One Last Walk for Shandy
Shandy was my late husband's Fox Terrier. In May, soon after my husband passed away, we noticed that Shandy wasn't quite as happy-go-lucky as he used to be. Shandy had always been energetic and playful, even though he was considered an older dog. Usually he loved playing fetch in the back yard with our children, or going on walks, but lately he seemed not as interested in the outdoors. I chalked this up to him missing my husband, and possibly feeling a bit lonely.
When my husband was alive, every morning and afternoon he would take Shandy for walks to the nearby park, or local beaches. I knew that those walks were so important to Shandy; he so loved all the attention he got from my husband. Then one day, a few weeks ago, I noticed that Shandy didn't want to go for a walk. When I tried to get him up from his bed to play fetch, he didn't seem excited or even interested in going outside. I felt something wasn't right, so I called the Veterinarian's office and made an appointment for Shandy to have a wellness exam.
Later that evening Shandy wouldn't eat his dinner. I had a strange feeling that I should sleep in the living room that night, on the couch, near Shandy's bed so that I could keep an eye on him.
I can't remember when I finally fell asleep that night, but I woke up around 4:00am to the sound of Shandy pawing at the front door. I sat up quickly and called out to him - Hold on, Shandy! I was so relieved that he was back to his old self again; I jumped up from the couch and ran toward the front door to meet him. To get to the front door from our living room, you must go through a short hallway and then into a foyer where the front door is located. Once I was in the hallway I could see Shandy waiting at the front door, wagging his tail, anxiously jumping up and down (as per usual). Realizing I forgot my shoes in the other room, I turned around and ran back into the living room. I hollered back to Shandy- Be right back, boy! As I entered the room, I happened to glance toward Shandy's dog bed. There he was, laying motionless in his bed, his big brown eyes open, but looking lifeless. I walked over to him, knelt down and pet his fur - I sensed that he had passed away sometime during the night. Did I just experience Shandy's spirit, or was it 'residual' Shandy? Right at that moment, it occurred to me that maybe Shandy might have been letting me know that he was finally feeling better, now that he had passed on.
Shandy was a part of our family for nearly 13 years, and we miss him a lot. I guess I'll never really know what that was all about, but I feel comforted by the vision that I had of Shandy appearing happier and more carefree, just like he used to be...
Okay, now here's the story we'll be discussing on tomorrow's episode:
Paw Prints From Heaven
In 2008 my beloved Pomeranian dog, Angel passed away. She was 11 and had cancer. She went very peacefully with no apparent pain. She was the sweetest Pomeranian. She was a pretty cream color, very beautiful dog inside and out. When she passed the vet took a paw print impression of her paw and put it on a special ornament keepsake. The vet did this for all pet owners when they passed as a gift to their clients. I kept the ornament and still have it today. I remember looking at the cast impression and thinking, wow I never really studied her paw before and I made a mental impression in my mind of her paw print. I guess in a way dogs all have different looking paws to some degree. I never really gave it much thought until I saw that impression of her paw on the ornament.
I had Angel cremated and and a couple of weeks later I took her ashes to Florida (I lived in Michigan at the time). I used to like to take Angel to the beach in Florida. There was a place she loved to walk on the beach so I spread her ashes there. Although I really missed my dog because I loved her dearly, by spreading her ashes on the beach it brought me closure and I felt at peace with her passing.
When I returned home to Michigan after spreading her ashes, Michigan had a snowstorm and fresh snow covered everything. I lived in a small apartment on the second floor in downtown Northville. I remember admiring how pretty the snow looked because it was untouched and fresh looking since it was freshly fallen even though I'm not particularly fond of snow, but it looked pretty and freshly white. I parked my car in the parking lot and approached the stairway to my second floor unit. There were two units to the second floor, mine and one that had been vacant for awhile. Only one staircase which was the only exit/entrance to the second floor. Everything was covered in fresh snow including the stairway to my apartment and as I approached the stairway I noticed a single set of paw prints going up the stairway. None coming down, just going up and no other foot prints or markings of any kind in the fresh snow and I remember thinking immediately that they looked like my dog, Angel's paw prints. The only explanation I could think of why there were paw prints going up but not down was a sign Angel is with me. She came home and apparently made it home from Florida before I did.:)
I guess everyone can come to their own conclusion for the paw prints on the stairway but there really was no explanation of why there was paw prints going up the stairway and not going down and no people prints and no animals were up in my apartment or anywhere on the staircase. The prints did look like the paw print of Angels on the ornament-
I've had many dogs in my life and have been saddened by their Passing. I miss all of them but this was the only unusual after death experience I've had with a dog. It gave me peace in knowing they are still with us after death. It was a beautiful way for Angel to let me know that. I hope my true story helps bring peace out other pet owners as well who miss their pets. I believe they are still with us and perhaps when we die, we all walk to the pearly gates together. That's what I'd like to think.
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