I will lend to you for a while,
a pup, God said,
For you to love him while he lives
and mourn for him when he’s dead.
Maybe for twelve or fourteen years,
or maybe two or three
But will you, ’till I call him back,
take care of him for me.

He’ll bring his charms to gladden you
and (should his stay be brief)
you’ll always have his memories
as solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay,
since all from earth return
But there are lessons taught below
I want this pup to learn.

I’ve looked the whole world over
in search of teachers true
And from the folk that crowd’s life’s land
I have chosen you.
Now will you give him all your love
Nor think the labor vain,
Nor hate me when I come to take my Pup back again.

I fancied that I heard them say
“Dear Lord Thy Will be Done,”
For all the joys this Pup will bring,
the risk of grief we’ll run.
We’ll shelter him with tenderness
we’ll love him while we may
And for the happiness we’ve known forever grateful stay
But should you call him back
much sooner than we’ve planned,
We’ll brave the bitter grief that comes,
and try to understand.
If, by our love, we’ve managed,
your wishes to achieve
In memory of him we loved,
to help us while we grieve,
When our faithful bundle departs this world of strife,
We’ll have yet another Pup and love him all his life.

• Author Unknown

After all the Shepherds had gone,
we agreed a Sheltie should be the next one.
Along came a pup – a lovely blue merle,
named him “Buddy” ‘cos he loved everyone.

Quite manic as a pup – he scared us with his antics,
and often made us feel quite frantic.
He won Best of Breed at the Royal Manx,
so proud of him – there were no pranks.

When he was 3 along came a brother –
a sable boy – there was no bother.
He got to 5, the third pup came,
a tri-colour boy, things were never the same.

Pets for Therapy started,
they took only the best,
he easily passed
the assessment test.

When visiting residents in Glen House,
he was so laid back, and quiet as a mouse.
They loved to see him every time,
his tail would wag, it was sublime.

Sadly, this didn’t last very long,
things started to go horribly wrong.
He got chronic arthritis in all his joints –
pills, hydrotherapy, steroids were tried,
to the vets we seemed to be tied.
He put on weight, and lost his beautiful coat,
we knew he wouldn’t live as long as we’d hoped.

After 2 years of struggle, and a lot of pain,
we knew there was nothing else to gain.
We loved him too much to let this go on,
he’d suffered enough, his life was no fun.
He slid peacefully away – free of pain at last,
only memories and photos remain of the past.

He rests in our garden in his special place,
with a plaque and a photo of his lovely face.
A true gentleman right to the end,
“Buddy” certainly was our very best friend.

July 1997 – March 2008

• Judy Brown

I’ve had various dogs, all of them free –
this time I said “it’s a pedigree.”
Brought her home at seven weeks,
huge floppy ears and enormous feet.
Ungainly, shy, too big for some,
no hint of the beauty she was to become.

First bed was a cardboard carton –
she chewed that up with wild abandon.
Next, an old suitcase with lid removed,
she loved this, and how she chewed.
Outgrew the case, a wooden box was made,
big enough, we hoped and prayed.

Started her off at obedience class,
learned which tests she had to pass.
So very quick that bitch of mine,
learned everything in double quick time.
I got hooked on this obedience lark,
rosettes on the wall looked ever so smart.
She always knew when she’d done well,
bright eyes laughing, she could tell.

When she got to one year old,
another Shepherd came, he was so bold.
One year later she became his wife,
and so began 9 weeks of strife!
Had to have a caesarian of course,
only 3 pups lived, could have been worse.

“No more” said I, and she was spayed,
once more the vet had to be paid.
I kept one pup, so much like she,
couldn’t resist him, so now I had three.
She lost her mate when she was four,
now only two to take for a walk.

Continued obedience, wouldn’t you know,
she was placed in an Open show.
I was so proud she was in the cards,
because she’d really tried so hard.

I went on holiday,
and on return, to my dismay,
A kidney infection had damaged her heart,
two weeks later we had to part.
She died in my arms, thought my heart would break,
six years old is too young to take.
The anger, then desolation was so bad,
would I ever get over feeling so sad.

Time heals all wounds the experts say,
maybe it will one of these days.
In the meantime, now with her son,
life goes on, and I’m down to one.
Only memories now remain,
life without her just isn’t the same.
I’m sure in the future I will have more,
eagerly pulling me through the front door.
But there will never be another “Zee,”
I will never forget my first G.S.D

18th December 1978 – 13th May 1985

• Judy Brown