To My Heart Dog, Detroit

Today is one of those happy yet sad days. My heart dog Detroit, who died in November 2006, would have been 14 years old today. Happy Birthday Detroit, (or Detour as he was called a lot, a little inside joke that came about from an old roommate of mine.)

I am of course, very sad that Detroit didn't live to see this day. Unfortunately not a lot of German Shepherd Dogs do, with either hip problems, Degenerative Myelopathy (you can read much more than you'd ever want to know about that disease here: http://neuro.vetmed.ufl.edu/neuro/DM_Web/DMofGS.htm).

Others, like Detour, die of a variety of cancers, the most prevalent of which is Hemangiosarcoma. Detroit's hemangio struck at his spleen and other organs, but it had also spread to his brain stem before I had any idea that he was even sick. He died 2 weeks after I first noticed that he didn't seem to be feeling well and didn't eat his breakfast, which was absolutely unheard of for my chow hound.

For Detroit's sake, I'm glad that he didn't suffer a long and drawn out illness, but at that point in my life it was a devastating blow. (uhmm, yeah, that job loss mentioned in my bio? I was informed of it 2 weeks after Detroit died.) Time has mellowed the hurt, but I still miss my guy. He was very wise, calming, and loving.

Three of Detroit's canine companions are still with me, Kestrel (almost 12), Redmond (9 1/2 already!) and Gamble (7 in December). We lost Patch about a year and a half after Detroit, which was another hard loss to bear. With Patch though, I was comforted with him in knowing he was at least 12 1/2 and we'd had a wonderful 6 years together after he was abandoned by his former owner at a dog pound. He came out of himself and learned to love and trust again, something he didn't think he would be able to do.

Detroit will always have that little extra special place in my heart because he was my first German Shepherd. I had wanted a GSD for a long time, and was so thrilled when I got to raise him. He has inspired a life-long devotion to the breed, and was responsible for my running a GSD rescue for 6 years, during which time I rescued and rehomed approximately 300 GSDs. It is because of him that I had Patch, and still have Kestrel and Redmond, who delight me every day. All three were rescues that came to me to be placed, but found a place in my heart to stay.

Still, Detroit has always been the one, perhaps because he was the first. I am sure he would claim otherwise though. He knew it from the start when he came to live with me as a puppy. He was my main man, my best boy, my solid foundation. He was my heart dog.

"It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new dog who comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are."
--Unknown