Several words about my Terry ...
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It seems like a bad dream … Yesterday we lost Terry.
Her health problems began quietly in October when she started to limp on the right front leg. The first diagnosis was arthrosis, unfortunately during the time it proved to be false. Terry´s condition was getting worse gradually and slowly, she did not want to go, she increasingly lounged or stood about. When she lost her interest in her lovely tennis balls I realized that it was bad indeed. Her sick leg swelled into double size during the Christmas holiday and she almost did not want to eat. When I got information Terry's sister Oxa had to be made sleepy for the reason of osteosarcoma in September and the similar symptoms appeared at Terry last weeks and days, I was beginning to admit that Terka could suffer from the same disease. So we took her to a vet -a bone specialist for detail examination in December, 27. We wanted to be sure what Terry really bothers with. Although my mind admitted a cancer, my heart hoped for a miracle. I wished to hear some good news. Unfortunately, the miracle did not happen - the verdict was ruthless: osteosarcoma. Since we had no choice - by the opinion of a vet there has been no hope for improvement and other days would be by prolongation of her suffering. So we decided that we would let her make sleepy. Terka left us quickly in the peace and in our arms. I know that it was the best thing we could do for her, she gave us a lifetime love and pleasure all the time so I think it would not be fair to let her worry more without the chance of her improving. But I still doubt whether my decision was right.
What was Terka in fact …? I think there is no need for many words - who knew her, loved her. She was very lively puppy from her childhood, she was interested in everything, she loved everyone - people, dogs, other animals. She had the strong retrieved instinct indeed, she was crazy about tennis balls. It would be nice to write about her canine loyalty - I am sure she loved me very much but sometimes there were situations when she would have replaced me for her ball. We trained her from the age of three months on the training ground. There everybody loved her too except of an assistant for the defence. Her biting performances were not balanced - she was not afraid of biting but I think she was not interested in it so much. Why would she bite when she likes gaining more balls ?! Everything except of ball gaining was bore. For all that she passed some exams - ZVV1, ZVV2 and IPO1. She was successful in the show ring too although we were not on so many dogshows - she had some championships, some BOB´s. In 2000 she won prestigious title Sujet recommandé in France and she was The Best Brood Female - tervueren of KCHBO in 2004. But I think if I asked about my Terry´s opinion she would take three bags full of tennis balls as her biggest success - balls which "were found and stolen" by herself from the nearby tennis courts. And I admit that I agree with her because her joy and enthusiasm for finding of the next ball was much more greater than winning the dogshow.
Terry had two litters only - A and B Oridix. I do not want to write about successes and failures of these litters here who is interested in tervuerens knows everything about it. Despite of all the problems and the faults which we had in our breed all puppies were bred with big love. Today we are very proud of Terry´s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
I am sitting here I remember and my tears are falling down from my face and I do not know what will happen. I cannot imagine my life without Terka. She was the large part of my life, she gave a lifetime love and good humour every day, every minute. I had more Belgians but Terry taught me unfailingly and unconditionally to love this breed. I know I will keep other new puppies in the future but today I feel another dog can never be better than my lovely girl. I have thousands of her beautiful memories and albums full of her photos so I say it is not probably so little for almost thirteen years spent with her.
And more … We lost Terry…. It seems like a bad dream …. And I would want so much to wake up …
