An Amazing Life
Just 3 weeks ago I posted about my wonderful dog Taz and our trip to New York to appear on TV. Today, my heart is shattered as I had to put this amazing, wonderful,
cherished 13-year-old dog to sleep. When I got up today he was fine (I was up very late last night so only got up around noon), although he was not as perky as usual and refused to eat (something he never does even when sick), by 4 pm I noticed when he stood up to follow me out of my office where I was working that he was very unsteady on his feet, almost falling over, and looking quite perturbed, so I immediately called the emergency vet to let them know we were coming but they were busy with other cases and just made us an appointment for 8 pm, 4 hours later. His temperature was normal but I was very worried as this seemed to come on so sudden, so I watched him closely, becoming more concerned as time passed and 45 minutes later I noticed he was definitely going downhill, not able to stand up on his own now, so I called them again and they said I could either come in and wait until someone could see him, or drive a hour to the next closest emergency vet. I called the other office and they felt they would be able to take us, so I made the difficult decision to drive him that far away, took off and got him there still conscious but now laid out on his side obviously in real distress. A hour or so later after working on him, it was clear that it would take extraordinary measures to save him, he was continually crashing and needed CPR at that point, blood work indicated he was bleeding out and didn't have the platelets needed to deal with it. (The vet that worked on him and I both think it was hemangiosarcoma, a very aggressive cancer in dogs that attacks the blood vessels and spleen and can commonly cause a sudden collapse like this.) Even if we were able to get him stable enough with blood transfusions and even if they could determine if it was operable, and even if he survived the surgery, his life expectancy would not likely be good, maybe only a few months. I made the difficult decision to say goodbye, kissed him on the head and at about 7:30 pm we ended his valiant struggle to survive. Just a few short weeks ago we had been to the vet and even had some blood work done to see how he was doing and not found anything to worry about, so it's a sad reminder of how quickly we can lose them.
Taz has made friends the world over and I can't begin to list his accomplishments or all the wonderful things we did together, but the partial list of titles at the end of this article will give you some inclining of how amazing he was and what a joy to train in every way. Over the course of his life he competed in agility, obedience, flyball, musical freestyle, herding, and rally and he was just amazing at everything he did. He finished the rare combo of 3 agility championship titles and a flyball ONYX (sort of the equivalent level in that sport), earned many Top Ten awards and appeared in numerous agility championship finals, but particularly loved NADAC Nationals where he placed 2nd at the age of 9 and returned the following year to win as a Veteran (also taking a 1st in gamblers and 2nd in jumpers over younger competition!) He never accomplished as much in terms of huge wins in agility as he might have with a more dedicated (and fast!) handler but he was known for his consistency and speed and great gambling ability. He appeared on a number of TV shows, from two times in the Great Outdoor Games and some agility runs on the Outdoor Network to at least 5 appearances on Animal Planet, and of course the appearance just 3 weeks ago on the Morning Show with Mike and Juliet. He often traveled across the country with me on airplanes, sleeping in a bag under my seat and always surprising the other passengers who never had any idea he was there, as quiet and well-behaved as he always was. When I finally retired him from sporting events, he clearly refused to be left at home so I got him registered as a therapy dog and we had been visiting hospice patients in our area for several months. He was actually going to be meeting a couple new patients this upcoming week.
Taz spent nearly every minute of the day by my side or at my feet as I worked, and it's hard to imagine life without him there. I'm just so thankful to have been able to spend so much time with him, far beyond what most dog owners do, and to have shared him with so many other people: my family who all loved him so much, friends that have taken care of him, or run him in agility when I was unable, all my flyball teammates that got to know him so well, patients he visited in hospice, people he entertained through our TV appearances, or just all those who have loved watching him run and perform with such joy and zest for life. Many people over the years told me that they didn't really care for dogs, but would love to own a dog just like him. A few times I even got calls after he was on TV from people wanting to buy a sheltie like him! Even dogs that had issues with other dogs often got along okay with Taz, he just was such a gentle soul, and simply would look hurt if another dog growled or snapped at him. When training new dogs to pass in flyball, he was often the dog to use because he just wouldn't respond to a challenge from another dog or be bothered by them chasing him or barking at him, he just totally ignored everything to do his job. He was so laid back that you could leave him on a stay and run another dog right in front of him, and he would just casually look on while all was total bedlam around him. But as soon as he came to the line, the race was on! I always loved watching other people run him in agility. With me, he was usually all business, but with someone else, he was a total goof off and just had a romping good time. And if a handler messed up, he would bark a warning at them to get their act together, or if he got really annoyed, he'd just turn and leave the course in disgust. He always made it clear that he was just humoring them in following their commands, but he expected them to give him a good run in return.
Taz is the dog everyone dreams of having in their home. He never was destructive or would steal food. He never had accidents, and would even let me know if he was going to get sick so I could let him out. He was an amazingly clean dog, I swear he walked between blades of grass to avoid getting wet, and yet had no problems when it came time to compete in rain or mud. He absolutely loved doing little "chores" like closing doors, retrieving my shoes, getting the newspaper, taking off my socks, or bringing me the remote, and he would always cheer along with me by barking when I praised him for being so smart. Really, the only problem he had was that the older he got, the more he objected to my leaving him behind and he would howl and mope terribly whenever he was left with someone. I even purchased a large pet stroller so he could ride along when I went on outings. He clearly loved the special treatment and attention he got while riding in it. We'd had some challenges in the last year with him developing arthritis and other issues with his feet splaying to the side so in a way I'm glad that he went quickly and did not get to the point where we weren't able to manage these problems and he was in pain from them all the time. Even yesterday he was bringing me a toy to throw so I know that right to the end he was enjoying life and I will always remember him that way. I would have done anything to save him if I felt it was the right thing to do, and wanted desperately to try and revive him enough that I could spend a few last hours with him first, but the best gift I could give him was to not be selfish and let him go peacefully and quickly. And his gift to me was to make it such a clear and easy choice and to not have to question that I did the right thing for him in the end.
God speed my dear, sweet friend, I hope and pray that one day I will see you again. The house will seem so empty without you here.
Encore's Jazz 'N Razzmatazz "Taz"
MACH, ADCH, APD, NATCH, V-NATCH, Vers-NATCH,S-TN-E,ONYX,UD,RA,W-FD,LAA-Bronze
04/28/1995 - 05/25/2008
Taz's YouTube Page has a bunch of video clips of Taz on TV, performing tricks and freestyle, running agility, etc. I am spending whatever time I can spare these days converting old tapes and uploading new clips, so please drop by again in the future to see more of Taz in action!
Taz's Scrapbook Gallery has some recent photos and all the beautiful scrapbooks pages and additional tributes I've done so far.
I've now added a second page full of stories and remembrances of Taz (and lots of cute photos too!) If you want to read more about him and share in my celebration of his life, click to go read More Thoughts of Taz. Be sure to also read my Poem for Taz.
(Photos on this page are by, in order, Mary Jo Sminkey, Skipper Productions, Animal Planet and Alyssa Behn)
I wish you and yours the very best thru this.
Michelle
One of my favorite images of Taz was him sitting in a chair during a flyball practice or tournament when everyone else had to sit in their crates. Taz would stay put just like he was in a crate, until told to do something else.
Here’s an article about you and Taz that I saved that really shows how great he was:
Edition of July 11, 2003
Herndon Pair to Show Off Tricks on Animal Planet
By Jeannie Baumann
Observer Staff Writer
How well does your dog know its state quarters?
Mary Jo Sminkey's 8-year-old shetland sheepdog, Taz, can pick one out of a bunch. After blindfolding Taz with a patriotically patterned bandana, Sminkey takes a jar of coins and scatters them on her carpet. She then picks a South Carolina quarter from a separate jar and tosses it into the pile. Uncovering Taz's blindfold, the dog walks over the coins, picks up the South Carolina quarter in his mouth and returns it to Sminkey. She takes the quarter, pets Taz and rewards him with a snack.
Those who want to see Sminkey and Taz perform the coin trick can do so just by turning on their televisions. The Herndon resident and sheltie were selected for two upcoming shows on the Animal Planet, "Pet Star" and "Pet Story," which will tape later this month and air sometime in the upcoming season. She did not know the exact air date.
Sminkey, who has been training dogs in competitive events for 15 years, said she was attending a pet expo in mid-May in Lebanon, Pa., when Animal Planet representatives announced auditions for "Pet Star," a show that features pets with unique talents and tricks. She took him to the audition and found out several weeks later that she and Taz had been selected.
Animal Planet also selected the duo to appear in another show, "Pet Story," which profiles them trying out and appearing in "Pet Star." Sminkey said camera crews followed them to places such as the Chandon Dog Park and the airport.
"It was embarrassing," Sminkey said about having the cameras at the airport.
But Taz is no stranger to tricks or competitions. He performs in events such as musical freestyle events, which consists of a dog and trainer performing to music agility, which is like an obstacle course and obedience. Sminkey said Taz is best at agility competitions and won the bronze in the 2000 ESPN Great Outdoor Games.
"He's the best dog I've ever had," she said, rubbing Taz's belly. "It's unreal how good he is."
Sminkey, who works for Cascades Technologies in Herndon and runs a canine Web site, said she has trained more than half a dozen dogs over the years.
She said she started in college after running across a book on the subject in a bookstore.
Sminkey said she decided to use shelties because they are a herding breed and generally easy to train and has pretty much stuck with them ever since. She recently adopted another sheltie, Topper, who is still a puppy and too young to train for tricks.
The key to canine training, Sminkey said, is the use of positive training methods. She said it is important to reward the dog for what they perform well rather than punishing the dog when it fails to perform the tricks.
In addition to her Web site, www.dogpatch.org, Sminkey also runs her own e-commerce software and photography business.
Taz will be greatly missed, but we are all better off for having the great opportunity to know and love him.
Rest assured that Taz helped you become who you are, and he is with you in every decision you make.
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author unknown...
Jenna
Just read of Taz's passing on the flyball list. I am so sorry for your loss and know how much Taz will be missed. We're thinking of you and sending our prayers to you during this sad time.
Our heartfelt sympathy to you for the loss of such a special friend.
Taz was a legend in agility and we can remember as far back as '97 when you two burst onto the scene and became household names in our sport.
Your pictures capture his intelligent eyes and youthful spirit.
We shall treasure his memory.
Thank you for sharing this special creature with so many.
Taz was a wonderful boy and he will be missed by everyone. I know this is terribly hard, but dwell on all the good things Taz brought to you. I know he would want you to come through this with love in your heart and happiness to have shared a lifetime with such a wonderful creature.
I was saddened by the news of your beloved Taz. The loss of a wonderful animal such as Taz is difficult and I pray that his great memories will keep you until you see him again.
I am so sorry to hear about Taz crossing over Rainbow Bridge.
Reading your story, it sounds similar to what happened to our previous Sheltie, Benson. Unfortunately, the vets didn't find out what was wrong and he/we had to deal with this for two weeks. It brought back all of the pain and sorrow, just like it was yesterday and it's been almost 7 years.
My hope is that Taz and Benson are playing together, waiting for us to join them.
We have since become Guardians to Buddy T. Dogg, who helps to fill the hole in our hearts.
Tara
ther. He was so happy to please, and just be with you. I know you will forever treasure the time God allowed him to be in your life. I recently
lost my bootyful cock a poo I named Booty because I told him how bootyful he was all the time. A little 20 pound white angel. He was just three yeras old, and had a bad pancreas, which took him very quickly....but life was very hard on him for about 4 days before he passed. That was hard for me to watch, but I went daily to the hospital and held him and talked to him, sometimes 3 times a day.... He was my baby, and so scared to go through the medical things at the end. Taz was beautiful also. But I have found best friends, and soul mates in a few of my dogs. and for everyday they are with us we find ourselves thankful for the way they touch our lives. i am heart broken, and know you are too. I keep a daily journal, to that I will never forget all the beautiful he left me with.
I have been in your situation 3 times with 3 shelties and it never gets any easier but is the last "gift" we can give to our wonderful pals, to end their suffering and pain. Our first sheltie Brandi Icki Loerke was our wonder dog! He came to us at 4 years old and changed our lives forever! SO many thinks you mentioned when describing Taz sound exactly like Brandi. When Brandi was 14 he was starting to have more serious health issues including a very bad heart murmer. While we were dealing with that and trying to make him as comfortable as possible, my husband was diagonosed with cancer. We were suddenly on a very fast ride, changing our lives and priorities, sold our home and bought a condo and during all that is was like Brandi suddenly ralllied for us! His breathing was easier and he was more alert but also our constant companion. After my husbands radiation treatments were finished and he was declared cancer free (Thank God, and we do every day!) Brandi's health started going down hill quickly. He had trouble breathing now and it got so his sleep was disturbed because he was gasping for air but still our wonderboy hung on and I fully believe he hung on for us! The day came when we had to let him go and help him on his way to the rainbow bridge. That was 8 years ago but it still hurts like it was yesterday. We've had to do this twice more with two other sheltie rescues. We now have a quirky 12 year old sheltie-yes, another rescue. Thankfully Peanut's health is very good at this point. We got our first puppy 3 years ago and have been won over by the rough collie breed. Murphy, our now 3 yr old big baby is quite a character and he adores little 20 lb Peanut. In December we adotped Murphy's 8 year old mom from the breeder to live her retirement years with us. Something we learned is that having 2 dogs is like having 2 dogs but for some reason having 3 dogs is like having 10! But we love every minute of it and they all get along wonderfully! No matter how long or short our time was with each one of our dogs, even jus the 2 short years we had with a double dilute/deaf white 10 year old puppy mill rescue sheltie named Heidi, I would do it again in a heartbeat!
What ever you do, please do not let your pain and heartache discourage you from bringing another wonderful dog into your lives and hearts!
Blessings! Dawn
Animal lovers are a special breed of human, generous of spirit, full of empathy, perhaps a little prone to sentimentality, and with hearts as big as a cloudless sky!
From a book called "Marley & Me-Life and Love with the worlds worst dog" by John Grogan
You work just as hard with Boomer, okay?
I didn't even know Taz, but I miss him. Love you!
his passing. I too lost a Sheltie 15 years ago to a rapidly-growing
brain tumour a few months after a clean bill of health at an
annual vet checkup. My sincere condolences on the loss of a
wonderful, talented Sheltie.