Dixie is in Doggy Heaven.

Dixie

Age 14, February 02, 1996 - April 20, 2010

She was joyful in life, dignified in death- A True Southern Belle

Dorothy
April 23, 2010 Dorothy
April 23, 2010 Dorothy
April 23, 2010 Dorothy
April 23, 2010 Dorothy
April 23, 2010 Dorothy
April 23, 2010

Nickname: Bedinks, Dixie Dumplin'

Dixie became my darling when she first put her 6 week old head on my lap, looked up, and relaxed with a little grunt. We knew instantly that I was her mama, and I was for 14 years. She loved everyone and could be trusted with the youngest children-never snapping or growling. She loved to run and would run for the sheer joy of it.
When she was just a puppy, my husband took her out for their ritual evening walk. Part of the routine was for my husband to grab a stick on the way back, and run with it , while Dixie ran alongside jumping and trying to get the stick. This particular night, Dixie ran ahead of Mark, barking for all she was worth. She grabbed the "stick" he was going for, gave it a shake, and threw it into the field. The "stick" my husband almost picked up was a stretched-out copperhead! She was bitten on her face, but after a trip to the emergency vet hospital,she was okay. The little scar it left was a reminder of her love and loyalty for her family.
Dixie would chase squirrels, catch them, and wait for them to run again-just so she could run. She never hurt one in her whole life- they were just running companions for her.
Our girl was the sweetest, friendliest dog I ever had. Her favorite place was in my arms or on my lap.
She loved people food, especially grits. When we would make them, we always made extra for her. Otherwise, we wouldn't get any!
Suddenly, she just stopped eating. We took her to the vet and after some tests, found out that she had a pituitary macroadenoma- a brain tumor. As it grew, she became weak from not eating, and started to lose that joyful spirit she always showed. I knew it was time to say goodbye to my precious girl, and send her on ahead of me. My arms and heart ache with her loss.
She is buried in our backyard, where we can visit. We will be planting flowers and making that corner Dixie's garden. As time goes by, she will be joined by her sisters. But she'll never be alone-we are together in our hearts.