The following was written by Bug's co-owner Tay Etheredge
with whom Bugs' shared his life with at the time of his passing.......

There are no words to explain how one feels when they lose a loved one,whether it be human or animal. Some people cannot understand how we "Animal People" can love a animal so deeply and morn them so when they are gone. I pity these people, I can honestly say I feel like they have cheated themselves, not to know the innocent love a dog can give and how  they can bring so so much happiness into a life.
Bugs was with us for only a year, but in that year he brought me so much joy. He also brought me my good friend Yvonne. After we lost him, I don't know what I would have done without her. I am 39 years old and have never been without a German Shepherd in my life. A German Shepherd even helped teach me how to walk! I have had so many wonderful dogs in my life, but Bugs was one of the BEST!! He gave us so much, he was my very first experience of showing a dog at the National. He placed 6th in his class out of 22. We were all so thrilled and proud. I will never forget that week. Bugs had such a bright future ahead of him, we had many many plans for him, but I must say, I think God had other plans for him. Bugs was not only Yvonne, Becky and my dog, but also my little girl's...Sterling. Bugs and Sterling were absolutely best friends. Sterling was 6 years old when Bugs came to live with us. He had never been around small children before, and if you have ever been around a 6 month old male G.S. , well they can be kinda goofy :-). Bugs at first didn't know what to think about Sterling but it only took him a few days and they were best buddies. He would even try and sneak upstairs after she was asleep and get in the bed with her.
We live in the country, there are no children for Sterling to play with. When I tell you those two were playmates, they truly were. I cannot tell you the shear joy of watching them play hide-n-go-seek, or running together in the backyard and Sterling just throwing her head back and laughing with him. When I think about it now, I miss my sweet boy so very very much. But I have to think that there is a reason why Bugs was taken from us so soon in his life. There must be another little girl in heaven that needs him more, and I know without a doubt God smiles when he sees my sweet boy playing with her, just like I did with him and Sterling. I hope the Angels know how lucky they are to have my boy with them, he was so very special in so many ways, we all miss him so....

Tay Etheredge

DOG HEAVEN

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 with geese who 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. And, oh, the dog biscuits. Biscuits and biscuits are as far as the eye can see. God has a sense of humor, so he makes his biscuits in funny shapes for his dogs. Every angel who passes by has a biscuit for a dog. 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 each find a cloud bed for sleeping. 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. 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 the 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....

The Little Dog Angel

High up in the courts of Heaven today
A little dog-angel waits,
With the other dogs he will not play,
But he sits alone at the Gates:
"For I know my master will come," says he
"And when he comes, he will call for me."

He sees the spirits that pass him by
As they hasten towards the throne,
And he watches them with a wistful eye
As he sits at the gate alone;
"But I know if I just wait patiently
"That someday my Master will come," says he.

And his Master far down on the earth below,
As he sits in his easy chair
Forgets sometimes, and he whistles low
For the dog that is not there;
And the little dog-angel cocks his ears
And dreams that his Master's call he hears.

And I know when at length his Master waits
Outside in the dark and cold
For the hand of Death to open the gates
That lead to the Courts of Gold,
The little dog-angel's eager bark
Will comfort his soul while he's still in the dark.

--- Norah M. Holland, c. 1870

I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep. I could see that you were crying, You found it hard to sleep. I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear, "It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here." I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea, You were thinking of the many times, your hands reached down to me. I was with you at the shops today, Your arms were getting sore. I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more. I was with you at my grave today, You tend it with such care. I want to reassure you, that I'm not lying there. I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key. I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said "it's me." You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair. I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there. It's possible for me to be, so near you everyday. To say to you with certainty, "I never went away." You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew ... in the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you. The day is over... I smile and watch you yawning and say "goodnight, God bless, I'll see you in the morning." And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide, I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side. I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see. Be patient, live your journey out ... then come home to be with me. Author unknown

THE EULOGY Look not where I was For I am not there My spirit is free I am everywhere In the air that you breathe In the sounds that you here Don't cry for me Mom My spirit is near I'll watch for you From the other side I'll be the one running New friends by my side Smile at my memory Remember in your heart This isn't the end It's a brand new start By: Carol Kufner Winwood Kennel German Shepherds

My Gift To Jesus
by Jane L. Sears

I wish someone had given little Jesus a dog
as loyal and loving as mine
to sleep by His manger and gaze in His eyes
and adore Him for being devine.

As Our Lord grew to manhood, His own faithful dog
would have followed Him all through the day
while He preached to the crowds and made the sick well
and knelt in the Garden to pray.

It is sad to remember that Christ went away
to face death alone and apart,
with no tender dog following close behind
to comfort its Master's heart.

And when Jesus rose on that Easter morn,
how happy He would have been
as His dog kissed His hand and barked its delight
for the One who died for all men!

Well, the Lord has a dog now; I've just sent him mine,
the old pal so dear to me.
And I smile through my tears on this first day alone,
knowing they're in eternity.

If you have a large breed dog or a breed prone to bloat
you owe it to youself and your dog to learn all you can about this silent killer.

The links below have a pretty good description of Bloat, its symptoms, suspected causes, treatment, etc, 
once there, if you scroll to the bottom (the 2nd link) there are tons of other links on bloat.

Bloat & a link to Potassium deficiency?

More information on bloat here

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