Craiger came to our rescue group from Florida on June 9, 2007. He was destined to go into the home of a young family but circumstances changed when the family came to visit him. They chose a big fawn male instead that had also been sent with Craiger as an extra foster dog.

He stayed at our home for the time being because there were no foster homes available for him. And as he made himself comfortable, we realized what a really nice guy he was. He was curious, attentive, energetic, and just a big black love bug. He was always under foot and in the way, but in a nice way. It was just too hard to get annoyed with anything he did. He learned that baby gates were something to jump over and there was none here that he couldn’t conquer, no matter how high we put them. However, that was not a problem for us because there was nothing he wanted to do on his own. The only reason he jumped them was to be in the same room with us.

He found a way to get his head between the door and the door jamb every time we opened a door. We had to watch not to close his head in the door accidentally. He was an “in your face” kind of dog, but in a quiet and unimposing way.

Those “Craiger” eyes were something to behold. He had the deepest and most expressive eyes of any greyhound we have ever known. He could look into our eyes and it would make our hearts melt.

At the end of June, we was slow to start one morning when we went out for the first time of the day and we noticed that it hurt him to move his head. A trip to the vet resulted in a course of antibiotics for what was diagnosed as a possible infected salivary gland. But after the antibiotics were done, a large egg size lump persisted in his neck.

By early July, the lump had not gone down, so we took him to the vet again and this time the prognosis was dire after an examination of his lymph glands (which were all swollen). A biopsy was recommended to determine if Craiger had lymphoma. At first we weren’t worried because he was so young. And then we thought that if it was lymphoma, he could certainly live a lot longer on chemo. But a week later we received the worst possible news: Craiger had high grade lymphoma and it was too late to treat him with chemotherapy. It was then that Craiger officially became our dog when we adopted him.

We brought him home and he started on a high dose of prednisone to keep him comfortable. His life expectancy was between two to six months. This early period was the hardest on us because we had to digest this information a little at a time and then accept it. Our lives consisted of getting up every day knowing that this wonderful dog had a limited amount of time to live. But after watching how he enjoyed his life and knowing that he was feeling well each day, it became something we just learned to live with.

And it was good to cook for him and give him supplements and watch him still jump over those baby gates many times a day as we walked around the house. When he pressed his head on our leg and walked with us, the connection was almost spiritual. How can a dog hold his head flat against our leg and still manage to walk and jump over baby gates? He did it.

Every day we hoped that by some miracle, the diagnosis would suddenly be proven wrong and that he just had an infection or some other easily curable disease and he would snap back to normal once that mistake had been corrected. There were even some days when we almost forgot for as long as an hour that he was not going to be with us for months or years.

And now we have had to face the day we had been dreading. He had a bad day a few days ago and we thought then that the next day would be the day for him to cross the bridge. But then the next day he was back to his normal self. That lasted for two more days. Then this morning it was clear that he was not just having a bad day. There was no mistaking the eyes. They were vacant and empty.

We have had some sad times losing dogs that have been part of our family. But this is one that is exceptionally hard. Craiger was so young. We wanted so much for him to have a long life to look forward to here as part of our family, but that was not meant to be. We will mourn his loss greatly but be gratified in some unexplainable way for knowing him and having him grace our lives if only for a wonderful brief period of time.

We love you Craiger and will miss you more than words can ever explain. And you have taken a piece of our hearts with you that will never be replaced. Please look for another big black guy named Cody and a sweet little black girl named Keisha.

I am so sorry for you loss, but i'm always glad to hear when a grey has had a great family with him before their trip to the bridge.

Maybe it was a good thing the family picked another grey... sounds like Craiger was meant to be with you as you were probably the best thing for him!





Run free Craiger!

I am sorry for your loss. Run free sweetie. You were loved and will never be forgotten. I am sure our Zeus and Annie are showing you all the great spots to run and play at the bridge.

Hettie, I don't even know what to say. I can't see through the tears, but deep in my heart I know this is what's best for him. I will always have his picture here to remember him by, he was such a good boy, but it shouldn't have been his time yet. He was so young. But we know that deal.

I'll talk to you later.

Jimmy



Run free Craiger

Run free Craiger, it's so good to know that you got the chance to feel the love of a family during you short stay.

I am so sorry Hettie.

Oh Hettie - I too am teary eyed... but I know that sad and pathetic is not who Craiger was, and - thinking of him - I have to smile. Craiger was the practical joker and people were fair game, just as dogs were. If Craiger could get your goat, he would - and then he would sit back and chortle over it. I'll never forget that ride that he and Shea took with me from Virginia to Pennsylvania. Craiger tormeted Shea as long as that was fun - then he came up front and started on me. Shea, relieved, fell asleep. Craiger stood on the passenger seat and managed to get the entire front half of his body onto the dashboard; then he stood on the floor and tried to doze with his front legs stretched out on the passenger seat. He did that just long enough for me to think that maybe he would sleep the rest of the way home. Then he was standing on the passenger seat with his back legs - his front legs on the steering column! And I had the distinct impression that he was doing all of it just he hear me "squeak" at him! He was a dog, but he was "people smart" and he had a twisted sense of humor. I'm sure that he is the life of the party wherever he is now - the others are probably wondering what they ever did without him.

I just learned of Craiger's passing today. I know what a wonderful home he had and all the love he was given for such a short time. Every time I make liver brownies for my guys I will remember him and how much he liked them.

He was in the most perfect home for the time he was given to stay among us. He was a beautiful spirit and now he's running free and playing games and having a "greyt" time.

We will all miss you, Craiger.

Linda

I'm so sorry for your lost, its never easy, but we are here for you.

I just read this thread and I am so sorry for your loss. I hope in time the memories you have of him (though he was only with you a short time) will help ease the pain of his loss. He chose you because he knew that no greater love could be found on this earth for him then from you.
Run free Craiger.
Tara

With tears I say doG speed Ej's Craiger. I posted this on Spirit of a Greyhound and I hope it helps. I can feel your pain as we have lost to that dreaded cancer also. I will not say I know how you feel but I do know how it feels to lose a precious member of the family. He is running free with all his buddies and making new ones.

http://www.wtv-zone.com/nywoman/PAGES/page3.html

Run free sweetie.