In Memory of Sassy

Family is a big part of my life, from my blood relatives to friends, and pets.  With pets I’ve always had them around as long as I can remember.  Cats and dogs have been in my family.  I’ve heard the tales of the pets before my memories, though it’s the ones that have taken part in my life that I do recall which I want to share the memories of.   So from time to time I’ll come on here to share a story of someone who touched my life, from dogs, cats, birds and even chipmunks.  Right now I want to share 15 years of the life of a dog named Sassy.

This story starts before Sassy was born, back in 1997.  My mom, sister and I shared a babysitting job for two girls across the street.  We got to know their mother well during this time.  They had an American Eskimo named Misty, she was kept in the back yard most of the time, though she had a skill of getting loose and visiting other dogs.  At one point they had a bigger dog with her, and she had a litter of puppies from him.  So they got rid of the big dog, you could tell when she was pregnant.  The puppies were cute, and all found new homes.  Though in Spring 1997, no one knew that Misty went to visit the Sheltie next door.

We were out with her owner, at some sales type party, when the call came in.  She got a call that her dog, Misty, was having puppies in the backyard.  We jumped into her car and went back to her house, coming downstairs to watch a handful of the puppies be born.  All of us were in shock that Misty was even having these puppies and they were all so cute.  With Misty a purebred American Eskimo and the father a purebred Sheltie these puppies were so perfect looking!  A wonderful mixture of genes.  I was offered first pick of the litter, and I choose Toby.  Once old enough he was to be mine, he was a Graduation/Birthday gift for me.  They found homes for all the other puppies besides for the youngest, Sassy.  They planned to keep her, as she was the only female.

During my first summer with Toby, he went just about everywhere with me.  I would not go to sit in places to eat because I could not bring Toby with me.  If I was going to pay bills, and even go to some stores, I would bring him in and carry him right under my arm.  So of course when I would visit my Grandma, I would have Toby with me.  Showing how good of a dog he is.  In October 1996, my Grandpa passed away, leaving my Grandma living on her own.  Anytime she would get scared at night, she would call my mom.  My mom knew my Grandma would be better with a dog and now my Grandma was liking how good of a dog Toby was.

Meanwhile, our neighbors were having problem with Sassy.  She would get under cars that were being fixed in their yard and chew up the wires and stuff.  So they wanted to find a new home for her.  So we asked my Grandma if she would be interested and she was.  Sassy was the last puppy born, I was there to see that.  So it was exciting to know she was joining our family.  We brought her over to my Grandma’s and the two of them worked out perfect for each other right away.  I would bring Toby over to visit with his sister and watched his sister grow up with my Grandma.

Sassy learned many tricks from my Grandma, she was great at rolling over, she knew how to whisper and sit pretty.  If you told her to go look out the window, she’d run to a window to look out and her biggest enemies was the squirrels.  For her bed, she had one of those dog cages with a blanket inside.  She loved her bed, and if anyone touched it they were in trouble for stepping on her grounds.  At night she would gather all of her toys up and place them in her bed for the night.  She was such a smart dog.

One day, I remember very clearly in that first year of her living with my Grandma.  Sassy went in to be fixed and when she came home my mom asked me to stay the night in case Grandma needed help.  And help was needed.  Sassy was sore from being cut open and would not lay down.  This had my Grandma and I both worried.  We found the only way of getting her off her legs was if we were holding her.  So at one point my Grandma decided she wasn’t going to head to bed, she was going to stay up all night in the chair holding Sassy. I could not let this happen.  So I picked up Sassy and brought her to my bed, which was my Grandpa’s old room.  I layed her down on her back, and laid next to her with my arms wrapped around her.  Grandma got to go to bed, and I fell asleep holding Sassy.  When I woke up Sassy was still in my arms, I let her off the bed and she ran around.  She got sleep too and was feeling so much better.  She was even laying down on her own this day.  After that, Sassy was so excited to see me when I would come over.

Things were always great for my Grandma with Sassy.  She would have Sassy groomed by a truck that would come to the house and take care of Sassy.  This truck would come over 2 to 3 times a year, depending how fast Sassy’s coat would grow back.  Sassy was spoiled by my Grandma and was always happy to have us around.  Though in 2001, my Grandma came down ill, it was cancer.  My mom ended up moving into my Grandma’s house to help take care of my Grandma and Sassy, in 2003 we lost my Grandma.  You could tell Sassy knew what was going on and was heartbroken as well.  She would lay in Grandma’s room.  We moved Toby over here, and soon enough my dad and I were living here as well.

Sassy still saw herself as master of the house.  She lived true to her name, as she would snap at the other animals if they stepped into her turf.  Sassy became my mom’s shadow, wherever mom was, Sassy would want to be right there.

I first noticed age was catching up with her a few years ago, when she could no longer do the walk we use to do.  She would lay down in the middle of the walk, and refuse to move till she was ready.  Though at home you did not see this.  She was great, still her normal self.  Though you did see age catching up to her, she did not let it hold her back as she remained the top dog of the house.

In 2007, she got angry when we brought a kitten into the house and did bite the new member of the family, breaking the kitten’s jaw.  So we had to get her a mussel, we called it her “pretty” and when she would show her teeth to the cat or anything else she would get her “pretty” put on.  She loved her “pretty”, in fact one time we went to put it on Toby for snapping at the cat and that upset Sassy so much.  She was a very possessive dog.  Though we loved Sassy for the good and the bad.

Sassy would sleep near my mom’s bed on the floor at night.  She would follow her through the house.  She would greet whoever came over to visit.  She loved going bye bye car.  She would be the first to finish her food when fed.  She was our little bundle of joy and I love her so, so much.

On the morning of June 16th, 2012 things went really bad for Sassy.  At the age of 15, Sassy suffered a stroke at 6:30am.  My mom and dad were there for her, she would not eat or drink.  My mom got her outside and she did her business out there, though once mom got her back in the house she laid down and started to have convulsions.  My mom stayed by her side fearing that she was losing Sassy right then.  Though Sassy pulled through this and got to where she was now laying on her belly with her head lifted.  My mom woke Miki and I at 8:30, as we came down to see Sassy.

Sassy was not there, even though she was still alive.  Her eyes were blank, she was breathing and holding her head up.  She would even turn her head from side to side, and rest her head on our hands or legs as we would sit near her.  But she did not respond to her name, or anything we said to her.  Her ears would react to sound.  Throughout the day someone from the family stayed by Sassy’s side, as we got her to the living room so the family could be with her.  Sadly, things did not get better for Sassy, and around 8:49pm that night she was gone.  When she passed the full family was there, as even Toby sat nearby.

This came as a shock to the family.  As just the day before not one of us thought Sassy would be out of our lives so soon.  She was doing well, begging for our food, following my mom around, and going up and down steps.  Though now Sassy is gone, she will never be forgotten.  She is a part of my family.  And with every thought I have of her, it will help keep her alive in my memories.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about this special member of my family.  Please feel free to leave comments and questions below.