Best Girl

One year to the day the passing of Lady, my previous dog of 16 years, I taught a pie making workshop and shared her story with pie campers who had come to make pie with me from all over the country. It was a great session and after Annie and Michael, who had traveled from Chicago, told me that they wanted to find me my next dog. Michael is a dog whisperer who trains service animals for people with special needs and Annie finds rescue dogs and re-homes them. "You need a really fine companion animal and we commit to finding that dog for you." We stayed in touch.

Two months later at a holiday gathering, I was sitting at a table with friends when one asked, "I’m going to see some German Shepherd puppies tomorrow, Kate. Would you like to come?"

"German Shepherd puppies? I would love to come!"

Just as I said those words, my phone went «ding ding» and when I looked down to the phone screen, I saw a text and photo from Annie. "We’ve got your dog."

A happy girl who loved to play is how the rescue shelter described her. Gretapie had been bouncing around from rescue to rescue and Annie immediately had a feeling that this was the dog for me. She brought her to their family home to join the other dogs Michael was training and a few months later they said she was ready to come home with me...but I wondered just how to do that.

"Do I fly from Seattle and then drive her home in a rental car?"

"She’ll fly with you."

"In baggage?"

"She’ll be in the cabin."

"How will that work?"

"We’ll loan you a service vest and she will fly as a service dog."

They said that they would not turn her over to me unless they were one-hundred percent sure she could walk through security on her own, tuck herself under the seat in front of me, and make the trip home with me. I trusted them and turned it all over to the universe. Somehow this would work.

The big day arrived and I boarded the non-stop from Seattle to Chicago arriving late in the afternoon. Annie and Michael were already there hovering in their car waiting for me. I hopped in and off we went. When we got to the house, Michael asked me to sit down on the kitchen floor while he brought GP up on her leash. I couldn't wait to to meet her and will always remember that love-at-first-sight moment for both of us. She climbed right up into my lap giving me the sweetest puppy kisses ever. Over the course of the next two days we were literally tethered together with a leash that went around my waist. Everywhere I went she was by my side. Michael and Annie said that this would be the best way for her to totally attach to me... and me to her. Eating, sleeping, potty breaks, brushing my teeth…and hers…chatting in the kitchen with Annie. I had once again become "We."

The next day I learned GP’s basic commands; sit, down, stay, come. We went to a shopping center, slipped on the service vest and walked in to stores. With her leash in my hand, she walked when I walked, stopped when I stopped, and sat down next to me and waited patiently when standing. Never in my life had I had a dog like this. They showed me how to get in and out of cars, too—a version of which I would need to know when I would fly home with her at my feet.

On the day I flew home, Michael told me, "if you are chill, she will be chill; if you are nervous, she will be nervous." They dropped me off at the airport mid-afternoon and, taking a deep breath and remembering his words, we walked through the doors now as a bonded pair. She went through security as if she did it everyday of her life. When we got to our waiting area she lay her head down on my foot. We boarded the flight early and walked to our row just behind first class. I put my left leg in to the row first, she walked to the window seat and curled herself under the seat in front of me. Keep chill, I kept thinking. She settled easily and even slept through the take off. She was so quiet that fifteen minutes in to the flight our row-mate looked over surprised to see that I had a dog with me. He remarked on how well-behaved she was. I agreed and smiled. She got up several times in the flight to turn herself around, each time settling easily back under the seat. She even slept through the landing! We de-boarded, found the pet relief area outside the terminal and I got her some water while we waited for a dear friend to pick us up. When she arrived, GP climbed into the car and again curled up at my feet. Then a quick ten minute drive to get my car where I left it parked at my friends’ house. I walked her again, got us into my car and drove the two plus hours to Pie Cottage, GP’s new home.

Over the twelve years she was with me, Gretapie was a blessing each day. She would plop her head down on the side of the bed each morning, licking my hand and wagging her tail with big I-love-you wags. She had the softest ears and always brought a smile to my face and joy to my day.

Earlier this year, GP was diagnosed with a sarcoma that popped up overnight on her side. It was able to be removed but I was warned that another might appear. Last month a second one on the right elbow of her front leg showed up. If she had been younger our vet said she would amputate but at the age of twelve it was not a possibility. I asked how long we had. "Not long" were words I didn’t want to hear.

As the days and weeks passed the sarcoma grew larger and she licked at it a lot. On Monday night last she paced around the house all night long, settling for a few seconds before getting up only to pace again. She couldn't get comfortable. It was no different in the morning. The sarcoma had been painful but now it was affecting her every moment. I didn’t want my girl to suffer so I called Dr Pat who said she would come over after her last appointment of the day. Then GP and I had a wonderful last day together.

We went to her favorite beach out by the mouth of the Elwah River, visited some of her favorite people in town all of whom gave her treats, came home for lunch and a little nap, had more treats, took our last bluff walk together followed by a last dinner. A few close friends to GP and me, arrived as did my son and his 3 year old dog who I’m pretty sure kept GP young for the last few years of her life. Then we settled in to wait for Dr Pat. After, we had a small wake, toasting her with whiskey and telling GP stories.

Every day with GP was a gift. Now that she is gone, I miss her wagging tail and bright and happy smile, our walks together on the bluff, her love of cleaning the floor of pie dough scraps that fall during workshops. But most of all I miss the constant companionship of this truly beautiful and gentle soul.

That night, It felt strange to walk the bluff without her.

I know GP is running free across the Rainbow Bridge and that she will always be watching over me.

Best Girl Ever.