I’m off to pick up the remains of the real BooMan. Now I just have to figure out what to do with them. I can give him no better eulogy than Lord Byron gave his Newfoundland.
Near this spot
Are deposited the Remains of one
Who possessed Beauty without Vanity,
Strength without Insolence,
Courage without Ferocity,
And all the Virtues of Man without his Vices.
This Praise, which would be unmeaning Flattery
If inscribed over human ashes,
Is but a just tribute to the Memory of
BOATSWAIN, a DOG
{{{{Booman}}}}!
They say that people come to look like their dogs. I don’t know if you look like a Newfoundland or not.
But the phrase “courage without ferocity” seems to apply to you both.
I was never able to have a dog, but this must be painful for you. Boatswain and Boo must surely be frolicking together somewhere. Manhugs to you, BooMan.
Either keep his ashes in an urn, or scatter them somplace he loved to go when you took him on a walk.
We have chosen to keep the ashes of our beloved dog in an urn in our home so that we can all imagine she is still with us when we see it.
to the same standards that dogs hold themselves to!
What a beautiful eulogy.
I kept her remains in the wooden box they came in for a long time. But it bothered me that she was all closed up in there and I wanted her to be free. So one day, I put her remains in the earth of our garden and planted a miniature tree on top. Unfortunately, the tree did not thrive in that spot so we had to replant something else, and now I no longer even live in that house.
I have some regrets about my decision, and that’s why I’m sharing this so that perhaps it will give you something to consider in your own arrangements. I know a woman who has kept the remains of her dog with her for years and she intends to be buried with them. I kind of wish I had done that now.
I have the ashes of my “old guy” tucked into the corner of the linen closet. My DH & DD, whoever is around to take care of details after my demise, have instructions to add his ashes to mine. After almost 23 years from the day I help his mother deliver him (tail first) to the day I held him as he was eased out of his pain, I can’t do anything else.
{{{Booman}}}
Beautiful eulogy, Booman.
{{Booman}}
I’m so sorry.
I missed what must have been an earlier announcement as to the departure of the real (4-legged) BooMan’s departure from this mortal coil.
From his picture he looked like a very cool character and I’m sure his passing has reduced the measure of joy in the world.
My condolences on the loss of your friend.
Be at peace Booman.
You have and will continue to show an old friend the highest honor and love anyone could want.
I have to call the vet today and see when I can go pick up Jasper’s ashes. Sigh…
Shermanesqe,
I’m so sorry to hear this. You know I’ve thought about you and Jasper many times, and wondered how you both were.
Are you okay?
Hi SS,
And thank you. Yes, I am OK. The first couple of days were hard, but then I went through all the pictures I had of her over the years, and remembered her when she was younger and spry. Her body had become so tired and weary, it was pretty obvious, and I had her to the vet’s 3 times beforehand with some scares, so that kinda helped to prepare me.
She died quickly and in my arms, so I could ask for nothing more. I told her to let go if she needed to, cuz her body was tired, and come into mine. So she did. I’m just so thankful that she went as she did, and that I was able to be there with her. She’s in a better place now, rested and free. I know this deep in my heart.
Thank you again…
Dear Boo, go with our invisible arms around you.
When my own Duckie the Dachshund died this year I almost regretted that I had used her name as part of my internet password, but now every time I use it I think of her and I’m glad to remember. I don’t know if you find it painful that this blog has your dear dog’s name, or that we all call you by that name, but I hope it will end up giving you sweet moments of memory.
Chin up Booman.
Hey BooMan, I’ve been busy with a cross country move and haven’t been at the site as much, so I missed the sad occasion of your dog’s passing. I know animals can be dear friends and indeed members of the family, mine have always been that way, and from earlier posts I know you loved your dog dearly. I am so very sorry for your loss.
all the Virtues of Man without his Vices is a fitting tribute to the real BooMan.
Like Boran2 I like to think of the real BooMan frolicking with other Newfs. Not just with Boatswain but with Seaman, the Newf who explored the west with Lewis and Clark, and with all the unknown Newfs who have kept their humans safe and in line through the ages.
Again, I’m sorry for your loss, and I hope today’s not too tough for you.
No wonder I felt so comfortable with this site when I stumbled across it last summer!
My heart goes out to you. We had the most wonderful, loving, slobbery Newf for eight short years and we still miss him to this day. His little brother, an aussy, still gets all excited and almost flips over in the air whenever he sees a Newf rambling along while he’s out walking.
Lord Byron sure captured the spirit of the Newf best with that epitah. I love the next stanzas about vain man denying him the soul in heaven he held on earth. Applies to a lot of other people too!
You can read the whole eulogy here.
((((Boo)))) Like angels, our animal friends come to us at the right time in our lives when we need them. Dogs are teachers of love, and other things. But mostly frolic.
The real Booman was a blessing to all of us here. I hope his spirit is frolicking now, and that yours will too, eventually.
My mousepad is a postcard of the famous Boatswain, I’ve always thought of him as the famous Booman.
We all share your pain.
Hang in there Boo. I’m thinking of you. Hope Mrs. Boo is doing OK with this, too.
thanks bud. the ex-mrs. boo is most decidedly not doing okay with this. But she’ll recover. you should call her sometime, I’m sure she’d like to hear from you.
I haven’t had as much time to spend here as I would like so I didn’t know Booman had passed away.
One of our dogs is still fairly young and the other more middle aged.
The last of our family of cats however is ancient. I’ve buried her mother and brother against our back fence. A wonderful family of long haired greys. At almost 17 years of age Sweetness (I like to call her Walter) doesn’t have much time left. The end of an era in our family. She has periodic seizures but otherwise doesn’t seem to be suffering. At some point though we’ll have that decision to make.
Peace,
Andrew
an honorable tribute for an honorable companion. My thought are with you, BooMan.
somehow from the beginning Booman became a very real presence here and for me will continue to be felt.
And forget the manly stiff upper lip and go ahead and cry your eyes out. There may be ‘no crying in baseball'(homage to tom hanks)but when you lose one of your best friends the only thing you can do is to cry. Then cry some more and let the tears water the garden of memories you will always carry of your beloved friend.
I love that picture. It was so hard to get his face to display well in a photograph, and that one really captures his face and the look in his eyes. Plus the shiny slobbered on Kong.
He was a handsome dog, Boo, encompassing dignity, strength & gentleness in that photo. It’s so hard to lose our kids with fur. {{HUGS}}
I just lost my dog to cancer in March. Anal sac carcinoma with a little lymphoma thrown in for good measure. Making the decision to put him down was rough, but it was the right choice.
I still have his ashes sitting in their little cedar box next to a picture of my dad (Dad died last year). I can’t imagine scattering my dog’s ashes anywhere, unless of course I buried them. I feel like they’d just get washed away by the rain and end up in a puddle by the side of the road, splashing passersby as taxis drive through them. I don’t really want that to be my dog’s fate.
Keep him with you for a while. At some point it might be easier to make a decision about where to put them, but it’s early yet.
Good Luck and my condolences.
I was so sorry to hear about Boo’s passing. My sweet little dog died in ’97. I don’t believe in the traditional idea of heaven for people, but the child in me believes a Doggy Heaven and if a person is good, kind and caring they get to go there.
I still miss my dog and often dream about her – when I do, I know I am dreaming about love – loyal, pure and unconditional. You will always feel Boo’s energy and love and he will always feel yours.