Our house is quiet at night, I seem to be hearing dog paws on the stairs, but the dog lies sprawled asleep on the floor next to the bed. Maybe I’m hearing the dog we had before the one we have now? I don’t think people linger on after death, but I wonder whether dogs do. And that we can hear them scuffling about for many years after they’re gone.
~ Linn Ullmann, ”Unquiet: A Novel” (W. W. Norton & Company, January 15, 2019)
Photo of our Zeke on 11/17/14 (RIP).
Live & Learn 
Now you nearly made me shed a tear…. YES, we can still hear them long after their demise. And that’s normal; for so long they shared our lives, were part of us, and now you’ve made me, together with Linn Ullmann, yearn AGAIN and even MORE so to have a pet once more….. Your Zeke was so über-beautiful!!
(May I say I also love Linn Ullmann’s writing, which I discover thanks to you – what a talented and gifted family that is)
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Made me cry… I remember…. zeke, surya,… how true, there are two Little Big Cats in the home now but I feel and hear my angel cats too… Thank you dear David, you ntroduced me too with Linn Ullmann. Love, nia
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Yes Nia. Feel and hear. Exactly.
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like a phantom pain, for the loss of a limb, except this one is for a loss from your heart.
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Yes Beth. You’ve captured it beautifully
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In German we have the saying: Ein Leben ohne Hund ist ein Hundeleben. I would translate it to A life without a dog is a dog’s life …. but I’m unsure if you use this expression in the US/Canada. It means, of course, that a life w/o a dog is not worth living 😉
I also have a metal plaque in the entry hall saying A home without a dog is just a house…. A bit kitschy but who cares. We need, as Beth said so well, dogs around us because w/o them, we have a loss from our heart!
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Awwww. Love it
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Elusive and yet ever present…no words
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Yes…
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I strongly believe that the dogs we have loved and lived with are always with us. I see my boy Chance in Beau sometimes…the cock of the head, a certain response to a situation, the particular way he snuggles up against me and sighs with contentment. These animals are our hearts, walking around outside our bodies….
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“Cock of the head”. Really, I don’t know how you do it, get the words just so right. I can see and feel Zeke’s cock the head.
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Awww, thanks pal…
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We do. We do.
The love and yearning is always there. ❤️
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Yes. Sure is Val.
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Relating, and tears …. I blogged about a similar experience https://emjayandthem.com/2014/07/02/sounds-in-the-night/
and last year, in a health scare/on the way to the ER (everything turned out ok, thank God) I quietly told Hubbs that I was not afraid to die because I knew my Frankie would cut in front of all others to greet me first at Heaven’s door.
The ache of a good dog leaves a forever imprint.
Hugs
MJ
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Awww. You are right MJ. Forever imprint- love that.
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Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
Quiet house, house dog … ‘Linn Ullmann, ”Unquiet: A Novel” (W. W. Norton & Company, January 15, 2019)’ …
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Aww, David…I believe that is true, our beloved pets are still here with us. That photo of Zeke made me feel so sad. Shortly after my Bella died, I decided to get another puppy, Daisy. I didn’t think I would want to get another dog so quickly until a friend told me that after her dog died, she went out and got TWO. She mentioned that the house just didn’t feel right without a dog in it. When I thought about that, I knew that I needed to get another puppy. The entire family was just so sad all the time without Bella. Daisy has filled our hearts with so much love, but I do still miss Bella and I do still feel her presence here with me…or maybe it’s just the two large photos on the wall of her that can always be seen… 🙂 In any case, I believe that all of us who experience the love of a pet become better people for that. We learn without a doubt what true unconditional love is…and isn’t that the greatest magical feeling in the world. Love to you my friend.
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Smiling. That’s the cure I need Carol. Get two! Thanks for sharing. Hope you are well.
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Carol, I just came back to this post simply because I love dogs, and Zeke was such a gorgeous ‘beast’. Now, your words brought tears to my eyes. It’s all so true, I firmly believe too that dogs make us better human beings…. maybe we should collect money to get a few of them to a certain white building ….. 😉
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Hi Kiki – You are right about Zeke…we all loved him I think. Thank you for your affirmation of the gifts we receive from our furry friends. We who have been there all understand. 🙂
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Three days after our dog died, I saw her ghost standing beside me looking out the window. I honestly don’t think it was my imagination.
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Awwww. I get it Darlene
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Is it really that long ago? He looks so sweet. I can see why has a place in your heart.
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This photo was taken 3 years before he died. But yes.
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I meant “why HE has a place in your heart.”
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Yes! I understood!
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Such a sweet photo of Zeke (rip)…I don’t know why, maybe because he is aging I been thinking of how horrible it will be when our sweet pup with the eternal smile, knowing eyes, silky fur passes on…I know we will still feel him…miss him immensely…hear him commando crawling down the hallway…/// my daughter and I have both seen cats of ours that have passed on…
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Awww. Let’s hope your pup sticks around for long time.
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I have seen our late dog standing next to my bed
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Awwwwww
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I will linger around after I die! I have to.
I know my father-in-law did 😔
We miss your Zeke too…
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Smiling. oh you’ll linger. You linger now!
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Sawsan, you don’t have to wait until you die….. Dave was right, you’re lingering even now. You are that kind of person who doesn’t leave people ‘cold’!!! And that’s a heck of a compliment I wouldn’t give to all out there!
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This is the best compliment I ever got. Its 3 am and you made my day.
Deep bow and thank you, Kiki!
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… and your thanks went straight to my 💖 too, hence our therapy worked marvellous(ly) well, wouldn’t you say so? 👍🏻🐶🐞
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🐣🐤🐥❤
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