Sprite: 12-23-96 to 7-8-13 (Our Senior Dachshund Has Passed)

Sprite July 8, 2013

 July 8, 2013 5:50 p.m. EDT - Tonight we said goodbye to our oldest "boy," Sprite. Sprite was over 16 1/2 years old and has been in failing health for the last couple of years since we adopted him. 
   We made the decision today after Sprite experienced another rough night, the second in a month. Sprite has now joined Rob's puppy Buzz in doggy Heaven.
   For months Sprite's back legs would splay out behind him when he's eaten dinner. Today he didn't want breakfast, just 4 small bites of chicken, and treats.
  Sprite has had a bad heart murmur since we took him in as a foster dog. Last year he developed kidney failure. For the last 6 months he's only been able to hold his urine for 4-5 hours maximum, so we've put towels in the kitchen for him (and he used them). 

Sprite and Tom at the vet when we first got him Dec. 2010

  





 He was unable to walk around the neighborhood for over a year. I've had to carry him upstairs and downstairs for about a year, and outside and back inside for the last several months. His breathing was somewhat  labored over the last several days.
  He was blind in one eye, and only saw light and shadows with the other, and deaf in one ear. His quality of life was really not good, and we kept him comfortable.
  He loved his Pupperoni, though. and couldn't wait to get it at 8pm while we all went upstairs to watch TV to unwind.


OUR THANKS 
Our thanks to Cozy Canine Camp and especially Mary Chick for making Sprite's life at daycare such a wonderful experience over the years. Family Vet Clinic in Gambrills has also been wonderful with all of his surgeries and getting him healthy since he arrived in Dec. 2010.
  Tonight, Dr. Christine Yates, and Vet Tech Eric, were amazing and patient with us and Sprite as we brought him in. They gave him a sedative and let him drift off over 40 minutes before it was time. Tom and I held onto him and told him it was okay to go. We are both a mess tonight.
   Thanks for your notes and Facebook messages and texts. I'm just not up for talking tonight. 
 
WHEN DID WE GET SPRITE?

Sprite in 2010 with a growth on his neck

    When he came to us as a foster dog through Coast-to-Coast Dachshund Rescue in early December 2010,  he was homeless. Sprite belonged to an elderly couple in Ohio. The wife passed in September  and the husband  passed in November 2010, leaving Sprite homeless (until the Rescue heard about him). Sprite wasn't housetrained and hadn't been a vet since 2006, and when we got him he had fleas, worms, we had to have 22 rotted teeth removed, get all his shots, blood tests, heartworm tests, neutering, and we had a large growth removed off his throat.   
  Sprite was obviously NEVER HUGGED, and NEVER HAD TOYS. When we got him he didn't know what a hug was, and Tom said Sprite was unaffectionate and he was right. It wasn't until Dec. 2013 that Sprite would come to me to get his head rubbed. He never played with toys, though. In 2011, Dr. Yates told us that because of his Heart Murmur, if he were to go to another home it would've killed him (the stress), so we ADOPTED SPRITE. 
 Story about his teeth removal: http://rob-tom-dolly-franklin.blogspot.com/search?q=sprite+foster+dog

May 11, 2011, Ed joins us for a dog walk- Sprite had to be carried the whole way

SUNDAY NIGHT EMERGENCY VET- JULY 7, 2013 
On Sunday night, July 8, I (Rob) took Sprite to the emergency vet. Sprite is just over 16 1\2 yrs old and has been dealing with kidney failure and a serious heart murmur for years.

Sprite was Finally Happy all healed in 2011!

  Just around 9:30 p.m. (before bedtime) his nose started bleeding a lot. I couldn't get it to stop and he kept licking it and sneezing blood. I was unsure if it's related to advanced kidney failure, and it wouldn't stop bleeding, so I took him to the vet

Franklin, Sprite and Dolly pose in 2012

hospital at 10:30 p.m.
  His breathing was labored, and they took him in the back rooms to try and quell the bleeding.   After 30-45 minutes at the ER they managed to stop the continuous bleeding, although he bled more when he came home.
  The emergency vet thought it could be a tumor, but would have to put him under to test him. His weak heart and kidneys can't handle that. He's only eating treats, and for the last couple of months,  I have usually carried him out to do his business, and then carry him back in. Although he did walk occasionally and once he found the strength in his weak back legs, he would walk a bit in the back yard (although mostly stop, stand and stare at the sky).
 

SHORT VIDEO OF SPRITE FROM TODAY: JULY 8, 2013>>>>>>>


Following is a post I wrote for the UK TRIP Blog - that involves a medical emergency with Sprite while we were on vacation. This was a serious issue, so we knew this was coming. 

UK Trip #19: A Doggone Emergency 

The last thing that anyone wants to hear on a trip is that there's an emergency back home. When we were in our second night in Scotland, that's the message we received on a slip of paper under our door. We just finished taking the "Witchery Tour" of the city and got back to the room at 10:30 p.m. local time to find that note. The note said "Please call your mother as soon as possible."

Sprite, a screaming Dolly, and Franklin with Santa:2012

  We immediately assumed it was a note requesting for us to call Tom's Mom, who was the emergency contact for our dogs (who were all in boarding). We had never put Sprite in boarding before, and he's 16 1/2 years old, and has kidney failure and heart problems, so we didn't know how he'd fare. Of course, we also thought that something may have happened to my (Rob's) mother, who is 86 years old.
SEVERAL UNANSWERED CALLS -   We talked to the front desk who said we could call the U.S. directly for a very minimal amount, so we tried calling Tom's mom, my mom, the dog's kennel, and couldn't get through to anyone.Our great travel agent, Anne Marie Clark of Across the Pond Tours was on the phone when we tried calling. So, Rob ran down the stairs to the business center and emailed the kennel and Tom's mom. By this time, it was 11 p.m. local time (7 p.m. Eastern Time/U.S.).

Dressed for winter

ACROSS THE POND TRAVEL COMES THROUGH -   When (I (Rob) returned to the room, Anne Marie from Across the Pond Tours called us! She told us that Sprite was hospitalized but is okay and is recovering. I can't say how WONDERFUL Across the Pond Tours is with customer service. Anne Marie called us to make sure we knew what was happening. That was such a comfort to us.  I went back to the business center, and Mary from Cozy Canine Camp emailed me and told me Sprite wasn't eating and was dehydrated, and had diarrhea and was vomiting, so they took him to the vet, got him re-hydrated and got him settled down. Later they hand-fed him and he was resting and recovering. We talked with Tom's mom and told her to let the kennel get Sprite well before she takes him out. Tom's mom picked him and the other three dogs up the afternoon of the day we came home, and Sprite was back to better health - but that was only temporary as we found out.

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Tom found this helpful advice on line that hit every chord about little Sprite (and may help others):
When It's Time

Sprite in 2011

There comes a point in a dog's life when it is time to say goodbye. We would love to hang on to our best friend forever, but we know that is not going to happen. Your dog, though he may be ravaged by blindness, deafness, illness and other disorders, still looks like your dog. He is still warm and furry and his tail still wags when you pet him. Your memory of what he once was may fill in the details of a dog that is no longer there. He may not be suffering, but he is no longer fulfilled. It does not matter that he still looks and feels like your dog, because the dog you knew has departed.
Many of us take a long time to reach this conclusion and it's understandable. Any decision to put a dog to sleep is difficult, feels premature, and is often tainted with guilt. Perhaps you feel your dog has brought you years and years of pleasure, and now you owe it to him to comfort and sustain him for as long as he is willing to carry on. Again, this is a perfectly understandable and completely rational thought from a human perspective. Consider everything I have written here about how it looks from the dog's perspective.
Once your dog's heath slips off the edge, nature has no intention of restoring him. His senses have dulled. His mobility, as he knew it, has gone. He struggles to orient himself. He may be in pain, or so diminished by pain medication that he cannot do any of the things he once loved to do. The feedback he receives from you is laced with pity. He cannot do his job. He cannot even do normal body functions correctly. Worst of all, none of this makes any sense to him. The kindest, most loving act you can do at this point is to gently help him find everlasting peace.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2385195

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Reflections of Sprite and Thanks

Tyler cuddles up to Sprite

Sprite loved his tee-shirts because he got cold

Sprite, Franklin, Tyler and Dolly 2012

Thanks to all for the messages and condolences about Sprite's passing yesterday. 
 


 
Our senior Dachshund, Sprite, was over 16 1/2 years old and was in failing health for the last couple of years. Last night, Sprite passed peacefully at the vet's office with Tom and I by his side. 
Read yesterday's Blog: Sprite: 12-23-96 to 7-8-13

Sprite July 8, 2013

Today, I just wanted to provide some more of our favorite pictures of Sprite over the 2 1/2 years that we were fortunate enough to have him and a few more special notes of thanks.  

Sprite, Franklin, Tyler and Dolly loved being together

He came to us in December 2010, less than a month before he turned 14. He was in poor health, but THANKS to Melissa Ball and Coast-to-Coast Dachshund Rescue (please donate if you can - they have a lot of dogs and cover their medical expenses: Coast-to-Coast Dachshund Rescue- donations), Sprite got a lot of great care while we had him as a foster dog.

Us with our kids (before Tyler arrived)

    In addition to being loved unconditionally here at home, Sprite had some special people in his life who loved and helped care for him.


SPECIAL THANKS FROM SPRITE:

Mom and Bob (Tom's parents) - who loved caring for Sprite whenever we took trips. They would always look forward to taking Sprite for long weekends or any time they could. They spoiled him all the time with his favorite soft treats and lots of hugs and walks. I remember many times talking on the phone with Bob about us going away and the first thing he said was "Can we take Sprite?"
Yolie - Our friend and neighbor lets our kids out if we have to be out an extended period of time, and has been a wonderful aunt to them. Yolie noted that this past week Sprite couldn't get out of bed when she came over, and she had to help him out - she knew it was his time, too.

Sprite, Franklin and Dolly loving the backyard

Elvina -Our friend and neighbor Elvina is a big dog lover, and had 4 Yorkies years ago. She always looks forward to our walks by her house so she can come outside and give all our kids some loving.

Thanks to all our friends and family - who have spoiled Sprite during his time with us (there are too many to name).

Melissa Ball - Our friend and coordinator of Coast-to-Coast Dachshund Rescue, thanks for allowing us to foster and adopt Sprite. He was the most obedient dachshund I've ever known, and just an old, gentle soul.

Sprite on his orthopedic bed with favorite blanket

Cuddling with Daddy Tom

Exploring

The kids hanging out with friend Cooper

Where's my pupperoni?

Cuddling with Tyler

Remembering Sprite: a New Memorial!

Our little Dachshund Sprite passed away 7 years ago today, on July 8, 2013, and we decided to get him a new memorial for the yard. When Franklin passed on May 8 of this year, he found a place that makes the best looking pet memorials, by etching your pet's likeness in granite. So, we decided to do it for Sprite (and Buzz, which you'll see on his birthday at the end of this month). 
  The company that made them is called  Engraved Reflections
www.engravedreflections.com.

  Below is the blog posting about Sprite. What's cool is that he still lets us know he is around.. I wrote about his many signs in my "Pets and the Afterlife" 1 and 2 books. 

About Sprite:  

Sprite July 8, 2013

Sprite in 2010 with a growth on his neck

    When he came to us as a foster dog through Coast-to-Coast Dachshund Rescue in early December 2010,  he was homeless. Sprite belonged to an elderly couple in Ohio. The wife passed in September  and the husband  passed in November 2010, leaving Sprite homeless (until the Rescue heard about him). Sprite wasn't housetrained and hadn't been a vet since 2006, and when we got him he had fleas, worms, we had to have 22 rotted teeth removed, get all his shots, blood tests, heartworm tests, neutering, and we had a large growth removed off his throat.  
  Sprite was obviously NEVER HUGGED, and NEVER HAD TOYS. When we got him he didn't know what a hug was, and Tom said Sprite was unaffectionate and he was right. It wasn't until Dec. 2013 that Sprite would come to me to get his head rubbed. He never played with toys, though. In 2011, Dr. Yates told us that because of his Heart Murmur, if he were to go to another home it would've killed him (the stress), so we ADOPTED SPRITE.
 Story about his teeth removal: http://rob-tom-dolly-franklin.blogspot.com/search?q=sprite+foster+dog 

Signs from Spirits: Coins: My Dad and Sprite

Sprite: 12-23-96 to 7-8-13

  In last week's blog, we shared an amazing sign of a butterfly that came from our late dog Sprite who passed. This week, we got two more signs of reassurance from someone else that let us know Sprite is okay on the other side.

     On July 8, 2013 at 5:50 p.m. we had to say goodbye to our elder dachshund, Sprite. He was 16 1/2 years old and he was in failing health. For the year before I had to carry him up and downstairs, and the last several months I usually had to pick him up and carry him outside to do his business. Late in the mornings he would find the strength in his legs, but they were very weak. He had a bad heart murmur, kidney failure for over a year, suffered from a bad nosebleed the night before and wound up in the emergency room, and he had pretty much stopped eating for the week before. We knew it was time, although it tore at our hearts.

  On the day we brought our dog Sprite to the vet to say our final goodbye, I asked three spirits to come into the room and help Sprite cross over. One of them was my dad who died on August 2, 2008. When I was in the room I did feel my dad and the other two spirits (who I will write about in a long story later). All three took Sprite into the light and crossed him over that evening.

Message from my dad - 2008 Penny

CONFIRMATION FROM MY DAD -   On July 15, one week later, I received a confirmation from my dad that Sprite was happy, healthy and with him and the others. I was getting out of my car at Dunkin' Donuts to get a morning coffee and sitting on the ground right outside of the driver's side door was a shiny penny. I mentioned last week that coins are one sign that spirits use to let you know they're around and with you.

Sprite's butterfly visits Jill

One surefire way to know which spirit it is who sent you the message is to check the year on the penny. If it has a significance with a spirit, that's who it belongs to. The year on this shiny penny was "2008." The year my dad passed away. As soon as I picked up the penny, I heard my dad say "Sprite is here with me, and he's happy. You don't have to worry about him."  

CONFIRMATION FROM OUR FRIEND JILL - On July 22, we received this email from our friend Jill. She also got a visit from Sprite's spirit in the form of the same kind of buttlerfly that Sprite communicated with us. Jill wrote: "Just had to tell you that I was sitting out back on a lounge chair on Saturday. Not 5 minutes after reading your blog on Sprite, a yellow and black butterfly rested on my abdomen. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize what it was at first and I moved, sending it away.  But, I have seen it multiple times between our yard our neighbors yard over the weekend!

Today, Dec. 23rd would have been Sprite’s Birthday!

Our 16 1/2 year old dachshund was born on December 23, 1996 and passed away on July 8, 2013. Sprite was a funny little guy, who liked to keep to himself and didn't play with toys. Today's Blog is about ways we've honored him - from sharing his story, to putting him on a book cover, and giving him a special Christmas tree.

• He’s Featured on the Cover of “Pets and the Afterlife 2: Stories of signs from pets that passed” (top right corner)
• Sprite has a Chapter in Pets and the Afterlife 1 about his Butterfly sign!

Sprite came to us from a rescue on December 4, 2010 just shy of his 14th birthday. We picked up Sprite in Frederick, Md from a rescue transporter on December 10th, 2010, who drove him from Ohio. He came from a home where one parent passed, and the other went into assisted living. While fostering him, Sprite needed several surgeries and had 22 rotted teeth removed. We adopted Sprite in April 2011 when we learned of his heart murmur.

Sprite loved our Weimaraner, Dolly, and Dachshunds, Franklin and Tyler (also now in spirit with him).

To honor Sprite, back in 2013 we bought a small counter-top-Sprite-Sized tree and decorations. We topped the tree with a butterfly because after Sprite passed we saw yellow and black butterflies following us and our other dogs around. Even friends who read about Sprite's story were followed around or visited by yellow and black butterflies - so that's his sign.

You can read Sprite's Butterfly story in "Pets and the Afterlife (1)" by Rob Gutro.

A Sign from Sprite in the Anniversary of his passing

    It was 2 years ago yesterday, July 8, 2013 we said a sad goodbye to our 16 1/2 year old dachshund Sprite. Since he's been on the other side, though, he's come back several times to let us know he's still around. This year was no different.

Sprite 12-23-96 to 7-8-13

Sprite's Butterfly

  In 2013, three days after Sprite passed, after Tom and I took our other three dogs for a walk, we brought them into the backyard, and Sprite gave us all a sign in the form of a butterfly.    First, it's unusual for a butterfly to fly near dogs and that's exactly what that yellow and black butterfly did- and for quite awhile. Secondly, the dogs didn't go after it. They just watched it. It was as if they heard Sprite telling them "I'm here." The butterfly just stayed there on the grass and I actually took pictures of it. It was a message from Sprite that he is fine and regained 100% health as a spirit. 

Spirits can manipulate things in nature, and Sprite loves to use yellow and black butterflies because since 2013, several friends have seen them when they have read about Sprite. 
On my way to work on July 8, 2015, Sprite gave me the same sign. I was not thinking of Sprite as I was rushing to get to work - but spirits come by on birthdays, anniversaries and holidays to remind us they are around.
After leaving the house, I went through the Dunkin' Donuts drive through to get coffee. After pulling out of the parking lot and getting on the road to work, a yellow and black butterfly flew right toward the windshield, close enough for me to see it clearly, before it flew off. Sprite had given me a reminder that he is still around on the second anniversary of his passing.

As Dolly Parton says, "Love is like a butterfly" : VIDEO: https://youtu.be/ywFx-nGZXxI

A Sign from Sprite: A Butterfly!

Recently, we watched the TV show "Long Island Medium" and a woman said that 2 butterflies followed her one week. The woman had lost both her husband and her son. Theresa Caputo (the Long Island Medium) said they were using the butterflies to give the woman a message. Many others experienced the same thing. They've seen butterflies after someone passed, or perhaps on the anniversary of their passing, or the late person's birthday.  This month, we experienced it first hand.
        On July 8, 2013 at 5:50 p.m. we had to say goodbye to our elder dachshund, Sprite. He was 16 1/2 years old and he was in failing health. For the year before I had to carry him up and downstairs, and the last several months I usually had to pick him up and carry him outside to do his business. Late in the mornings he would find the strength in his legs, but they were very weak. He had a bad heart murmur, kidney failure for over a year, suffered from a bad nosebleed the night before and wound up in the emergency room, and he had pretty much stopped eating for the week before. We knew it was time, although it tore at our hearts.

Sprite's butterfly

   The day after he passed and the second day after he passed, he came to three mediums we know, who are friends of ours, but they don't know each other. In fact, a couple of them didn't even know Sprite, but they received similar messages that confirmed each other. They also each had special messages that Sprite gave to help prove it was him. I'll share those in a later post.
   This post focuses on the use of butterflies to convey that a spirit is trying to get us a message that they're around and they're fine. 
   When Tom and I were walking our dogs three days after Sprite passed we got a sign from him. Toward the end of the walk (of our other two dachshunds and our weimaraner) a yellow and black butterfly flew right near all three dogs.

Sprite 12-23-96 to 7-8-13

   First, it's unusual for a butterfly to fly near dogs. Secondly, the dogs didn't go after it. They just watched it. It was as if they heard Sprite telling them "I'm here." Our three dogs and we just watched that butterfly and I took several pictures of it. The butterfly just stayed there on the grass. It was a message from Sprite that he is fine and regained 100% health as a spirit. We were all happy to see this wonderful sign from Sprite.
   Because my grief was blocking messages from Sprite he found another way to get through to me. If you recently lost someone or lost them awhile ago and are still grieving, grief will block out their signs. However, some spirits are very strong and persistent, like Sprite, and will give visible signs they're okay. 

   Sometimes spirits will use butterflies, birds, feathers, flowers, pennies or other signs to convey that they're around us and thinking of us.

NEXT BLOG: UK Trip #22: Meeting Old Friends / Barker Tower

A Simple Sign from Sprite's Spirit on his Birthday

We got a sign from our dog Sprite (who passed in 2013) that he was around on his birthday!

Sprite in 2011

If you've read either of my "Pets and the Afterlife" books, you understand that pets in spirit can send subtle messages to let us know they're around during birthdays (theirs or yours), anniversaries (adoption, passing, etc.) or even holidays. They know these times because when they are alive in the physical they can read our emotional energy levels and know those dates are special times. When they're in spirit, they can also read that energy, so they know enough to return to us at those times to let us know they are still around us. That said, our dog Sprite, who passed in 2013 gave me a subtle sign this year, 2019, on what would have been his birthday, Dec. 23. 

Sprite was a dachshund who passed away on July 8, 2013 at 16 1/2 years old.  Sprite was a funny little guy, who liked to keep to himself and didn't play with toys (he came to us from the rescue just before he turned 14 and wound up have several surgeries and 22 rotted teeth removed). Sprite loved our other dogs, Dolly, Franklin and was getting accustomed to Tyler (who was young at the time).  

Because he had most of his teeth removed, he found it difficult to eat his food from a bowl, so we bought him a small, square dish that was flat with slightly elevated/angled ridges around it. When Sprite passed, my friend Troy, a medium, told me that Sprite wanted us to keep his dish and use it for our food. So, I did.

Sprite's special dish (with a chip in it)

Yesterday, on Dec. 23rd, I quickly needed to get a small dish to prevent a spill in the kitchen, so I flung open the cabinet and grabbed the first dish. It was Sprite's special square dish!  
   I realized immediately that it was his birthday, and the he directed me to open the cabinet and grab his dish as a reminder he is still very much with us. That's how spirit works. Even something as subtle and simple as a dish can be a sign. 

To read Sprite's story and how he came to 2 other mediums with the same message, and to learn many ways that your pets can send signs, read "Pets and the Afterlife" by Rob Gutro on Amazon.com (Under $9 paperback /$2,99 kindle. 
  

A Special Holiday Tree for Sprite!

Sprite's Holiday Tree with Butterfly

Because our 16 1/2 year old dachshund passed away this past summer we wanted to do something special to remember him this holiday season. Sprite was a funny little guy, who liked to keep to himself and didn't play with toys (he came to us from the rescue just before he turned 14 and wound up have several surgeries and 22 rotted teeth removed). Sprite loved Dolly and Franklin (and was learning to deal with Tyler the terror). He loved his grandma and grandpa (Tom's parents) and stayed there on some weekends.

Our favorite photo of Sprite

  So, this weekend, we bought a small counter-top-Sprite-Sized tree and decorations. Tom surprised me when he topped the tree with a butterfly. Why? Because after Sprite passed we saw yellow and black butterflies following us and our other dogs around. Even friends who read about Sprite's story were followed around or visited by yellow and black butterflies - so that's his sign.
  Every day I look at Sprite's tree this season I know he's around us.
Older blogs on Sprite: All about Sprite
and Sprite's Butterfly!

Foster Dog Coming!

It's a lot of work to be a foster parent to a dog, but it's a lot of work to even get the dog!
 - We work with Coast to Coast Dachshund Rescue and they've been rescuing abandoned Dachshunds for many years. We've had a couple of foster dogs in the past and both were adopted. We also did transports for others (Weimaraners and Dachshunds). In one transport, we drove a Weimaraner from Virginia to Pennsylvania (Yay, Buddy!), and another took us from Maryland to Connecticut.
 - This week, we're expecting a foster dog named "Sprite" to come into our lives. Sprite is between 8 and 10 years old, and is a red smooth-haired Dachshund, like our beloved Franklin. :)  Sprite belonged to an elderly couple in Ohio. The wife passed 3 months ago, and the husband recently passed, leaving Sprite homeless (until the Rescue heard about him). - During the 3 months that Sprite's mom had passed, her elderly dad couldn't let him out, so he lost his housetraining habits (poor thing!).
- We did hear that he hasn't had any accidents with the other rescue folks and just wants affection and to burrow under a blanket. We don't even have a photo of him.
 - It also turns out that Sprite has never, ever been to a vet in all of his 8-10 years!! SO, because his teeth are rotted and his breath is rancid, he's going to need teeth removed. He's also needing all his shots, blood tests, heartworm test, etc. He also hasn't been neutered, and yes, even an older dog still has the stuff to make puppies, so neutering is also on the "To Do List."
- On Wednesday night, Rob is driving about 4+ hours to and from Frederick, Md. to get Sprite from another rescue person, who got him from an Ohio rescue person. Yes, Sprite has been on the move.

Franklin thinking,
"HEY! There's only one
male dog in this house!
What's the idea of bringing
in Sprite?"

- On Thursday, Rob is bringing Sprite to the vet for the first half of all the medical needs. The teeth removal and spaying come soon afterward.

- Another challenge was that the vet that the rescue works with is located in Gaithersburg. Anyone who knows the Wash DC/Baltimore area knows that during rush hour, to go from the east side of the DC Beltway to the west side, and then north would take about 2-3 HOURS (for a 22 mile drive). So, Rob contacted our local vet, who agreed to work with the rescue. YAY!  That saves about 12 hours of driving (2 days of back and forth). Whew! All we can say is that Dr. Varner of Family Veterinary in Gambrills, Md. is awesome. We are forever grateful.

- We'll let you know Sprite's status and update on the blog as time goes on. Meanwhile, we're looking forward to helping out this poor pup by fostering him and giving him a temporary, loving home.

A New Sign from Sprite's (the Dachshund) Spirit!

On April 3, I received a page from the Los Angeles Times in the mail from my friend Layla. In my

Sprite's pic, and the newspaper Layla sent!

new book, "Pets and the Afterlife" Layla encountered the same type of butterfly that our late dog Sprite sent to us several times after he passed, to let us know he was okay and still around. - In the chapter about Sprite, you'll read how the same butterfly lingered around our dogs, just as like Sprite did.
  When Layla read about Sprite's passing  the the butterfly, she also encountered one (which is in the book. She recently came across this 3/4 page drawing of the same exact butterfly in her local newspaper and told me she knows Sprite wanted to send me a message that he's still around and sends love.
  When I opened the envelope that contained it, and read Layla's note before seeing the butterfly on the other side, it brought a tear to my eyes because I've been missing Sprite much more than usual lately (and yes, I say good night to him, because he's around and can hear me). I needed this confirmation!

Rob's new book - featuring Sprite's Butterfly

   Remember- There are no such things as coincidence. When you need someone in spirit, they're around you even if you can't feel them.

PETS AND THE AFTERLIFE: The loss of a pet is like the loss of a child to pet owners. The love we share with our pets never dies, and in a new book called "Pets and the Afterlife" by Rob Gutro, the author provides proof that our pets do communicate with us from the other side.    Available in paperback and E-book, on Amazon.com and other outlets at: To order paperback of Kindle- click here

Our Dog Sprite's Ashes Now Displayed

This morning, July 13, we picked up Sprite's ashes at our veterinarian's office. They provided them in a very nice wooden box with a carved floral design on the top. We had to run some more errands, so we put Sprite's ashes/box on the backseat comforter of the truck, where he usually sat and "took him for a ride."

  When we returned home, we went into our TV room/home office and put them in their resting place. We laid down Sprite's dark-colored blanket/throw  on top of the short bookcase. In late November 2010, Sprite came to us with just that blanket, and it remained his favorite. We used to put it on top of his bed, so he was always used to sleeping on top of it.
  So, we made sure that he would still be "sleeping on top of it" by placing it under his ashes, with a picture that we just enlarged and a new frame we bought today. Next to Sprite's ashes is my (Rob's) first dog, Buzz Wyatt, a Weimaraner who passed as a puppy in February 2005 (10 months before Tom and I met). We bought a new frame for his picture as well. Between the two boxes of ashes are Buzz's two favorite toys: a gorilla and a badger. Sprite never played with toys (apparently he didn't have any growing up, and when we took him in at 14 years old, he wasn't sure what to do with them, so never played with any).
  Now Sprite and Buzz are playing together "on the other side" and resting together on this side - in our house and with our family.

Cancun Birthday Trip #5: Xplor: Zip Lines and Sign from Sprite

This is part 5 of our adventures in the Xplor park in Mexico. The first thing we did was the zip lines, and it included two of Rob's fears: 1) fear of heights and 2) fear of open stairs (with no front riser) - which is how all 7 towers brought us up to the top where the zip lines were. 


There were 2 Zip Line routes,each with 7 zip lines. I think they were both about 150 feet off the ground. The one we opted for, UM, Tom opted for, had the water slide in the middle of the route.  

Sprite's butterfly

SIGN FROM SPRITE - Anyone who reads our blog knows that on July 8, 2013 we said a sad goodbye to our 16 1/2 year old dachshund Sprite. The week that Sprite passed, a yellow and black butterfly followed us around daily. Friends who read about Sprite's butterfly encountered the same kind of butterfly right after reading about it.  As we were going up the first Zip Line tower, I (Rob) was dealing with my anxiety from my fear of heights. As we got to the top of the (open faced stairs) and to the tower platform, suddenly a yellow and black butterfly flew around my feet and lingered for a short time. I KNEW it was Sprite and I heard "don't worry daddy, I'm here to protect you." That gave me the courage to do all of the zip lining.
  What's odd is that it was the ONLY yellow and black butterfly we saw the entire day. All of the other butterflies were blue with black outlines on the wings, and one orange butterfly. There is no such thing as a coincidence.  This was a message from Sprite when I needed to hear it. 

ZIP LINING - I let Tom go first for the most part, but sometimes I had to go first. It was easier to watch him and keep my focus on him as I zipped over 150 feet over the ground. After the first couple of times, it wasn't so bad. THEN we did the water slide.


THE WATER SLIDE - After 2 zip lines one of the towers led to a water slide. I wouldn't have minded

What going down the slide looks like>>>

it so much if not for THREE things. 1) The water was really cold. 2) Twice during the slide forceful jets of water shot in my (and Tom's) face on the way down. (Tom said it should've been toward the feet not the face) 3) at the bottom it dropped you into a 4 foot pool and I wasn't expecting that, so my head went underwater and I got a snoot-full of water. But I got over it all quickly enough and went back to the next zip line.


END OF THE LINE - ANOTHER SOAKING -- By the end of the zip line route, there was another wet surprise that I didn't expect. The last zip line ended in an underground pool in a cave!  Yes, it's cool... BUT

This is where the zip line trail ended

We survived the zip lines!

 the guy at the top of the zip line tower said to me that I didn't weigh enough to get me into the cave. He was right. At the mouth of the cave was a waterfall (a strong waterfall)... guess where I stopped - YES... right UNDER the waterfall. I couldn't see and had to try and paddle into the cave. In addition, the water was over my head (I'm only 5'6") and I don't like it when my head is underwater, especially when I can't see (I had to also leave my glasses in the locker).
   It was a challenge because as you can see by the photo, it was about 50 feet from the cave mouth to the employees helping disconnect the cables from the zip line. Fortunately, Tom weighs a little more than me, so he came through the cave opening without issue.

NEXT: FINALLY, A BEACH DAY! 

Today is Sprite's 15th Birthday

Little Sprite is a Dachshund (maybe Chihuahua mix) that became our foster dog in early December 2010. He came to us through Coast-to-Coast Dachshund rescue (one of the rescues we work with). He was a mess when he arrived. He was almost 14 years old when a rescue worker took him from a home where an elderly couple raised him. The husband had passed away and the wife went into a nursing home. When he was rescued, he had fleas, so the initial rescuer had to give him several flea baths and comb out the fleas.
   - Rob drove to Frederick, Md. and met the rescuer and brought Sprite home. Sprite was a calm little guy, but wasn't even housebroken at almost 14!  His breath was so bad that Rob had to drive home with the windows opened in the wintertime.
  - The Rescue paid for Sprite's vet visits: He needed 20 teeth removed (the rotted teeth caused the bad breath), it hurt him to eat, poor thing. We de-wormed him, had him on anti-biotics for about 6 months, and he had to be neutered, too. It took about 6 months for his teeth and operation to heal. Meanwhile, he learned from Dolly and Franklin how to be housebroken. He had accidents (and got over a urinary tract infection), but is now housebroken and happily wags his tail. He has a heart murmur and arrithymia, and his kidneys weakened this past summer.  Cranberry pills have helped with his kidneys!
   - He's very obedient and finally after 12 months comes to us for a head scratch and affection. We could tell that he never had any affection from his home of almost 14 years. He was also never picked up- and now he loves sitting in our laps while we're watching TV. He loves his soft treats, and grunts for dinner and breakfast. Even though 15, he still goes up and down stairs by himself. He also walks 2-3 times a day with Dolly and Franklin - about 1/2 to 1 mile each time.
  - We formally adopted Sprite this summer, knowing that with his health a change of households would be very bad on his little heart. We love our little senior boy so very much and are so happy he's celebrating his 15th year with us. Happy Birthday Sprite, our little "peehead," and "squeety-mouse." He "Squeets"  or grunts while waiting for dinner!