Bestest Buddy

back in 2011 we met a little entity known as 'mango's pup', and on the drive home with this kicking and squirming little fuzz ball this little chap got the name Rosa.

We'd decided that our current pooch Bella needed a buddy to hang out and play with, and... Rosa was that buddy.

 

Involved in everything, even when asleep...

And the sweetest, most genuine puppy face that always drew notice and a comment.

Rosa, like all borders, was a bundle of energy.  Although she absolutely hates water  (beach, river, bath... anything bigger than a water bowl) was happy to roll in the mud and look incredibly pleased with herself.

Suffice to say that Bella disliked Rosa, and Rosa luuuuuved Bella. Many a half assed 'grrrrrr' from Bella (a very introverted little chap) but when we weren't watching we noticed they got along. Funny lil beings.

Two beautiful girls, though chalk and cheese in personalities...

While Bella wasn't exactly 'clingy' she was happy to plonk down beside you and share space. Rosa on the other hand would get up and move if you sat down beside her (little b....  :D)  after giving you a look.

But on a(n extremely rare) occasion she'd want some attention and come over for a pat or for a scritch-scratch on her tail.

Rosa was a SUPER fluffy dude.  Her coat had some of everything from neat n tidy, to fluffy, to flat, to curly, to fuzzy, to woolly, and big fluffy bouffance pantaloons (fuzzy back legs).

In this pics the girls would hang out... on opposite ends of their sofa, but there's enough room for everyone.

Rose was always... well frankly, a little piggy wig and would hoe into Bella's tucker if she left it unattended.

And she loved chomping on a carrot or anything interesting...  ooooooh lamb shanks, YES PLEASE!!

On one occasion we went to a zoo and saw a wombat display and I was shocked at the similarities between Rosa's chonky rear profile and the wombat!

She knew what she liked.

And did I mention, stubborn (if funny)...

[a story...]

when she was young she did 'something naughty' and tried running past me when i was rousing at her, she hit the brick doorway and put a big cut over her eye... of course my heart melted... poor thing, what have you done dumb dumb!!  "i'm running!!"

In 20... 20  or there abouts Rosa had a medical 'event'. One day I noticed her 'dragging' herself around in the garage.  We took her to a vet, thence the major vet hospital and found that a disk had popped in her back, blocked her nerves and paralyzed her back legs and tail.

I was distraught and had no idea what to do but my partner (thank you) was adamant that we'd do all we could to fix it.  And for that i'm truly grateful.

So scans, surgery and a bunch of professional care later we'd got back a shaved, scarred and barely waddling/limping poodle back.

an aside:  i always called her a 'poodle' because she pooped so much (yep gross)... cos she ate so damn much... cos she was a little piggy (did i mention)  :D

[an aside...]

rosa would scarf down her own dinner then try to hoe into bella's tucker.  so i'd shut the garage door and take rosa out the front for an amble to leave bella in some peace and quiet to dine in her own time  = post-dinner rituals and funny times.

anywho, so because she was a stubborn lil b and we were told to make her take it easy, she immediately jumped up onto the couch (her couch)... and so i got her a playpen to stop her doing stupid things [doggy jail!! oh noooooooo!!].

i was happy to sleep downstairs and look after her during her recovery and on the nice days take her out to the backyard for some fresh air, some grass, and blue sky.  a bit of nature cures everything, no?

water therapy was obviously a minor nightmare that we forced her through (the trauma!!). but she got a really stylish blue terry-towelling number from the experience. and she eventually she got her mobility back which was suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch a blessing (and an extra 5+ year of cheer).

even in the hospital she was a bright and positive soul.  [i don't know why i'm here but i'm going to kick it's ass and get through it. always. love ya. yhay!]

i started working from home (even before covid) and my secretary helped me out so much... 

we went for many breakie walks and there was always a hefty Rosa tax...

and even during covid we would sit out the out the back of the local cafe and it felt like the secretary and i kept the cafe afloat. [bacon! is! my! favourite!]

during this time i got 'winter pink nose'  which appears to do nothing but make my nose pink...

and i abided in unlimited patience... ... ... [sigh, you humans]

so fast forward to 2025... we've been through... a lot.  beautiful Bella had passed during this period.

suffice so say that i firmly believe that this lil champion saved my life. i was exceptionally low and my responsibility more than anything to this little soul kept me keeping on when i did felt i could not.

i loved making birthday cakes for her, layers of mince with egg, bacon and cheese, candles of carrot sticks with cheese flames. the small things maybe, hahaha...

didn't stop her trying to inhale the whole things.  my lil lamb ALWAYS loved her tucker.

my mum took these pics of my buddy during the last couple of years. always a beautiful girl.

over the last few months/weeks her mobility deteriorated rapidly.  she walked soooo slowly when we went for smellabouts... then took soooo long to get herself standing (did i mention also sooooo very stubborn... i'll get there god damn it)...  then her front end started collapsing...

:(

but she was in an environment where she was loved and hung out in a super green backyard, blue skies, frequent pats and chats...  we love you buddy.

last night she could not pick herself up and ended up dragging herself around again during the night, and i'll save the details but her back end wasn't capable of doing what the front end required.... [deepest of sighs]

we went to the vet and he (a very kind soul, as are all vets i've encountered are) said we can keep her keeping on to an extent for 'weeks to months'...

[sigh]

then last night at 3:30, after spending a day sitting by her side and chatting to her almost constantly (rosa falsetto:  'please shut up'),  i picked her up and carried her to my car.

we went to the vet (another different but empathetic vet) and the vet said (paraphrase) "she'd not looking good."

...

...

i took my buddy. my best friend, and the person who got me through some dark days, to the place of her journey's end.

she trusted me to get her through the pain and complications of life...

and i said "yes, she needs to pass on."

...

twice i've said that... it does not get easier.  it gets harder.

...

i had my hand under her head as it slumped the last time. i had my hand on her ribs as it stopped moving up and down.  i had her fuzzy body against my tee shirt and felt her body heat start to dissipate.

i felt... so guilty, so inadequate... to someone who had helped me to carry on no matter what.  someone who had loved me unconditionally, though i always gave her some bacon (the rosa tax) for her efforts.

i have never done something so hard as what i had agree to there, to my best friend. to say (regardless of tear) yes, go ahead. 

i can rationalize, that her limited mobility and existential fret was unconscionable...

...

...

i would give her sunrise after sunrise...  steak night after steak night...  limitless walkies...  as many pats and scratches as she could possibly bear. 

but...

her time was concluded as time moves forward for all of us.  her anxiety and discomfort swayed my decision and i hope she realised my words and decisions were made from a position of love. 

without question the hardest thing i've ever had to do in my life. bar none. 

bar none.  i will not expand.

i loved this little soul unconditionally. as much as any soul i've very met.

[my jack nicholson impersonation, hahahaha] 

thank you rosa posa.

i am numb with your passing. my tears seem unlimited.  that you are no longer here amongst us with your happy demeanour.

i had an acquaintance say they could never do this again... and i understand so completely.  dogs are... capable of projecting and inducing profound love.

i feel i have let you down. but know i loved you soooo much. my bestest buddy.  you made my life so much better. thank you. soooo much gratitude my fuzzy lil one.

good bye rosa posa. love you. love you.

side story (post-bella):  during covid we went for daily walks to a local cafe. we'd sit out the back and eat egg and bacon rolls. good times.

associated story:  this same cafe (post covid) got a new owner.  they had the best hamburger i've ever had.  NOTE THAT DOWN cos i keep a list.  anyways, we often went for breakie walks, and got pancakes with bacon... no prize for guessing where the bacon went.  similarly, if i got a meatball sub i ended up with a salad roll.

09/01/2011   -   23/02/2025

nowhere near long enough lil friend.