Fourteen Years

Happy Birthday Maddie!!!

Relynka's Maiden Voyage, MX, MXJ

As I sit here watching you sleep, I cannot believe you are fourteen.  You are obviously not a young dog, not a puppy; but you don't seem to be a geriatric dog either.  Tons of energy, happy attitude and plenty of sweet kisses are what greet me each evening when I walk into the house from work.  It is such a blessing to have you here, and especially to have you happy.

All that lacks in your health is the lack of visual depth perception and the pain and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis.  Getting up and down are hard, very hard right now.  The lack of depth perception makes navigation of small steps stressful for you and for and us.  Those are the only times that we are really reminded of your age.

Watching you slap Stetson in the head and dive into a play bow just makes me giggle.  He is truly your best prize.

Hilton Head, November 2013

I cannot think of you without a smile on my face, you just make me happy that way.  My heart still races when I recall walking away from you at the start line and turning to see you crouched and waiting for the game of agility to begin.  You are my biggest adrenaline rush, even if memories are what stir it up.

Happy birthday love, I hope that today will bring you relief from the osteoarthritis.  You see, today is your stem cell therapy day and I think it is perfect that it falls on this special day.  It feels like I am giving you back something that will enrich this senior part of your life in the same way that you have filled me up all these years.

Siberian Husky Club of America 2004 National Specialty award ceremony memory wall - she earned three of four awards that she qualified for, with 6 classes in regular agility classes being awarded.  

You are loved more today than you have ever been little girly girl.  Happy birthday my love!

She has melted Dave from the day she was born