time, could recover from one. We called Indianapolis Emergency Vet Hospital to ask questions, but they wanted us to bring her in, which we could NOT afford. We discussed if there were no changes taking her to one of the local vets, and if they couldn't do anything, to have her put down.  Chris had been syringe-feeding her water most of the day, and one time Shelby sat up enough to drink some water out of a bowl.

This went on for some time, and we called the boys to tell them if they wanted to see Shelby again, they should come by. Christopher had a video-speech to give, and Chris told him she wasn't going to be able to come. (He had to have a certain number of people, and Chris and I were in the count.) He'd gotten my other son, Matthew, to come. When he stopped by for my tripod, on the way, he found out about Shelby. I told him to come back afterward, and he did.

After he left, Chris decided to stay out in the living room with Shelby, and I stayed up doing other things. Every time there was an odd noise, Chris sat up and looked at Shelby. She had been breathing hard all day.  About 4:30, Chris got up, took the others out and tried to get Shelby to go. She wouldn't. Chris laid down and was watching Shelby, when she said "She just died." She'd taken three deep breaths, and stopped breathing.

Chris texted Christopher (so if they were asleep, it wouldn't wake them or Katie up), and we were surprised when he texted back. We needed help getting Shelby outside and burying her. He came over a little after 5 and took Shelby out back. Chris went with him, and they buried her behind our trees.

Shelby was a pretty good dog. There were times she didn't listen, but there are a LOT of dogs out there that do the same. We hope she lived a good life, despite the times we yelled at her for various things.

RIP, Shelby.

2010 - Shelby's favorite position