Tess A Heart Dog

Tess with friend Sammy Whippet(also at the bridge)

Tess in hat and bandana

Today it is 3 years since my little Tess had to be helped to the bridge. It was 1 month to the day after her 9th birthday. I've had dogs all my life. All different kinds. I raised and showed Keeshonds, Pugs. Showed my Frenchie to his Championship. Along the way, I came to realize that now and then, you find a heart dog. I loved each and every dog I've ever had and always cried buckets when they left for the bridge. But a heart dog somehow is different. Tess was a little black & tan chihuahua that I bought at a place I always advised people not to go. One of those trade day places. I was walking along, looking, and saw Tess. She was 7 weeks old. This was at a very low time in my life and when we looked at each other, I cannot explain what happened. Then I held her. And against all I knew, I bought her for $150.00. (About my last 150.00 I might add) My husband of nearly 25 yrs. had left, the divorce was not final, and I wasn't getting much help with bills. Of which there were many at the time. So the 2 incomes had been reduced to one.) I only mention this because it shows that I had no business buying another dog(I had 4 at home),certainly not from a place like this. Probably a puppy mill. Or I hoped at least some people that thought they could make money with puppies. Either way, everyone that knew me could not believe I had done this.

Over the next 9 years I never slept a night without Tess. Except while in the hospital for surgeries. I got hurt while working in the ICU, trying to break the fall of a 300 lb man that had just had a CABG(Bypass surg). I weigh around 100 lbs. He was ok, another nurse came and helped me, and I didn't think I was hurt very bad. That proved to be not the case. I've had 7 knee surgeries. About the 3rd was a partial knee replacement which failed the last was a replacement to total knee. It also didn't come out right. Without all details, let's just say if my orig ortho doc had done things right I'd be running races today. Tess was always with me when I was recovering. She knew when I was sad, she knew when I hurt and where not to step on me.

This is Tess with Scooter when he was 8 weeks>

After the 1st knee surgery I had moved in with my mom and dad who were about 12 miles from my house. I needed the help and my house had stairs. My folks are great. My Dad in particular just loved dogs. Daddy was the only man Tess ever liked. I ended up staying longer than I thought I would. I was back at work. I worked nights, but had been called in early on April 23, 1998. They were telling us our hospital was shutting down. Great! In the middle of the meeting I got called out. Long story short. I was to go home. My Dad had gone out to bushhog my 2 acres(cut the grass with a tractor that had a bushhog attached. Just think big old mower bhind the tractor.) The bushhog got stuck, Daddy chained it to pull it out,the tractor flipped. It was instant. So I went home, no job and my Daddy was gone.

Tess got me through that. I thought I wouldn't be able to handle that. My Dad was my hero, mybest friend. I couldn't imagine it would be possible to live in a world without him. Poor little Tess got so soaked with my tears. I can't explain our connection at all, because I don't know the words. But Tess definitely made it possible for me to eventually learn to live with the circumstances. It will sound crazy, but I swear sometimes it was like she "talked" to me with thoughts.

The last surgery was in 2002. I have been on disability since. Sunny is my service dog. I tend to fall sometimes. And touch typing doesn't work well, as I lost the end of my L ring finger and injured the one next to it in a gate accident.

See how much Tess and I went through? Yes, I had other dogs at the time. It was Tess who just had the "knowing" of me. My Dad had gotten Scooter as a baby. My Mom decided the other 2 chihuahuas they had at the time of the accident were all she could handle,and Scooter was a rascally puppy. I never went back to my home. I stayed with my Mom. Then she decided to move to Denton about 4 yrs ago and wanted me to come. So I did. I always figure Dad would want me to take care of her.

3 years ago, in June, I noticed a little hard lump in Tess's neck. It was lymphoma. She made it about 3 months. Finally, I could tell,she told me, it was time. I held her as she left. I have included a picture of the egyptian style box that holds her remains. Heart dogs come along every now and then. Scooter missed her a long time. I still miss her. I miss her understanding of me and her wiseness. One day, when it is time, I'll see her and my Dad again. That will be a good day.


I'm grateful everyday for all the dogs I have had the priveldge of having in my life. And I wanted to remember Tess on this day that she went to the bridge.