Positive About Dogs
Classes for pet dogs using modern reward-based methods
Tribute to Stan
What Type Of Dogs Can Take Part? (includes Gallery)
Tribute to Stan
Stan
19/09/1997 – 20/10/2006
Stan was and is so much more than a “pet dog”, whatever that means. I was closer to Stan than I am to anyone but the closest family. He was one of my very best and dearest friends. He was a huge presence in our pack – our family where Alison and I feel real and true happiness and a sense of well-being.
Stan was a fantastic listener and confidant. He was a great person to spend time with. Somehow, when you spend time with him sharing a problem, you always came away with greater wisdom.
He was very wary of strangers, Once you had earned his trust, though, he was so giving of love and affection – and demanding of it , too. Not that he needed to be demanding, because no-one could help but love him.
He didn’t waste his life growling, let alone biting. Only male Border Collies of his age and size would cause him to flex his muscles. He was, though, very brave. He truly was a peaceful warrior.
His ashes were scattered at a beautiful viewpoint high on a hill in the Forest of Dean, which he loved and where he could just enjoy being a dog. And we would revel in it, too – in all his excitedness, muddiness and smelliness.
I can still see him, feel him and hear him – I just can’t touch him, which was oh so important.
Thank goodness we have Jake and Molly – they are very aware of what has happened and are being much more attentive and interactive than usual to try to fill Stan’s space. Molly has taken up guard duty now that Stan has gone and Jake is largely deaf and blind, but still loving life. It wasn’t meant to be like this. Stan was supposed to lead the the pack into the next generation, but it wasn’t to be.
When I think of Stan, I think of the song “Nature Boy”, I think most famously sung by Nat King Cole, but also featured in “Moulin Rouge”. One line could have been written for him:
“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, Is just to love and be loved in return”
Stan hadn’t just learnt it, he had well and truly mastered it and I really miss him.
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