Shea

It is with great sadness, and tears streaming down my face, that I have to tell you that we had to let our darling girl, Shea, go home to the Summerlands on Thursday 25th May 2017.

It’s taken some time for me to write about this, as it comes within a time of great change for us.

Over the last 2 years we have had to say Goodbye to a number of family members and friends.

But somehow, this has been one of the hardest.

Shea was almost 14 years old; which is a good age for an Akita.

The children in the area thought she was a big Black Wolf, which came in useful at times. She weight approx 45kgs  and was a big bundled of black fluff, which she seems to constantly blow off what ever the time of year.

She loved nothing more than to sit outside the Lodge on the porch and watch people go by.

Those who knew her knew that she was  a gentle giant. But for those who did not, well, I can guess what they thought.

Sadly over the last few months, she had struggled to breathe when out walking and it became apparent that she was not well.  When we took her to see her Vet, he sadly told us the worse news;  she had tumours in her lungs and her heart was starting to  struggle.

We brought her home, and for the next few days, our children and grandchildren came to see her, to spend time with her and to feed her with all her favourites foods. On the Wednesday we all ad a wonderful day in the garden.  The sub was shining, and we all ate outside, while she laid in the sun most of the time, eating what ever she wanted, and playing fetch for a short while with our grandson. Those who know Akitas know they don’t play fetch, but today was an exception. .

Then on the morning of Thursday 26th May 2017, our most wonderful vet came to the Lodge, her home for the last 6 years.  A place where she had the freedom to be able to go off lead, where she ha been with me to my sacred places and stood with me as I performed my magical practices, guarding me and watching intently.

A place where she had loved.

Shea was sent to us at a time of real grief; I had miscarried our baby and was told it was not wise to try again.  She helped us, me in particular,  physically, mentally and spiritually to  get up, to face the world, and go out again for walks – the longer the better.  Indeed, she insisted.  Otherwise we could home to pools and piles of you know what and a couple of  times to a wrecked sofas.

Shea had been a rescue , a dog mistreated and unloved.

When we had agreed to get a dog we had initially decided we were going to have a ‘mutt’, but on looking on a rescue page we saw her face and  felt the need to go and see her.  She was 9 months old.  There was an instant bond.  She had chosen us, and we knew it.

Initially she was very scared and nervous dog;  she was even scared of her own shadow.  If anyone, for any reason, raised their voice, she would mess herself; When we came to bush her she cowered in a corner. It broke our hearts. But with much love a and patience her trust in us  grew and her confidence soared.

As the years passed, her own character came to the fore. She was stubborn, she moaned and chattered  much more than any other Akita we have known.  There were times we were sure she was half wookie.  She was loyal, protective – she saved me  from an assult by 2 young men. Who at first thought that I was easy prey, I may have been if I was alone but as I was with her I was not.  As they came closer, she blew herself up, and without a sound,  bared her teeth. I have never seen anyone move so fast.  Yet she was never aggressive with anyone else. She even loved other dogs.

And she loved our children and our grandchildren with a passion.

When we moved to the Lodge she was initially scared of the ‘other residents’, but I think they came to some arrangement.  They didn’t bother her and she wouldn’t chase them.

She loved  to sleep, forever on guard we use to joke, outside our bedroom door and on the top of the stairs.  Looking down and through the arch window, but over the last year, as her health deteriorated, she preferred to sleep in our room by the side of the bed. Though she would never get on the bed while we  were there. We  know she did when we were out of course, she had been found a time r too as her hearing went to be asleep under the duvet.

Over the last few months, I could put my had down over my side of  the bed in the middle at night and she would be there  lifting her head, to let me know she was okay.

High on the hill..looking over her kingdom

And so from the Goddess she came and to Her she will return.

And on that bright sunny day, when the Vet came, she knew and was ready to go home.   She looked at us all with her dark brown eyes, tired but full of love as she held out her paw, and said goodbye to us.

As we held her in our arms she closed her eyes and slipped away.

There will always be a very big hole in our hears where she lived.

 

 

© Shullie H Porter 2011 – 2017

** All Images are mine unless free clip art.  **