Hailey is Home

Hailey's remains were returned to the clinic yesterday and Lady was able pick her up.

Ummm, this isn't Hailey, but it smells like the vet.

Welcome home sweet girl.

We miss you so much. 

Thank You

Thank you all for your kind words and love sent our way the past few days. It has been a difficult time, but being surrounded by all the love has made it easier. It is amazing to me that this difficult, crazy pup who we loved fiercely and also tried our patiences like no other being has or likely will, could touch the lives of so many people, all over the world. What an amazing thing.

Thanks to Ann for putting this colleague together. 

Thank you to Dalton and Benji for this.

In Loving Memory of Hailey Bug

Hailey Bug
January 13, 2010-March 14, 2025

Peacefully, surrounded by love, Hailey crossed to the rainbow bridge yesterday. While her neurological conditions let us know this was coming, we were not prepared for how sudden the decline was.  Thursday, she had a fine day with the longest walk she had in weeks. The evening she started to indicate she was not well and by the morning, she told us it was time to let her go.

Rescued from a high-kill shelter at 3 weeks old in Ohio, Hailey lived in multiple foster homes in the US and Canada before finding her way to our home and hearts. While our love for Hailey was limitless, she was not an easy dog. There are many stories on this blog to show how challenging she could be. Besides the anxiety (which resulted in 2 holes in the wall and more destruction than one can count), she was a free spirit. She wanted to do what she wanted. When given the chance she would run free, without a care in the world. While I, the Lady, spent countless hours walking with her, and training, she never listed to me the way she listened to Man (which wasn't perfect, more slightly better). She clearly knew she was the alpha in our pack. 

She would like to be remembered as a fierce hunter, as that one time she got the groundhog. She tried many, many times to get other animals. Once, even trying to climb a tree.  In her dreams she was always chasing something. I hope she caught them all. 

In spite of the challenges and the repeated lesson in patience we got living with Hailey, she was also a wonderful dog. She was smart, too smart, and playful. She could be very loving.  She tolerated the hat tax well. Perhaps her greatest gift to us is the connections we have made with many of you reading this post today. You are people we would have never had an opportunity to know in this vast world, if not for our shared love of our pets. For that, I will be eternally grateful. We feel the love with a capital L from all of you, and we know you share our grief, as we have shared yours. 

In Hailey's memory, take some time to sniff the air, give someone a belly rub, and find joy. She could always find joy. 

If you have a favourite Hailey memory, we would love to hear it.

The heartbroken, Lady, Man and Zaphod

Thank you to Ann for creating this for us. 

A Real Life Conversation

 

After Hailey has been barking to get Lady to do things the Lady doesn't want to do.

Lady: You are not the boss of me.

Lee: I am so the boss of you and I will be the boss of you until the day I die and then my ghost will come back and boss you.

Lady: You are right. 

This is completely true if I look at my life the last 14 and a half years. Hailey has been in charge. She is said when we walk, where we walk, how long we walk. We picked a house based on her needs. We picked a second dog based on her preferences and needs. We go out, we go upstairs, we go downstairs, we sit in certain places, we do all the things to make her happy. She clearly is our boss. And I know it is getting worse as we just try and make her happy and comfortable in these last weeks. 

Excuse Me

 This new diet isn't working for me. Give me some of your toast.

Wordless Wednesday - Napping

 

What the Vet Said - by Lee

Dear pals,

This old Lady has some not good news. I am having seizures. Dozens of them a day. They are especially bad when triggered by the light reflecting off the snow. The best guess is the cause of seizures is likely a brain tumour, but we will never know for sure.

At any rate, I let them take my blood. I fought a little, so needed 2 sticks. Lady has to collect my urine because my kidney levels were a little off. You can all be amused picturing her following me around to catch my first pee of the day. Then we will make a decision about meds for the seizures and for pain as I can't have Liberela anymore. Librela can have neurological effects so no more for me. 

Rocking the bandages.

Lady and the vet had a good discussion about quality of life and this is what we are aiming for, if it be days. weeks, or months. 

 Don't feel too sad for me pals. I am still living a great life and have lived a wonderful life. This is just the phase we are in.

your pal, The Old Lady, Hailey Bug

Wordless Wednesday - When Lady Sits In A Different Chair

 

Mischief Monday - Birthday Adventures - by Lee

 Dear pals,

I have lost my off leash privileges on days it is not too cold with the Lady due to some adventuring on my birthday.

It was a mild January day and I had the wind in my tail. Note - I will not go with walks with Lady in the morning if it is cold and dark. She is trying to figure out how on home days to work a walk in later in the morning. (Last week was hard because she had the Covid again). Any way on some winter days, I want more exercise then I am getting, and my birthday was one of them.

At noon, Lady took us out and I went to explore the neighbour's. Lady found me in their yard.

Me in the neighbour's yard - can you spot me? I had just come up from around their garage

After Lady had her lunch,  we went out again, and I decided to go into the bush for a nice walk.

Going into the bush

Exploring

I ended up rolling down a big hill (Lady saw it) and was heading back towards our house so Lady cut back a different way. This is where she found me:

I was ready to go in. 

It was a wonderful adventure and I have no regrets. I am thankful to Callie's boy, for riding the snowmobile around the bush and making packed snow so it is easier for me to run in. 

your pal, she may be old, but she isn't going to start to listen now, Hailey Bug

Happy 15th Birthday Hailey!

 Today we celebrate Miss Hailey Bug's 15th birthday! 

There is so much we could say about the last 14 years with our girl, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Today, we are just going to sit in the moment of celebrating her! 

Shouldn't there be a Senior Hat Tax Discount?

Wordless Wednesday - Listen Up

 

Pizza Please

 Pizza has always been one of Lee's favourite treats. It was our angel Loki's as well. Towards the end of his life we ordered him a small cheese pizza and tried to serve it whole. He had no idea what to do. We had to cut it up for him. I don't think, if in the same position Lee would have the same problem!

What?

 Man, tell Lady I don't want to have my picture taken.

Fine - what do you want?

Are we done yet?

Wordless Wednesday - Last Days of Summer

 

Happy Gotcha Day Hailey!

 Today, we celebrate 14 years with Hailey!

She has never been an easy dog. However, in spite of the destruction, anxiety and craziness, she has always been wonderful.

Today we celebrate 14 years with her!

Funny Habit

 Hailey has a funny habit. As we are in the process of changing foods, we have mixed the old and the new ones together. 

She likes to take pieces she doesn't like out of the bowl (ideally Phod's side if he doesn't finish it)

then proceed to try and bury this "bad food" on the floor.

Note: She eats most of both foods, it is just some pieces of the old food are not acceptable to the princess. However, sometimes after burying the offensive piece, she will eat it. 

Wordless Wednesday - Bark-patrol

 

Wordless Wednesday - Awkward Way To Sit

 

Trouble on A Tuesday - Things That Need to Go In The Night

It isn't every night, but a few nights a week, Miss Hailey Bug continues to need to go out in the night. There isn't a clear pattern, although not pooping after dinner seems to be more related to the need for a night trip. Somewhere between 2-4 am, Miss Bug wakes up and starts to pace around the bedroom and won't settle until we go out. 

If the Man takes her out, they stay in the yard, but if I take her out, we go for a walk to Callie's driveway and back. The reason we go this far is because Hailey likes to poop on Callie's yard, so I am hopeful that if we walk that way, she will go.  Very, very rarely, Phod wakes up and joins us on this night time adventure. 

Tired the day after a 3:30 am walk

I do what I can to try not to wake up too much. I don't turn lights on. I don't put my glasses on. I throw a jacket and shoes, clip on the leash and we go, pjs and all.  I appreciate both the time with my girl and parts of the night I don't usually see. We have heard the owl and the whip-poor-will, seen the stars and watched  beautiful firefly shows. The other night, while out with Man, Lee got to bark at the raccoon that was yelling at her. 

This is the current chapter of our lives. It is difficult and an honour and a privilege to share the golden years with Lee. I hope someday I look back at this fondly.

A tired and grateful Lady

Wordless Wednesday - Sun Dog