Coal’s FOURTH Gotcha day

Time flies is an old but very apt saying and not truer words have been spoken! I can’t believe I have had my perfect little man for four years and although my health is deteriorating it still hasn’t dulled the pleasure of having this boy in my life.

   
    
 
These photos were taken the day I met him at the Dogs Trust, not long after he’d got his full sight back after they gave him two cataract operations. His cataracts were so thick he was blind with them, then after the operation it took a week for his eyesight to fully return and I must of been one of the first people he actually saw, as he still had his Victorian collar on in his kennel, thankfully they removed it prior to taking him a walk so he wasn’t obstructed in any way with it.

Tanya, my previous dog died on 17th July 2011, after her being with me for 13 years. It devastated me and prior to her going, I thought it would be a long time before I could give my heart to another dog. After Tanya passed in my arms at 5.30am she took her last breath and that feeling will never leave me, the utter devastation I felt, I’m just glad she died in my arms in the comfort of her home where she wanted to be. Tanya never had a problem with the vets and would quiet happily trot away with the vet except that last time she didn’t want to go through the back with the vet and that’s when I knew the prognosis was not good, she came home that weekend to allow for goodbyes and was to return to be put to sleep on the Monday, but she died Sunday morning I will always be thankful I never had to make that final decision, even though it was for the best. 

    
   
After Tanya passed the house and my life felt so empty, I felt vulnerable, even though I had never thought of Tanya, or any other dog for that matter, as a protection tool, I could hear dog pawprints on my kitchen floor and I kept looking around for her and it brought the grief all back when she wasn’t there. One day I was on the internet and had a look on the Dogs Trust website and came across Coal. I knew straight away I had to meet him even though I felt it was still too early to get another dog and didn’t want it to feel like I was trying to replace Tanya as I knew I never could. So I went to see Coal just to look but it was love at first sight for us both. Coal had his Victorian collar on in the kennel and was looking very sorry for himself while his kennel mate was jumping around like a kangaroo, Coal just stood there not looking up at anyone looking in at him, as there were a few people looking in his kennel before I got there but when I got to his kennel he looked up at me and sighed almost as if he’d been waiting on me and he was sighing with relief that I had arrived at last. By this point my heart was torn in two, half with the grief of losing Tanya and feeling it was too soon for another dog and the other half already in love with Coal so I went home to think and an hour later I phoned up and reserved Coal. He came home with me on the 16th August one day shy of a month after losing Tanya and it was the best decision as Coal helped me get over the grief and I helped him recover after his eye operations. 

   
    
    
    
 
This boy made my life complete and still does to this day. He is my rock and I am his and although I love both my girls dearly, Coal holds a very special place in my heart, my special little boy melts everyone’s heart that has the pleasure of meeting him, he really is a gift from the Gods  

   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
     

  

  

 

Happy fourth gotch day Coal and here’s to many more, I love you more each day and cherish you dearly my life would be a lot worse off without you in it my perfect little angel boy xx