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| Name: |
Nikki
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Age: |
Deceased, Nine years old
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| Gender: |
Female |
Breed: |
Black Labrador Retriever |
| Home: |
Cambridge, Minnesota, USA |
This
beautiful (aren't they all?) black lab was a wonderful companion,
happy traveler, camper, toothpaste tester, hide-and-seeker, pillow, and
best friend, all in one.
We got a pop-up trailer years ago when Nikki was small, and by the end
of the first summer, she knew just what it meant to see sleeping bags
coming out of the closet, or to hear us cranking up the trailer outside
- when we'd come back in from loading up the trailer, she was packed and
ready to go! She so loved camping and exploring that she never wanted
to leave. We bought a tube of neon light necklaces and fastened them to
her collar at night so we could see her roaming around - those of you
who have black labs know how hard it is to see them at night.
Nikki also loved to play hide-and-seek with Mommy. I'd have her sit in
a room and I'd go off somewhere to hide, and she would always find me
within seconds. We could go on all evening doing this, and even if I
found the best hiding places like behind closed doors, she could still
always find me.
In case you're wondering about the toothpaste tester, one of us happened
to have toothpaste on our finger and she found that and licked it off.
She developed a liking for that because she began to associate the sound
of the toothpaste coming out of the drawer and would be at the bathroom
door in a flash to come have a lick off our fingers! (I don't recommend
this for your pets - we never gave her more than a tiny tiny pinch at a
time.)
Labs are bred to be wonderful, faithful companions. I can attest to
this because anytime I was having a down day and crying, she would
always come find me and lick my tears away. I could snuggle up with her
on the bed or couch every evening. She not only did this for us, but
she did for our other pets as well. Our younger kitten would curl up in
the curve of her belly every day for her nap.
Nikki was invaluable to us as we were mourning the loss of her big
(little) sister Rascal.
But, just one short month after Rascal's death, we had Nikki in for her
annual check-up and routine bloodwork where we discovered a problem with
her liver (with no symptoms showing at this time.) It was serious enough
that we took Nikki to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Hospital
where she was subsequently diagnosed with Chronic Active Hepatitis. Just
three short months later, on June 25, 2004, Nikki joined sister Rascal
at the Rainbow Bridge, just one month past her ninth birthday.
As I did for Rascal, after Nikki's passing, I wrote a poem to honor Nikki:
Nikki, you greeted Papa every morning
with that wagging tail and bone in your mouth,
You knew the toothpaste was coming
out of the drawer and you just wanted yours.
The ears flew up and the tail started wagging as
soon as you heard the magic words "bye bye"
The eyes that got big when you heard the
camper and the rustle of sleeping bags.
Nikki, you always made Mama feel safe every
night with that deep, loud bark of yours.
We'll remember your little quirks & your big heart.
You are very sadly missed by your mommy and daddy.
We love you, Nikki!
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