I gave him a bath in the morning as I was wanting to get some video of him moving... he still had his flowing side gait. I noticed he was looking bloated and his gums were pale and he was drinking alot of water. At first I thought he must have gotten into a bag of dog food before it was emptied into the containers but that would only cause the bloated look. He wasn't acting sick at all. I took him to my Vets, worried about his pale gums.

My vet expected he had a tumor that was "bleeding out". He said he see it alot in older dogs. He drew fluid with a 3 inch needle from Strider's abdomen several times and on the third draw, got blood. All the while Strider was standing there wagging his tail, not flinching one bit. He was so happy to be there. He loves rides in the car he just did not know this was to be his very last trip with me. I didn't either...

The prognosis was very grim, the success rate with removing a tumor and stopping the bleeding is not good. My vet recommended euthanasia, but I had to try. There he was standing there on the table, happy as a lark, wagging his tail, with his dark eyes and handsome head looking at me. My vet did the exploratory surgery and it was very bad news. The tumor was inoperable and the bleeding could not be stopped. My vet said it would not be fair to wake him back up only to have him die a day or two later. So I said my goodbyes while he was still under anesthesia.

I feel robbed. I was just thinking the other day how well he and Millie (10) and Shady Lady (9) were doing and that it would be some time before I had to go through putting old seniors down again like I had to do this past year. The cruel joke is on me...

Strider was a very unique character. He was sharp as a tack, not missing a thing. I remember as a very young puppy, I was walking him through the grass on a leash. He keep on staring at the ground. I got down on the ground but could not see a darn thing and thought this dog has something wrong with his eyes or is hallucinating. The grass was very low cut, but apparently thick. Finally a small tiny bug appears from out of the grass on the sidewalk. I had to laugh... he knew that bug was there... Strider was the dog that when at puppy socialization class would jump the gate separating the "bigger" puppies from the small toy puppies. He LOVED the small dogs and wanted to be with them. And he was very gentle with them. He did NOT like the rough housing of the big puppies so he chose his own play group!

Strider's head at 7 weeks old

 

Strider was a hit at the DCA National in Ventura, CA. He took 1st in the 12-18 class, 3rd in his Sweeps class and 3rd in his Futurity class - all under breeder judges. He also was a hit outside of the rings. He garnered attention by smoozing everyone. He would walk from chair to chair under our tent to get to people sitting there. These are the nylon camp chair and they would almost collapse as he walked on them. I have no idea why he walked on the chairs rather than the ground to get to the people to be petted, but that was Strider... he had to get a laugh and do things his way.

Strider in his crate outside of my tent at the 2001 DCA National in Ventura, CA

Strider was the dog that as we were walking by the conformation rings, if the exam table was sitting just outside the gate, he would have to jump up on it, walk across and then jump back off again never missing a stride with me as I walked. I had to remember to not get too close to the tables and to keep his leash very short. He was such a HAM!

Strider was the dog that grabbed the complete turkey carcass off of the counter and took it back to his crate when my mother turned her back in the kitchen. She turned around and was shocked..."where is the turkey carcass"? I couldn't find Strider or the carcass so I went to investigate.. there he was sitting at the front of his crate looking nonchalant..."I don't have anything"... "I'm not doing anything"... I almost bought it and turned to leave, but then wondered why he was sitting so close to the front of the crate instead of lying down or being more in the center of the crate... I reached in and he had hidden the turkey carcass behind his back!

Strider was the dog that would counter cruise with style... he was so smart if there was a towel or placemat that could help propel or slide the object of his desire closer to the edge of the counter so he could snatch it he would pull on the towel or the placemat. He was also polite about it if the oject was in a container or bag. He would come trotting into the living room with a bag with the left-over brown and serve rolls inside and bring them to me laying them on my lap. He was asking me to get him one (or ALL) out of the bag for him! Most dogs would have just torn the plastic bag open. He also was a butter fiend. If the stick of butter was on the counter in it's keeper and did not have the top on... it was HIS!

Strider was the dog when "kennel help" let the wrong dogs out together, he would turn right around and go back into the house. He didn't want a confrontation, he was a lover not a fighter. If someone other than me was letting him out to potty, he would look both ways to see who else was out and then proceed. He was never in a 'canine disagreement' in his life.

Strider was the dog that made it a funny adventure when we went for a ride in the van. He was such a busy body, on short trips I would let him ride loose. He would start out on my front seat and then move to the back and end up sitting/standing on a crate looking out all the windows in the back so he would have an 'eagle eye' vantage point. He liked being up on things and looking at everything.

Strider was the dog that was nick named "Spider Man" as he loved to walk along the back of the couch, on chairs. on the table...

Strider was the dog that loved the crab apple trees out front. He would eat any that fell on the ground, even guarding the trees from the other dogs. Those were HIS crab apples! I even saw him picking apples off the tree if none were on the ground.

Strider was the dog that used to roadwork with my riding lawn mower (mower not engaged of course). I once wrote an article on options for roadworking your Dal. He let me put a gas mask on him and he proudly took pictures to illustrate the dangers of the exhaust fumes when roadworking with a car or truck.

Strider was my first BBE champion. He always had a good time where ever he was. Show stacking was too "boring" for him, but he excelled at moving... thus the name "Strider". He was nicknamed "surfer dude" as he would not stay stacked for longer than a few seconds, as he was too busy checking out what was going on in the other rings. It had to be more interesting than what was going on in ours. Despite himself he finished easily by 13 months old.

Strider was the dog that would sit right beside you in a chair and paw you for petting. He would rub against you and then turn upside down moaning all the while.

Strider was the dog that sired my "Newt", MBISS Ch JLS Just A Fig Newton ROM (L), the number 1 Dalmatian in the United States for 2002 all breeder/owner handled with no advertising. And is also the sire of Ch JLS Patience Times Two CD RE, "Tutu".

Strider was the dog that was mad at me while I was showing Newt and would give me a cold shoulder and go sit and love on my mom while staring at me. "Aren't I making you jealous?" he would seem to say. I am so glad that he was no longer "mad" at me for my "traitor ways with Newt" and had been back to being MY happy boy again.

Strider was a big character that I will never forget. There will never be another even close to your unique combination of personality, intelligence and character. Rest in peace my sweet dear 'handsome head'. I love you and life just isn't fair... you and I were supposed to have several more years together.

I hope there are crab apple trees for you to guard in heaven, lots of things to jump up on and stand high on and lots of people for you to amuse... my dear Strider. Please keep your eye on me once in awhile from your perch.

I shall miss you dearly.

Your mom and special person,
Julia