My beautiful boys Rebel 1 and Ringo

by Michele
(Dorset, England)

REBEL 1 WAS A LOVELY BOY. IT STARTED WHEN HUBBY & I WENT TO A CHAMPIONSHIP DOG SHOW ON A SATURDAY IN AUGUST BACK IN 1994...
LITTLE DID WE KNOW THAT WE WOULD BECOME THE PROUD OWNERS OF A 12-WEEK-OLD MINI SCHNAUZER. HIS MUM WAS BEING SHOWN ON THAT DAY
WE TRAVELLED TO ESSEX ON THAT SATURDAY LATE AFTERNOON AND CHATTED TO THE BREEDER, WHO GAVE US A MEAL. LEAVING AT AROUND MIDNIGHT WE BROUGHT THIS BALL OF FLUFF BACK HOME...AND WHEN TIME FOR BED CAME WE COULD NOT FIND REBEL 1. TO OUR AMAZEMENT
HE HAD CLIMBED ONTO OUR BED AND BURIED HIMSELF UNDER OUR DUVET...!
WELL THAT WAS HIS DOMAIM UNTIL HE WAS OUT OF PUPPYHOOD, THEN HE SLEPT IN HIS OWN BED.. WE WENT ON HOLIDAYS, THE 3 OF US. (WE ALSO HAD 2 YORKSHIRE TERRIERS).
WE HAD REBEL 1 FOR 11 YEARS. HE COLLAPSED AT MY FRIEND'S HOLIDAY HOME ON JUNE 9 WHILST OUT WALKING WITH ME,RINGO AND RAMBO 2, BUT UNTIL THEN WAS FINE.. HE HAD KIDNEY FAILURE, THE VET DID TRY TO CURE HIM WITH MEDICATION, BUT HIS KIDNEYS WERE TOO FAR GONE.
WE KEPT HIM QUIET AND GAVE HIM ALL OUR LOVE.. I EVEN SLEPT ON THE FLOOR WITH HIM DURING THE NIGHT TO ASSURE HIM THAT I WAS THERE FOR HIM... HE PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY ON MONDAY JUNE 13.
RINGO AND RAMBO 2 NUZZLED HIM ON THE SUNDAY NIGHT TO SAY THEIR GOODBYE, SO I KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE VERY SOON...I HAVE HIS AND RINGO'S ASHES TOGETHER WITH A ROSE BUSH IN A LOVELY PLANTER, OUTSIDE BY MY DOOR...

BUYING RINGO WAS A DIFFERENT STORY... WE DECIDED THAT REBEL 1 WANTED A FRIEND, AS THE YORKIES HAD EACH OTHER. SO WE SPOKE TO THE BREEDER AND SAID WE WANTED A BLACK AND SILVER FRIEND FOR REBEL 1 .
LATER SHE SAID SHE HAD PUT HER BLACK STUD DOG TO A BLACK AND SILVER BITCH, AND THAT SHE WOULD BE IN TOUCH. SURE ENOUGH SHE DID WHEN THE PUPS WERE 2 WEEKS OLD.. SEVEN OF THEM (6 GIRLS AND 1 BOY.

HE WAS BLACK NOT BLACK AND SILVER, BUT SO ADORABLE THAT IT DIDN'T MATTER. WE MET HALF WAY BETWEEN BOURNEMOUTH AND ESSEX AT A SCHNAUZER CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY.. AND THERE WAS RINGO IN HIS PUPPY CRATE, A BLACK CUDDLY BALL OF FLUFF.. WE HAD HIM FOR 15 YEARS AS HE WAS NOT REALLY POORLY BUT HE WAS TIRED AND HIS ORGANS WERE DETERIORATING DUE TO HIS AGE.WHEN HE WENT OFF HIS FOOD I KNEW THAT IT WOULD NOT BE LONG, AS HE LOST HALF HIS BODYWEIGHT..
I USED TO TAKE HIM OUT IN HIS PUSHCHAIR AS I'D NEVER LEAVE HIM BEHIND WHEN I WALKED RAMBO 2 & REBEL 2 WHO WE GOT IN 2008 FROM THE SAME BREEDER. RINGO REALLY TOOK TO REBEL 2, AS DID RAMBO 2, THEY BECAME 3 BEST PALS.

I LOST MY HUBBY TOO IN JANUARY 2011 SO WHAT WITH LOSING RINGO IN NOVEMBER 2010 AND BARRIE SOON AFTERWARDS, I FELT VERY DOWN.. BUT MOVING TO A PARK HOME HAS MADE MY LIVE SO MUCH MORE BEARABLE AS EVERYONE IS SO FRIENDLY AND CARING. RAMBO 2 AND REBEL 2 LOVE IT HERE AS I HAVE AN ENCLOSED GARDEN SO THEY ARE SAFE AT PLAYTIME.

BUT I WILL NEVER FORGET REBEL 1 AND RINGO.

WITH SCHNAUZERLY LOVE TO YOU AND MAX
MICHELE, RAMBO 2 AND REBEL 2