For several years I have been a member of a virtual bulldog club, an online circle of friends whose membership is ever changing and refreshing, and about whose dogs we come to care as if they were our own.  This past year we were joined by Judi and her Butchie - a ten year old bullie in  failing health.  We lived with her through Butchie's ups and downs, prayed with her through crises and rejoiced with her on the good days.  And on July 20, 2005, the day that we knew would eventually come, we wept with her for the loss was also ours.  We had come to know and love Butchie through Judi's words, giving us a glimpse into the love and magic of their relationship.

Fly to the Bridge, Butchie, young and healthy again... you have touched many hearts in your time here.

 

 
    It’s only for a little while

 
    It’s only for a little while that you will be a puppy.
    Bouncing, bounding, and playing about.

    It’s only for a little while that you will grow into
    adolescence.  Learning, growing, and playing about.

    It’s only for a little while that you will be an adult.
    Independent and strong with your bark loud and proud.


It’s only for a little while that we will enjoy your twilight years. 
A little slower, a little weaker but still my precious baby.

It’s only for a little while that you may be in pain. 
Be it God or other, the pain will be taken away.

It’s only for a little while that we will be apart. 
You at the bridge playing and bounding and I finishing my affairs on earth.

And in just a little while we will journey forth together into eternity.

In just a little while.

Author
Wally Cisneros  (used with permission of author)

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"I love being Butchie's Mom and taking care of him. I feel so blessed to have a Bullie that's almost 11 years old.

He's my heart."

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"He is so dear to me .. a best friend... someone who I have talked to for years, have confided in, have told all my secrets to ... and now that he's deaf I still talk to him and tell him everything and he still watches my face and tries to comprehend by the expressions that I make. He's priceless."

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"He has taught me so much over the years and now he is teaching me patience. Sometimes when I take him out and I have things to do and he walks so slow and sits after every few steps I try to think of ways to get him to hurry up. But then I stop myself and just sit on my bench and give him all of the time he needs and I feel better. I not only get some fresh air but I get to watch him sniff the grass and find a sunny spot to plop down in and bake his arthritic bones till he feels good. I get to watch the wonder of Butchie and it makes my heart happy."

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"I love sharing donuts with him ... it gives me an excuse to go off my diet and I love looking at his adorable face with cream all over it. He just loves Krispy Kremes."

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"Sometimes he just sits and stares at me. If anyone else in the world sat and stared at me I would be angry and uncomfortable but when he does it I just feel so well-loved and adored."

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"Butchie was napping on the couch but he wasn't feeling well and I didn't want the baby near him because he's deaf and sometimes if he's startled he'll snap.

"At dinnertime Butchie wouldn't eat and my 22-month old grand-nephew, who is cute as the dickens, came over when he saw me trying to feed Butchie and he took a piece of meat loaf out of Butchie's dish and put it right in Butchie's mouth... and Butchie ate it. He wouldn't eat from my hand but he ate from little Kenny's hand.  So little Kenny fed Butchie his dinner and I was really flabbergasted that he took food from the baby but not from me. I was really just happy that he ate. Later I gave him a bowl of ice cream to coat his stomach."

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"If Butchie were a furless, he'd be the kind of person that makes lemonade when life deals him a lemon. He's so incredibly special."

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"And his Mom is right where she wants to be -sitting with Butchie's head on her lap. It makes me feel complete.
This is my baby looking up at me with his beautiful eyes. He had his head in my lap and I was singing to him (he can't hear me but he knows all the songs)."

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"Looking into adoring bullie eyes is like getting a glimpse of God." 
 

 

 


 
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