Pepper the 15 yr old Cardigan

[Mvons]

Pepper, a cardigan welsh corgi born Sept 8, 1991 - died Feb 12, 2007. My daily companion for 11 years when I got to be a stay at home mom. My husband's companion for the prior 4 years when he was in school and/or out of work.

It started when my husband was unemployed and bored and we had been married a year. I knew getting a puppy would hone our parenting skills for having child! We answered an ad in the paper (days before the internet) and chose the pet quality tri with brindle tips and a tiny white stripe up the nose instead of the common wide stripe. She was the puppy picked on by her siblings so we knew she wasn't aggressive. She was so smart, my husband caught her using her nose to flip the gate hook latch finding how she got into our landlord's yard (grass is always greener). She learned to howl from my in-laws basset and would howl when we left the house in her later years. Anyone else's corgi howl?

We worked on her fears exposing her to frightening things like a "leaf" off a palm tree lying on the ground - quite scary looking. My favorite memory was because she was cautious around cats - the first one she encountered tried to swipe her but her reflexes saved her nose - she crept up to a garage to sniff a cat. The cat was a silhouette black wood cutout. I was laughing so hard as she took a quick sniff and found no smell. When an overly friendly cat at a new neighborhood rubbed her, she didn't know what was going on. She gently went after a cat to sniff, or chased one, but when the cat turned around and stood it's ground, she backed off and went away apologetically.

Memories of exercising on the floor when I was pregnant and Pepper sat between my legs to give me a lick as I reached for my toes each time. She was 4 when our son was born. She was great with him and would run over to me and give me the look when he cried of "are you going to take care of him?" When our son was 4 they "fought". I'd be on the phone and have to turn and tell them to knock it off and my friends would swear I had two kids. Pepper would trip our son as he ran by, because you know Corgi's like to win running races. Our first home had a loop and we had so much fun running the loop or doubling back trying to catch her. Our son learned to be gentle with Pepper and Pepper learned she was not the pack leader over our son. Neither did I really worry about because Pepper never bit anyone and our son was mild mannered child.

We moved to our present home in the rural mountains when Pepper was 10. She was so confused with the squirrels here that ran up a tree instead of a hole in the ground. She was how we met our neighbors. Running off to them full speed and we weren't used to the altitude so we lagged behind. She loved the elderly and refused to leave one neighbor's side. The woman had severe alzheimers. When I was ill and tired, she was by my side and wasn't jealous of my son's need for extra care as he worried about me. I am fine now.

After 6 months living here, when we saw a bold coyote who didn't flinch when he saw us, unlike the city ones. We kept Pepper on a leash unless we could give her total attention outside. As Pepper aged, she loved sleeping on the deck with the sun hitting her. Being black she'd last 5 minutes in the summer before needing to cool off. She loved the day she could lay on the snow and have the sun hit her. The best of both worlds, cool and hot.

At 13 she had a herniated disc. I was able to keep her immobile in her bed, far more comfortable than a Vet's cage. We believe she jumped off a chair. She became a more crotchety old bitch. Feisty if a male sniffed too closely, no longer passive. I became her elevator. I'll be darn if she had no limp when visiting the Vet and the Vet gave me the look that she has me trained! She was a determined dog who took 1 1/2 mile walks for a year after.

When she was 14 1/2 she was stiff after a walk and we shortened the walks. Then she got too slow to make it on the walk to school and she napped more. We noticed she started to drink more water but had no other symptoms. In Jan. she vomited and seemed to have trouble eating. I got her into the vet on Jan 10 and one sniff of her mouth, he suspected kidney failure. We were sent home with the K/D can of food which I gave her that night. I would never change a dog's food quickly again, regardless of their trouble. Pepper always had a sensitive stomach and stayed with chicken/rice only sensible choice brand, which turns out too high in protein when they are 10. That night Pepper peed every 10 minutes and got exhausted and stopped drinking water and we were able to sleep that night. She never drank water again! The Vet was shocked as it is supposed to be reverse. I gave her 1/2 cup water with all food and fed her every two hours to keep her hydrated. Her spirits were high and I joked to the neighbors asking "does this look like a dog with one foot in the grave?" The Vet thought she'd die within a week as her blood results were so bad. We were to bring her in when she stopped eating.

I ended up making her food as the Vet suggested originally. The first weekend I bought every variety of can food that was low in protein. She threw up Nature's Recipe, hated the ones with potato and with fish, and loved the Nutro one's with chicken and rice. I bought some gravy meal packets for when she lost her appetite.

She gradually got slower in movement. I'll never forget her last trip around the block with a steep hill. It took 30 minutes (usually 10 minutes) but I had all the time in the world for her. She was so determined and proud to do that walk. She never paused, or panted. I was so blessed it was a cold month and she didn't have thirst from it being too warm.

Evenings were always the worst. I'd say "if she isn't any better, I'm taking her in", but she'd bounce back being VERY peppy the next day. But Saturday evening she whimpered after eating and looked at me like "I hurt and I'm not getting better". I comforted her (homeopathy rescue remedy) and she dropped off to sleep. The next day she was emotionally not showing hurt, but slower moving. We decided to take her to the Vet Monday morning, waiting because the Vet was the nicest and gentlest and the emergency was too long of a trip for her to make comfortably. Sunday was her enjoy eating day. She had all four gravy packets and still looked the grocery bag to see if there was more!

We always said when she stopped eating we knew she was ready to die. We kept her weight at 25 pounds when it was determined her paw was turned out too severe. But I realized, she never would stop eating. The four packet of gravy and food went through her in two hours. Her backbone started to show. As I petted her in her crate, my husband drove down to the Vet (none in our town). He took the curves gently so Pepper wouldn't get sick. He opted to not go in because of stories from my brother about how dogs can jerk and move as they die. I had no problem going in as the care giver during her senior years. I felt it an honor to comfort her. I noticed she had some pee spots as we waited (she had really wet in her crate that night, unusual) which helped me realize later, it was none too soon to put her down.

The Vet assistant held her as the Vet shaved her paw. I was at her head petting her. As the injection went in, the Vet gave her a last pet and I said what a good girl she was and her eyes suddenly looked shocked as she collapsed. The Vet tried to close her eyes but they wouldn't close. 5 seconds later her heart stopped. They left me alone with her. She did not have a single muscle flinch. That showed me how worn out her body was. Her body being so warm was confusing to me being able to accept her being dead. But her eyes and mouth showed me her spirit was gone.

Her eyes looking shocked was for that one moment before death as her body said "I can't breathe, or what is going on?" I am glad we put her down and she had one second of worry, instead of 3 days of hell as her body poisoned itself with urine. It was the hardest decision of my life knowing when to take her in but when my family agreed and said "she is not going to get better" it helped to have agreement. Some say "when your dog gives you the look". I say you know when the desire to live, or when life is so darn hard - hard to get to the pee spot, hard to keep their crate dry, then it is time as they desire to be good dogs and keep their sleeping area dry. We are so fortunate that we can end a pet's suffering.

She was such a good dog on house training. She never scratched or barked at the door. She came over to us and looked, and we knew to get up and let her out. She knew the panic sound in my voice, meant she better return - she sailed past me chasing an old raccoon. I had visions of the smart raccoon turning around and nailing the dog. But Pepper stopped when she heard my panic and returned. After all she was just defending our home from that strange looking critter.

Having the month from the bad news from the Vet until she died, gave us the luxury of getting used to the knowledge she would be dying. We are fortunate. I was lucky to have the time to care for her. Her activities and abilities had decreased so much, knowing she wasn't how she used to be help send her along to heaven. Looking forward to a puppy in the summer with the wonderful energy that we miss, helps ease the pain of the loss. We have hope for the future and yes the days are empty and long but eventually I'll get busy and have the home ready for a puppy. Oh my, it is like child proofing a home right?

How fortunate we are to have Pepper live 15 years and fortunate to live in a supportive small town, and to find this forum

Merrie VonSeggern

[Clogs]

Merrie, what a wonderful picture you have painted of Pepper and your life with her. My complete sympathy to you, your husband and your son.

[ColColt]

Merrie, that story really tugged at my heart. How fortunate you were to have her all those years and recall vividly, so many precious memories. I lost Katie when she was two and a half to a strangling type of accident that caused what I believe to be, a brain hemorrhage of some sort a couple of weeks later. She began to have seizures and couldn't see because of the accident as her eyes had popped out from the chocking. I still don't know what caused it as I wasn't there when it happened . I was out of town when I got the news that she had to be euthanized. She was a sweetheart. I know how you must feel about Pepper and know she was a wonderful companion.

This is a wonderful place to be and in fact, you won't find a better forum if you're looking for knowledgeable and caring people who all share the same love for Corgis. I don't have one at the current time and sometimes feel like a fifth wheel here but, they let me stay. I love this place and being able to see the photos, movie clips, and read of the many aspects of others lives with their pets and the bountiful knowledge that exist here. Enjoy yourself and the journey ahead.

[ZdogZ]

Merrie ~ what a touching story! My cat also had kidney failure. It was the hardest decision that I have ever made when I decided to let her go. She was 2 months short of being 18 years old. I got Zia 3 months after losing Kallie and that helped a lot in healing my heart.

ColColt ~ you are not the fifth wheel here! We love having you here!

[corgimom]

What a wonderful moving story that was - it brought tears to my eyes. I had to put my last Corgi to sleep in December of 2005 - we figured she was almost 14 years old, as I adopted her as a young adult(about 2) I watched her change so much in her last 1 1/2 years of life from what seemed like a youthful dog to a slow moving dog that didn't hear or see well and had problems getting up from a sitting position at times. She never complained and always still loved to cuddle. My husband built a ramp for her so she could get outside easier. I carried her up and down the stairs during that last 1 1/2 years of her life' and I was so thankful that I was able to do that for her, I never considered it a burden and I was there for her for her last breath; it was the hardest thing I have ever done.

Thanks for sharing that story, I am sure it was not easy.

[ColColt]

Thank you, dear-perhaps I can contribute more when I get one of those darlings to rave about again. they deserve the proverbial limelight you know.

[milosmom]

Thank you for sharing Pepper's story, it brought tears to my eyes and isn't wonderful how our pets enrich our lives...give us lots of laughs, and unconditional love? Still, it is heartbreaking to watch a beloved pet decline....even though we know the end is near, part of us still wants to hang on. In the end you have to do what is right for the animal, it is the hardest thing to do...to let go.
My deepest sympathies to you and your family.

[Mvons]

Here is my favorite elderly photo showing no matter how old Pepper was, she loved having her head up. She had turned 15 in the photo.

She even had down pillows! My large footed step-dad didn't like his slippers and gave them to Pepper, who of course loved having them as pillows.


Compare to her photo at 6 years old with brindle instead of grey/white points! The flash did make her lighter than she was.

Merrie

[Dillydoodle]

What a lovely tribute to Pepper- She really sounds like an amazing companion and I know you must miss her terribly...She is a beautiful girl, I love the photo of her looking up at the camera. I do believe in the rainbow bridge that our furbabies are there happy, and healthy playing there until we meet again...

Emilie