Thread: My mentor, my rock and my best friend.

As the lil Samoyed pup came in my life, Brandy Alexander Kaizen became Simba Lun in mid Jan 96 at about 5 weeks of age. Well I’ll be damned if she wasn’t the cutest thing I’d ever seen in my entire life. A pure white puff ball from Canberra that looked like a baby fur seal with its 3 dotted face, with the first two being her stone blue coloured and almond shaped eyes and the last her black, wet round nose. Her floppy ears half bent when intrigued, or folded so far back when happy or facing into the wind that they would totally disappear into the fur that rolled down the back of her head. Her stumpy fat legs were boofy like any Husky with which she ran in an awkward stiff legged puppy manner while she slowly grew into them. Her grand white bushy tail was held proudly high over her back. To me she was divine.

Within 2 weeks at home we were both shown the door to broaden our horizons and probably also to dissipate the damage that only puppy teeth, puppy claws and puppy enthusiasm can inflict on the surrounding furniture, door frames, cupboards, general backyard area and anything else that was left at puppy level. From here on in I was to be Simba’s dog and never ever were we to be separated. In our first night at the new house in Wellington she was put out for the night and the lights switched off. Little did I realise that this was never the way it was going to be, something that never changed over the next 14 years. Dogs sleep outside, Simba sleeps inside, and until she has her own bedding mattress then someone is going to get cramped and it won’t be her. She was a cheeky devil to the core but exuded love in a manner that went much much deeper.

Well, my pup and I grew as we ventured into life. She learnt to wee outside, to 4WD with dignity, to fly, to be the subject of a servant and how to slip into boarding school classes, especially when the air-conditioners are on. A small portion of what I learnt was that there is no love or care more faithful and pure than that of a dog. To give is better than to receive. No matter how tough things get, that there is always something that can be smiled about. If you care then there is always more resilience and that nothing is more important in life than to be with those that you love.

She had a stunning sole that was damned by a failing body. At an early age she went deaf, something apparently typical of white dogs. At 3 she developed Sebaceous Adenitis, an auto immune disease that attacks the sebaceous glands in the fur causing hair loss. Later she developed hip dysplasia in the rear legs. At about 10 she had an Adeno carcinoma removed from her belly. At 13 she had a 0.5kg cancer removed from her liver and secondaries in her lung and bladder that never grew. At 14 she had lived way beyond anybodies wildest expectations. Late November last year she called it quits during a weekend alone and curled up in the sun. She was brought back from the brink and had cemented her reputation as the dog with 1000 lives by many that knew her.

Simba dug deep over the Christmas holidays, something which I hadn’t considered until recently. She always loved to give and receive the attention and companionship of her master, something that the holidays had brought for her at just the right time. A great time for her with lots of travel, lots of guests and lots going on. It was always a pleasure for her to help work in the garage, mow the lawns, sniff the plants, take her time and to be my precious shadow.

The final days came very quickly. My donning black trousers meant that work was to return and that her days would be spent alone. In the morning of my first day back she once again curled up in the sun. By a totally freak chance she was found.

On Thursday night she took sick fairly suddenly. Nothing more precious than to be with who she loves and so I slept on her bed with her overnight, her with her head on my arm. I woke a number of times that night to check on her, and every time she was still awake staring quietly into my eyes with that same happy look that she had given me every night for the last 14 years just before she goes to sleep.

The next morning’s vet gave the news that I had been dreading ever since the day that I had brought Simba home. Simba’s utopia was being close, but the finest example was to be nursed and that afternoon was probably her finest as she spent it with her master, being nursed on the lounge. There was a real calmness that was over her as she spent her time staring into my eyes, her ears drawn back with contentment and a great smile on her face. She was a happy dog. I’m sure that she knew the end was near, I’m sure she knew that I realised too. I think that she deeply regretted for the both of us that she had to let go, and I think that she was grateful that I understood this.

At 7.30pm on Friday while being nursed she breathed her last breath onto my nose, her eyes remained open but the windows to her sole closed before me. Her ears remained back in contentment, her smile became eternal. The vet called that her heart had just stopped and her spirit lifted. It was exceptionally peaceful as she passed. I hoped that she’d be by my side until the next time.

We buried her at the top of the house paddock where she loved to wander, smell the plants and take in the day’s serenity. Being a Samoyed she has had a trio of dwarf snow gums planted around her, with white bark and a white blossom I thought it was fitting. Surrounding is a ring of short white bottle brushes and a centred light to complete her resting place.

14 years for which I could never ever thank her enough for.

I'm extremly sorry to here the news Simon
We lost our favourite dog about 5 years ago now, it was very difficult to get over seeing i grew up with her, and couldn't remember ever being without her.

CHEERS TIM.