Gaff's Ruger Hawk CD a.ka. Old Man
October 16, 1990 to November 18, 2003

August 2003

Gaff's Brandy Alexander a.k.a Brown Dog
May 17, 1992 to December 8, 2003

September 2003

"Heaven's Doggy Door "

My best friend closed her eyes last night... 
As her head was in my hand. 
The doctors said she was in pain 
And it was hard for her to stand. 
The thoughts that scurried through my head 
As I cradled her in my arms, 
Were of her younger puppy years 
And Oh!....her many charms. 
Today there was no gentle nudge 
With an intense "I Love You" gaze, 
Only a heart that's filled with tears 
Remembering our joy filled days. 
But an angel just appeared to me 
And said "you should cry no more, 
God loves our Labrador Retriever 
He's installed a doggy door." 

"Angel Dogs"

When dogs go to heaven, they don't need wings because God knows that dogs love running best. He gives them fields. Fields and fields and fields. When a dog first arrives in heaven, he just runs. Dog heaven has clear, wide lakes filled with geese that honk and flap and tease. The dogs love this. They run beside the water and bark and bark and God watches them from behind a tree and smiles.

There are children. Of course. Angel children. God knows that dogs love children more than anything else in the world, so he fills Dog Heaven with plenty of them. There are children on bikes and children on sleds. There are Children throwing red rubber balls and children pulling kites through the clouds. The dogs are there, and the children love them dearly.

And, oh, the dog biscuits. Biscuits and biscuits as far as the eye can see. God has a sense of humor, so He makes His biscuits in funny shapes for His dogs. There are kitty-cat biscuits and squirrel biscuits. Ice-cream biscuits and ham-sandwich biscuits.  Every angel who passes by has a biscuit for a dog.

And, of course, all God's dogs sit when the angels say "sit." Every dog becomes a good dog in Dog Heaven.

God turns clouds inside out to make fluffy beds for the dogs in Dog Heaven, and when they are tired from running and barking and eating ham-sandwich biscuits, the dogs find a cloud bed for sleeping. They turn around and around in the cloud... until it feels just right, and then they curl up and they sleep. God watches over each one of them. And there are no bad dreams.

Dogs in Dog Heaven have almost always belonged to somebody on Earth and, of course, the dogs remember this. Heaven is full of memories. So sometimes an angel will walk a dog back to Earth for a little visit and quietly, invisibly, the dog will sniff about his old backyard, will investigate the cat next door, will follow the child to school, will sit on the front porch and wait for the mail. When he is satisfied that all is well, the dog will return to Heaven with the angel. It is where dogs belong, near God who made them.

The dogs in Dog Heaven who had no real homes on Earth are given one in Heaven. The homes have yards and porches and there are couches to lie on and tables to sit under while angels eat their dinners. There are special bowls with the dogs' names on them. And each dog is petted and reminded how good he is, all day long.

Dogs in Dog Heaven may stay as long as they like and this can mean forever. They will be there when old friends show up.  They will be there at the door. Angel dogs.