Sad news: Harpo, RIP

Peter Klein

Peter Klein

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May 12, 2005
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The best dog I've ever known is gone, my friend and companion of 13 years.

http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/currentpics/HarpoLapBW5.jpg
http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/currentpics/harpolean.htm
http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/currentpics/paula_harpo.htm
http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/E1/P4190807Harpo.jpg

(all but the last are RF photos)

Harpo was diagnosed with diabetes three years ago. We managed to keep him alive and happy for those three years despite the odds. All it took was insulin shots twice a day, a special diet, the same amount of exercise each day, a lot of love, and mass quantities of money to our vet. It was worth every bit of effort and every penny.

Harpo had a terrier-beagle heritage, with the most endearing combination of terrier intelligence and feistiness, and beagle sweetness and eagerness to please. Once we got his blood sugar levels stable, he was pretty much the same dog he'd always been. There were changes--no more table scraps, and no more hiking in the mountains with us. But he adjusted gracefully, and still found joy in what he could do. His condition required that he "go out" frequently, and he learned to use a doggie door at age 10, proving that you *can* teach an old dog new tricks.

Harpo was a "people dog." His greatest joy was just being with us and participating in everything we did. Once, during a walk with my in-laws, he refused to go home with only my mother-in-law, sitting and refusing to budge until my father-in-law came out of the library. This prompted my father-in-law to proclaim ever after in his thick Russian accent, "Kharpo hez femily values." My mother-in-law called him an "exquisite creature."

Harpo loved everyone, licked everyone , and greeted his extra-special friends with a cross between a howl, a yodel and a Wagnerian high C. Every evening when I came home from work, he would curve his body into a C-shape and rub his side against me, making sure I knew I was the most important person in the world. Most of my evening posts were written with him lying at my feet, or more likely, *on* them.

He was fine on Sunday, Monday he stopped eating. Tuesday he could barely walk. Today a test result showed that his liver was failing rapidly, probably a long-term result of the diabetes. He had only a few days of painful decline left if we did nothing, so we did the kind thing. And I did a lot of crying tonight.

--Peter
 
Losing a family member is always hard whether human or canine

He looked as though he had amazing personality ... I send along my regards

You still have those timeless images of him to help remember
 
Peter, sorry to hear about your loss.
The photos shows a dog that had quite a personality.

It's never easy.
 
That's so sad. I'm sorry for your loss. Pets mean more than people realise. We had a dog with severe epilepsy. That was distressing when he was put down. The best you can do is give a dog or cat or any pet a good life, and treat them well. Then no matter how they go, you know they enjoyed their life with you.
 
Peter, I am very sorry for your loss. Harpo was clearly a well-loved and very important member of your family. It sounds as though you gave him a wonderful life. You have my deepest sympathies.
 
Sorry to hear about your loss. A dog is the only true friend a person has,it's unconditional love is incomparable to anything else.
 
Peter, I'm sorry to ear about Arpo. It only happened me when I was a child to loose my dog (invested by a car) and I still remember 50 years later that I cried days and days.
ciao,
robert
 
I am on my fifth Dog in 52 years and I know it doesnt get any easier when they have to leave us.Sorry for your loss.

Steve
 
Very sorry to hear about Harpo. Sounds like he was a good friend and companion to the whole family.

I certainly hate to think of losing Reilly, my Corgi, or Midnight, our Lab. We know how you feel.
 
I am so sorry, Peter. I hope you and your family and able to grieve well and remember the many years you shared with your worthy friend.
 
Peter Klein said:
The best dog I've ever known is gone, my friend and companion of 13 years.

http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/currentpics/HarpoLapBW5.jpg
http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/currentpics/harpolean.htm
http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/currentpics/paula_harpo.htm
http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/E1/P4190807Harpo.jpg

(all but the last are RF photos)

Harpo was diagnosed with diabetes three years ago. We managed to keep him alive and happy for those three years despite the odds. All it took was insulin shots twice a day, a special diet, the same amount of exercise each day, a lot of love, and mass quantities of money to our vet. It was worth every bit of effort and every penny.

Harpo had a terrier-beagle heritage, with the most endearing combination of terrier intelligence and feistiness, and beagle sweetness and eagerness to please. Once we got his blood sugar levels stable, he was pretty much the same dog he'd always been. There were changes--no more table scraps, and no more hiking in the mountains with us. But he adjusted gracefully, and still found joy in what he could do. His condition required that he "go out" frequently, and he learned to use a doggie door at age 10, proving that you *can* teach an old dog new tricks.

Harpo was a "people dog." His greatest joy was just being with us and participating in everything we did. Once, during a walk with my in-laws, he refused to go home with only my mother-in-law, sitting and refusing to budge until my father-in-law came out of the library. This prompted my father-in-law to proclaim ever after in his thick Russian accent, "Kharpo hez femily values." My mother-in-law called him an "exquisite creature."

Harpo loved everyone, licked everyone , and greeted his extra-special friends with a cross between a howl, a yodel and a Wagnerian high C. Every evening when I came home from work, he would curve his body into a C-shape and rub his side against me, making sure I knew I was the most important person in the world. Most of my evening posts were written with him lying at my feet, or more likely, *on* them.

He was fine on Sunday, Monday he stopped eating. Tuesday he could barely walk. Today a test result showed that his liver was failing rapidly, probably a long-term result of the diabetes. He had only a few days of painful decline left if we did nothing, so we did the kind thing. And I did a lot of crying tonight.

--Peter
Click to expand...


So sorry the loss of your dog.


:( N
 
I hate that cats and dogs have such short lives, thats why I vowed after the last dog and cat never to have another. Then neighbours leave and abandon their cat, I feed it so of course it keeps returning, we now have another damned cat, mad, adorable and loving. Here we go again!!!
Very sorry about your loss it never gets any easier, but having photos helps to soften the blow

Picture , he is dreaming about a friend who trod on his tail, and who has the scars on his legs now to remember not to do that again.!!
 

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