Singer's Story

Singer came to us as a nine-week-old puppy.  The minute she walked into our house she was home.  Brittany's are know for their love of people and being an "in your face" dog and those traits fit Singer perfectly.  She was such a joy and reeked of happiness.  You could see it in her face.


I had never had a bird dog but John had grown up with them.  He enjoyed hunting, I enjoyed being in the field with the dogs - it was a perfect match.  Let's be clear on one thing though..... the only things I ever shot were pictures of the events.  :)  


We trained Singer ourselves along with a German Shorthair pup that I had gotten for John.  Her name is GiGi and she and Singer grew into quite good kennel mates and bird hunting partners.  We did the AKC Hunt Tests with both dogs, getting their Junior Hunter titles and Singer even got a perfect score on one of her competitions.  We participated in Put and Take Pheasant Hunts through the DNR every fall, and staged some of our own Quail hunts in the fields behind us.  





My Singer dog was a bird finding fool.  She would stay on point FOREVER - wouldn't retrieve worth a darn, but to hold point until you got ready was no problem.  She was even a natural backer.  It was so fun to watch her work the field. We had a blast!


But there is a season for everything...

My plant shuts down every summer during the week of the Fourth of July.  In 2014, I was beginning the first weekend of my "vacation".  John wanted to get a few things done around home and cleaning the dog kennel real good was one of them.  It's much easier (and safer for the dogs) if they are out of it as he uses the pressure washer.  We have a large deck that has a railing specifically there to keep the dogs contained, kind of like a fenced yard without the grass.  GiGi and Singer came up on the deck to spend time with me while John cleaned the kennel.  Singer was acting kind of listless which was uncommon for my busy, happy Brittany.  I started rubbing her all over and that's when I felt the mass.  It was large and I knew by its proximity and size that it was serious.  And it was Friday evening. Oh, I suppose we could have taken her to the Emergency Clinic but I think a part of me knew it was too late.  I chose to wait and see what the next couple of days brought.

I love my dogs like family.  Watching Singer broke my heart.  She had always had a ferocious appetite but now she wasn't interested in eating much at all.  I was able to get her interested in boneless, skinless chicken breast meat that I had and since I was off work I could feed her small amounts many times per day.  She ate chicken and drank water all the while looking at me with her soulful eyes telling me that she adored me. 

The end of the week approached and Singer was still eating but I could tell she was fading.  I called my vet to make an appointment to help her on her way to Rainbow Bridge (euthanize her).  I left a message but no one returned my call.  Okay.... I do believe that God is in control of everything and that there is a reason for the way things work out.  I continued to take care of her but knew that Monday morning I had to take her in.  I could not stand to see her suffer any longer.  John dug her grave in preparation.

Friday and Saturday she pretty much stayed in the dog house and I sat outside of it offering her chicken and water telling her how loved she was and what a good dog she had been.  Saturday night I had a dream.   John and I had Singer in our bed waiting for her to pass.  I had to go some where - not sure where, you know how dreams are.... When I came home Singer and John were gone.  I just knew she had passed on and he had buried her.  I went out to the grave to see and there was my Singer dog.... jumping and playing with her happy, smiling face.  Then I woke up.  I knew she was gone - I felt it in my soul.

I haven't dreamed about Singer since.  I miss her still and when I think of her I remember the dream and how happy she looked.  I truly believe that God gave me that dream and that vision to comfort me and to let me know that she is okay and waiting for me at Rainbow Bridge (along with many others I have had the chance to love).