In Loving Memory

Rocky was a handsome, gentle soul and loved to be around people and dogs. He was a friend to dogs that struggled with being social and always reacted with a playful attitude. His favourite place was Elk Lake, and he was his happiest self when he could run. We’ll miss you, buddy.

Blue

It’s with heavy hearts we’re informing you that our beautiful blue boy has passed on. The decision was made with deep consideration for his overall wellbeing. Through his more recent struggle with a disease called degenerative myelopathy, we’ve witness our strong boy go from willing and able, to the loss of function in his rear end and bodily control. His will never wavering. Blues amazing manner and soft eyes never left him, making the decision feel uneasy. Although he couldn’t hold his own he still knew how to make our house feel like a home. Barking as I came home from work or being the dog therapist for all the kids and Bev in the daycare. He lived up to his name to the very end.

We owe him so much more than we’ll ever imagine and we can only hope our love for him was received in full. Blue is the reason our family is together. It was blue who initially caught my eye on social media to begin the search of, “who’s the owner of this beautiful Chesapeake”. (I had just been scrolling through a dog breed book and was convinced this was the breed for me.) In the ensuing weeks, months and years I would have the pleasure to get close with Blue and his beautiful mother Bev. He truly was our fur baby and will forever be remember as our perfect boy.

Blues impact was understandably immense. His joy and energy matched his size, and his acceptance of all that walked the earth was admirable. There wasn’t many scenarios where he didn’t bring an aura of calming and joyfulness. This was highly showcased in the way he interacted with puppies. He loved being able to show them how to play, while being gentle. Of course there was a side of him I’m sure we can all recollect where nothing else mattered……. But the beach!!!! His love for the water was only rivalled for the love he had for his family. Often spending hours swimming, diving and of course splashing. Throughout the years we have been blessed to take him on many adventures all over the island and throughout this beautiful province. He has had the luxury of swimming and “splashing” in many different bodies of water along the way.

Blue was so much more than a dog to us. Never assuming judgement, he could always make you feel as if everything was going to be ok…. “So long as you continue petting my head!” In all seriousness he lead many different roles in our family. He was an adventuring partner, climbing high hills and searching for life’s treasures, as well as a fishing partner to places like Nootka sound. He was a running partner and a job site Forman, (for six beautiful years). He was a beach walker spending countless weeks and weekends at his favourite place in the world… the cabin. He was a therapy dog, a daycare icon, a washing machine and a teacher. He was a best friend to us and the girls, a brother and the best dog ever. We can’t thank him enough for giving us 12 amazing years of love and kindness.

Nobody ever explained to me how fast this journey was to unfold. Who decided that dogs should only live a fraction of a humans lifetime anyways. Seems unfair for something that lives with such purity and devotion. The responsibility we took in choosing his path is one that has been haunting.

I believe that Blues loving impact will be felt by whomever he came in contact with and that his legacy in our family will never be forgotten. “

During Marlo’s 9 years she brought such immense joy into our lives. She embodied her happiness with the classic boxer jellybean dance. Marlo was our first baby, which meant she got a couple years of dog focused adventures, but then she loved even more when the kids came along. She napped with our babies, played dress up with toddlers and then walked kids to and from school. She loved us all unwaveringly.

We will never feel like we had enough time with her. We learnt of her cancer two months before her passing. Being able to say goodbye in peace and at home was a gift we are so grateful to the Resting Paws team for. We keep Marlo close in our hearts.

Oliver was a wild one – he loved hunting, exploring on our walks, and napping in the dirt… all while demanding that his heating pad be on at all times. I’m incredibly grateful that we found each other and shared 12 amazing years together. I will always carry him in my heart. Grief is just unexpressed love.

Dr. Nicola and Heather were amazing, and I’m incredibly grateful they were there during one of the hardest moments of my life. I don’t know how else to say it, but they’re absolute pros at what they do. Thank you.

My sweet, beautiful Carter, thank you for sharing your life with us and being a perfect fit to our family.
We feel so grateful and blessed to have been a part of your journey, filling our hearts with love and laughter.
You gave us strength during challenging times offering us so much joy with your loving energy.
Love you forever 💕
Loretta and Lauren

Thank you Dr Vanessa and Heather for being the angels that came to give Carter the most peaceful and beautiful end of life experience.

Talia was very sweet and gentle. I was very lucky to have her, even if it was only for the last three years of her life.

I want to thank you Vanessa and your team for what was a truly transformational experience with Rufus Tuesday. He was so calm and his passing so peaceful. We all felt extremely supported and this made what could have been one of the worst days for us, a day we can remember as compassionate and comforting.

The candle and poem are sitting with photos of him and his collar tags on a remembrance alter. This has also made these last few days more meaningful.

Thank you again for your truly incredible hospice service. It was more than we could have hoped for.

It is with the saddest hearts that we said goodbye to sweet Dexter. He was just shy of 17 years old and lived an amazingly full and wonderful life. With his unbelievably calm and cautious demeanor he openly welcomed our growing family over the years. He napped with brand new babies, patrolled high chairs for years waiting for castoffs, wore silly birthday hats, shared his dog beds with babies, toddlers, and teens, went camping, attended hockey tournaments all over the province, and loved his family with all his heart. He was always a lazy dog who preferred to lounge in the yard under a shady tree and would frequently quit on long hikes and simply lay down or start heading to the car, whether we were done or not. As we reflect back on the past 17 years, we see how much we’ve been through with our amazing boy by our sides. He will be missed more than words can convey. He brought us lifetimes worth of joy and showed us what unconditional love truly looks like. Till we meet again, we will miss him every day.

Anakin was the best little kitty anyone could ever ask for. Anakin loved riding on his mom’s shoulders no matter what she was doing, or napping with his dad no matter what time of day it was. He loved kisses, cuddles, and cantaloupe. Anakin could make anything into a bed but his favourite was his banana bed. He made everyone happy. He was such a good boy. We love you so much Anakin. You will be greatly missed by your family and daycare kids. Forever in our hearts.

To Dr. Vanessa, Zoe, and the entire Resting Paws team:
Thank you for the kindness and compassion on Sophie’s last day.

Here is a picture of Sophie at Elk Lake. Sophie loved walks, playing with other dogs and treats. She was a wonderful dog and we miss her so much.