Saying goodbye is never easy!

goldenboy

Well-known member
I had to say goodbye to the most loyal dog I have ever owned today! My girl "Ruby's number 19 foxy Roxy" (Roxy) passed on today. I know golden's are loyal, needy, trusting, pets but she was the exception. Wherever I was in the house, she followed me. If I got up from the table after dinner and walked to the couch, she followed. If I got up from the couch to sit in a chair she followed and laid down next to me. When I had the urge to use the bathroom, she followed and laid down at the entrance to the bathroom and waited for me. I will never forget her first retrieve on a wild pheasant. She had run into a barb-wire fence and cut her head just above the eye. On the way back to the truck my older golden, her mother flushed a rooster it flew towards me and I shot it. Roxy, who was about 6 months old at the time, saw the bird fall and beat her mother to the retrieve. I will never forget the picture I have in my mind of this 6 month old pup, with blood running down her face from the cut above her eye, delivering that rooster to me just as proud as can be. I knew then that I had a dog! One year while guiding and shooting lots of wild birds when they were plentiful I kept track of the number of birds shot over my two golden's, Roxy and her mother Ruby and the total count that fall was 1,048 birds! She was a machine who produced lots of beautiful puppies for families and never missed an opportunity to make a retrieve. Her last hurrah was the end of January this year. I spoke at a wild game feed and they asked me to bring her to the event and do some retrieving work for the crowd. In a gymnasium full of people I was able to throw dummies and send her through the crowd and she delivered to hand every time. The next day I spoke at a church on Sunday morning and Roxy got to go to church that day! She was on stage with me, did some retrieving for the crowd and was the perfect lady all morning long. I sure will miss that girl. Here is a picture of her in the latest retriever journal.
 
Thankyou for sharing your heartfelt thoughts. It is always sad to let a friend pass. It is also sad that as we get older the chances for another become slim. I am sure we would love to do it again...just one more time. Every time I work with mine I take a little extra care to do it the right way. Good luck my friend. Tom
 
As a Golden guy myself I know what you mean about them. Theres just nothing like them. So sorry for your loss. Hang in there
 
As a Golden guy myself I know what you mean about them. Theres just nothing like them. So sorry for your loss. Hang in there

Heart felt sympathy for your loss Joel—
Just reached over and hugged my 12 year sitting on th couch with me a little closer
 
As a Golden guy myself I know what you mean about them. Theres just nothing like them. So sorry for your loss. Hang in there

And an Amen from me...on #5, 8 yrs and still strong.

Joel, we only hunted once together, but I'll never forget your Roxy. Jumping up and down, excited to hunt and pregnant to boot! She was an amazing dog and I've told other hunters about my experience with her and you. She found every bird in tall stuff you could hardly see. I know you have other dogs, but this one will be remembered for a long time.
 
My condolences, it's never easy.
 
Dang Joel, they never live long enough. I’m very sorry
 
You gave her a great home and life. Gotta be another out there somewhere who needs you.
 
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