Tom is in Doggy Heaven.

Tom

Age 7, August 23, 2006 - July 17, 2014

Our fella Tom such a lovely beautiful kind boy, taken far too soon x x x

Nickname: Tom Tom

Tom my best friend we lost you just over 2 weeks ago, it has been too hard to write this before now.
Well my boy you were a challenge to say the least. As your trainer John said you were a proper greyhound and a gentleman and you initially gave us so many problems as life in a house was confusing for you.
I am sure your mam will go into details about all your destruction but if I mention carpets, champagne glasses, a sofa, remote controls! they all lay in your path of destruction.
it took us a while to work you out but we persevered and I am so glad we did, once you settled you were a gorgeous loving boy who wanted nothing more than kisses and cuddles
Every night you would bound up the stairs to bed and within seconds be lying on your back, safe, content and asleep. Every morning you would wait for the tiniest movement or noise from us where you would spring up and come to my side of the bed for a cuddle, when I got tired of stroking you (as you would literally stay there for hours if you could) you would walk round to mams side of the bed to say good morning to her
You then would bound downstairs like a bouncing bomb and run/jump into the garden like a puppy, you were so happy.
you had such a personality and I have never seen a dog with such obvious facial expressions, your "get off my land" when you were tired and wanted to sleep and "what the hell are you doing with that" when we waved toys at you were legendary.
your favourite treat was chicken bones, you very rarely came into the kitchen as you didnt like the floor but when I was pulling apart rotisserie chickens for our tea you would stand by me ready for the big bones to run into your "batcave" to eat and then run back so quickly saying "next next next" you always took your food so gently, you were a lovely boy.
we called it your "batcave" as when you wanted some quiet time its where you went, you felt safe there, it was your place!
if your sister Millie tried to take toys into the front room you would calmly watch her and then follow her in, pick them up and put them back in your bed in the other room, it was hilarious to watch and very confusing for Millie
There was other instances like "Foxpoo gate" as your mam calls it but I will let her tell that story.
You loved running at the track every saturday morning, opened only for you and Millie, you looked truly happy there with your bouncy puppyish stride showing how much you were loving it
The one thing you didnt like was cats and when you saw one this is the only time you barked, on one of our first walks you thought you had grabbed one but suddenly shot back and looked at me with those beautiful eyes saying "what just happened?" you had of course just "caught" a stone cat ornament which was hilarious for me at least.
You seemed to know when tea was, it was always at 5-30 but then a good programme called pointless started on BBC, this finished at 6 which you werent happy about. At 5-40 each night with your patience exhausted you would come up and scratch me and the sofa to remind me of the time. The only way you would let me watch the last 20 minutes was by stroking and cuddling you.
You didnt seem to realise how big you were, one time at the track there was a group of kids who had stayed at the motel, when Millie went over to say hello a few scarpered but some stayed to give her a cuddle. They didnt see you but you saw them and you sprinted over and hurdled the fence to get your rightful fuss. It was like something from a horror movie with kids running in every direction screaming while you stood there saying "what what what?" Finally I managed to get the teacher to calm down and a few of the kids came back out to say hello which you loved.
Sadly we lost you far too soon, you had been struggling with your back leg/back for a couple of weeks but seemed to be getting better with the tablets.
unforunately when I picked you up from the kennels I could tell you were in pain again even though you were so brave, it was in your eyes.
On the day we brought our newborn son (Robbie) home to meet you we got the call from the vets, they had done an MRI scan and found a tumour. We got Alisons sister to come over and look after Robbie while we rushed to Nottingham to say goodbye to our beautiful boy. its never easy but we had a lovely 15 mins in the communal gardens cuddling and kissing you before we gave the nod and you passed away peacefully in our arms surrounded by love and affection
I find peace in the fact you werent in pain for long and that getting the scan done meant that we didnt keep you alive in pain for what would have been an impossible cure.

I will miss you so much my Tom Tom, you will be in our hearts and memories forever and we look forward to telling Robbie about the one off character you were

Rest In peace my best friend and say hello to Max for us
I have no doubt you are now with Trainer John who is getting you ready for another race in the track in the sky

Dad xxxx
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Well my Tom Tom it's taken me until now to update your profile because I've been a bit busy with getting to know Robbie (the baby brother you never got to meet) and it's been too painful to write until now.

Tomtom you were a challenge...... You wanted to be near us and we soon found out your 'spot' in the house wasn't the same as Max's in the kitchen. Needless to say when we went out one night you chewed the door frame, smashed lots of glasses off the shelf and high jumped the dog gate! I'm surprised you weren't cut to shreds. We soon learnt you enjoyed spending time in your bat cave but oh dear, the destruction never ended there!
You were a nervous boy and managed to scratch a bed to bits and a great big hole in the carpet. There were many times we thought 'enough' but you always had a charm about you and we knew if we gave up on you you'd find it hard to get another home so we stuck with you. I'd never have given up on you anyway my boy.
You didn't like people to get down on your level in your face but were the most affectionate dog ever. Cuddling and kissing us until we had no energy left. You scratched our arms and legs for more cuddles but in doing so scratched a great big hole in the sofa!
It sounds like life with you was awful but it wasn't.... It was just different and you gave so much back to us.
In your final weeks we knew you were poorly but never imagined you'd have cancer at the age of 7. I went into hospital to give birth to Robbie and you had to go into kennels. Before that moment you allowed me near you on the floor to cuddle you and I have a picture I'll always treasure of you laying down by my swollen pregnancy feet! I treasured that moment.
Anyway, what should have been the happiest day turned out to be the saddest when we brought Robbie home and had to say goodbye to you. I was a bit of a mess for a long time. I still miss you now and often call the new boy Hodge by your name. Of course we had to get hodge to help Millie as she was missing you a lot. It could have been the biggest mistake bringing him home, but he's a nice boy and would never replace you.
When we rushed to see you and say goodbye, you seemed at ease and drank a lot of my drink from my hands, you caught your last fly and went to sleep peacefully in our arms in the garden at the vets. They were truly lovely people (and I'm sure they thought I was a bit nuts as they gave me a cup of sweet tea).
I think about you most days Tom, I really wish you could have met Robbie and I'm sorry your life was cut short. I feel cheated but know you are having a Ball at rainbow bridge.
Lots of love,
Mam xxx