Ernie July 1999-August 2010
On Sunday I got the news that our dog Ernie had been diagnosed with Evans Syndrome, which is an autoimmune disease in which an individual's antibodies attack their own red blood cells and platelets. He was being rushed to a veterinary hospital for blood transfusions in an attempt to save him. The first transfusion went well and we were told he had a 30% chance of recovery without recurrence. Bleeding got better, clotting worse and they started checking for cancer as the underlying cause on Monday. They said we'd find out today if it was cancer or not, and if it was cancer it would be better to put him down. This morning Mom got the call that he passed away. He had gone into cardiac arrest, become anemic again and they failed to revive him. He was just over 11 years old and still apparently healthy, we will all miss him.
August of 2006 we took in a half chow-half german shepherd dog named Ernie. His owner was going through a divorce and couldn't keep him. He had spent most of his life in an outdoor kennel and loved the farm at first sight.
Ernie's first bonfire. Ernie loved when all the little dogs would come to visit, worrying over them and trying to herd them all together to keep an eye on them. When the Jack Russell terrier moved in, he and Ernie became fast friends, wrestling up one end of the yard and house and down the other.
He learned pretty fast that begging for food from me worked. With his big muzzle that felt like a fist he'd nudge my leg and groan, inevitably earning a little treat. After that no one who sat in my chair was safe.
Once he got used to our family he started rolling over and whimpering until we gave him belly tax. No doorway, hallway or walkway was safe and often our walking or any kind of horizontal movement would be interrupted to pay up.
No matter what we did to him Ernie never fought back. He'd roll over and wave his paws at us while we lay by him and wave our hands at him. He got a lot of pleasure whenever we'd put our hands or arms in his mouth and go "ohhhh nooooo Ernie's got meeee" and he'd wriggle and wag his tail and pretend to nom on us. (he did develop a dislike of cameras which made picture taking sporty)
Funny story from his first visit at the farm. His previous owner was walking around the place and commenting on how much Ernie would love it. When they got to the pond he said oh no Ernie wouldn't be at all interested in that. There goes Sydney, rushing right past them and splooshing into the pond as she normally does. In a heartbeat Ernie has launched himself in the pond and is swimming toward Sydney. Once he realized she wasn't in any danger he got out, shook himself and never again ventured into the pond.
Ernie started getting up on my bed and cuddling. When I grabbed the camera he went and tried to hide behind Cody. There was once that he decided a wrestling match on the bed would be the most fun thing ever and he rolled and rolled on me, having the time of his life. He also played with my aunt's dogs when they came to stay, two smallish dogs, and Jack the Jack Russell, all of them tearing around the room and romping and wrestling. Ernie had no doubts and he joined right in.
Ernie and Cody had a great time this past winter, each trying to get and keep the gloves.
He was a much beloved pet and family member, our bigman, beardog, our Ernie.
August of 2006 we took in a half chow-half german shepherd dog named Ernie. His owner was going through a divorce and couldn't keep him. He had spent most of his life in an outdoor kennel and loved the farm at first sight.
Ernie's first bonfire. Ernie loved when all the little dogs would come to visit, worrying over them and trying to herd them all together to keep an eye on them. When the Jack Russell terrier moved in, he and Ernie became fast friends, wrestling up one end of the yard and house and down the other.
He learned pretty fast that begging for food from me worked. With his big muzzle that felt like a fist he'd nudge my leg and groan, inevitably earning a little treat. After that no one who sat in my chair was safe.
Once he got used to our family he started rolling over and whimpering until we gave him belly tax. No doorway, hallway or walkway was safe and often our walking or any kind of horizontal movement would be interrupted to pay up.
No matter what we did to him Ernie never fought back. He'd roll over and wave his paws at us while we lay by him and wave our hands at him. He got a lot of pleasure whenever we'd put our hands or arms in his mouth and go "ohhhh nooooo Ernie's got meeee" and he'd wriggle and wag his tail and pretend to nom on us. (he did develop a dislike of cameras which made picture taking sporty)
Funny story from his first visit at the farm. His previous owner was walking around the place and commenting on how much Ernie would love it. When they got to the pond he said oh no Ernie wouldn't be at all interested in that. There goes Sydney, rushing right past them and splooshing into the pond as she normally does. In a heartbeat Ernie has launched himself in the pond and is swimming toward Sydney. Once he realized she wasn't in any danger he got out, shook himself and never again ventured into the pond.
Ernie started getting up on my bed and cuddling. When I grabbed the camera he went and tried to hide behind Cody. There was once that he decided a wrestling match on the bed would be the most fun thing ever and he rolled and rolled on me, having the time of his life. He also played with my aunt's dogs when they came to stay, two smallish dogs, and Jack the Jack Russell, all of them tearing around the room and romping and wrestling. Ernie had no doubts and he joined right in.
Ernie and Cody had a great time this past winter, each trying to get and keep the gloves.
He was a much beloved pet and family member, our bigman, beardog, our Ernie.