I'm sorry, Erin. I know how it feels to lose your dog, a member of your family. I don't think it's fair that they have such short lives.

Pudge wasnt even my dog, but since she was so close to Tiny and I used to puppysit Pudge occasionally, it felt like she was my dog. I feel bad for my aunt, I know exactly how she feels. Two years ago tonight I was probably just as depressed as she is right now.

Erin,

I'm sorry about your dog, Tiny. And your Aunt's dog, Pudge.

But I have to tell you...

I've thought about sending you a PM several times to tell you that the dog you have as your avatar is beautiful.

Now I know that it's a picture of your dog TinyMonsters. What kind of dog was he? Some kind of large Terrier? A Briard? I can't tell, but have to reiterate...he was beautiful!

He's a Bouvier des Flandres. It's a breed of dog from the Flanders Field area of Belgium (Flanders Field is famous as a World War One battleground)

Bouviers were bred for sheep and cattle herding, but they were also used for pulling milk carts (ever read the book A Dog of Flanders?) They're also used as police dogs, guide dogs, assistance dogs, hunting dogs, trackers, guard dogs, family pets, and I think I've read somewhere that a Bouvier was trained to sense epileptic seizures for a kid somewhere.

Basically, Bouviers are an excellent all purpose dog. They're pretty good at everything they're trained to do. (Tiny was an excellent mouser, and a good catcher of angry possums. I wish I had video of him saving my dad from a juvenile possum that was 3 shades of ****** that got trapped in our garage once. Possum leaped at my dad's face, and Tiny caught it just before it would have tried to eat my dad. He shook it, broke it's neck and then spit it out across the garage floor. Tiny totally earned every dog snack he got that night)

During both WWI and WWII, they were used as messenger and ambulance dogs by the Allies, and the Germans had a standing order to shoot the dogs on sight.

In WWII, Hitler was looking for a "master dog" to go with his "master race". One of the dogs he looked at was a Bouvier des Flandres. When he went to pet the dog, the dog bit him on the hand (what a good dog!) and then that's when Hitler ordered the Bouviers to be shot on sight. Hitler chose the German Shepherd as the "master dog" instead. That story is a legend tho, and there's another story that Hitler was bitten by a Bouv during WWI, and that's why he ordered the Bouviers to be shot on sight when he invaded Belgium and France.

Another piece of Bouv trivia... George Lucas had a Bouvier when he was filming the original Star Wars movies. Chewbacca's voice is allegedly Lucas' Bouvier growls. I didnt believe it until Tiny showed his extreme displeasure at not being fed fast enough one day. It was like he was saying "Hey! Feed. The. Dog. NOW!!! Or suffer the wrath of hungry Bouvier." He sounded just like an angry Wookiee.

Tiny was a great dog, and if I thought I could do it again with another one, I'd get another Bouvier. Best dogs in world (well, Pugs are cool too)

I really miss my stinky little Wookiee. (Bouviers are notorious for their farts...sorry...had to warn you, if you ever meet a Bouvier, they're silent, but deadly stinkers) I dont miss the stink tho...didnt even know dogs could do that till Tiny outdid my dad one night.

If I ever have to get an assistance dog, I'm going to hold out for a Bouvier (hopefully one that lives longer than 9yrs) At least I know a breeder (Tiny's) who breeds her Bouviers to better the breed, and doesnt breed for profit

http://www.bouvier.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouvier_des_Flandres

(link to pictures of TinyMonsters, and a couple of Pudge pictures)

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../TinyMonsters/

Oh Erin,
So sorry about your loss.

Tiny and Pudge are both beautiful dogs - I enjoyed reading all the information - I am not familiar with that breed dog and he is so gorgeous.

Really enjoyed looking at all the pictures and also seeing you and your Mom.

My name "Snoodles" comes from a Snoodle dog (schnauzer / poodle) named Sophie who used to own me.

I am such an animal lover - fur babies, feathered babies and water babies that my nick name used to be "Ellie Mae" -- from the Beverly Hillbillies... so I can truly understand your grief !!!!

Sorry to hear about the loss of the fur baby. Thanks for sharing the pics of them.

It's never easy since they become a part of the famiy.

I know how you feel, Erin. Those poochies latch onto our hearts and when they have to leave us, they take a piece w/them. A couple of months after my Mother passed, I had to have her lil Dolly *chihuahua* sent to Heaven and I cried till I couldn't cry anymore. It was my Mom's 15 yo baby!

I felt like I was loosing my link to Mom.... So, I understand how sad this can make you.. Take care Erin.... I'm thinking of you...

((((((((((((((((((Erin))))))))))))))))))))))))))) I'm so sorry. I hope today is a better day than yesterday. I can't imagine our life wihtout Dylan. He is like our child.

I forgot to comment on your poochie pics, Erin... I love the smoochie one/w them both in it... I can tell how much you loved them.

Silly me! I have only seen one Bouvier in my life and it wasn't trimmed...so it looked like floor length skirt of dread locks. Not what I would consider attractive.

Yours looks SO beautiful. Thanks again for the pix.