Born into the world on Thanksgiving and left this Earth on Christmas. Alice was her name when I met her.  She was given back to the breeder after the couple who had bought her decided she hated them. I had visited the breeder a few times and had a mom picked out and planned on a blue merle from a top show dog named Snickers. The mom absorbed the litter that I was expecting from and I told the breeder no worries, I can wait until the time is right. I lost a double-pawed tabby cat named Spike that acted more like a dog than a cat to cancer within a month and was devastated. I went to visit the breeder to get my mind off my loss and Alice decided that I was her new mom (only puppy available and older-14 weeks). She took to me like a duck to water and sat under me practically begging to go home with me. She was a "love child" with no papers but it didn't matter. I had met the mom (Propwash Pizza - I just know the breeding is good, I don't follow the show circuit) and she seemed a little shy and I was uncertain who the dad was (also an Aussie) but this little individual was so bent on becoming mine that I had no choice. She practically put the leash in my hand and drove ME home.

We had our puppy adventures. Yes, we did puppy obedience and one more course but the trainer was a bit upset because Ally would only do things when I was the one who asked and he couldn't do a thing with her. She made a bit of a fool of him in front of all of the other clients with pups that needed help bonding with the new families. He washed his hands of us and I knew that he knew we could do it on our own. And we did.

Ally did not know "roll over" or "give me your paw" tricks. Ally was my friend and stayed by my side and never needed to be on a leash (except when we walked on the road and she knew it was for her own protection) and she made up her own games with the cats. She picked up the end of a string and started to drag it around the room so the cats would chase it. She figured this out on her own and I was in awe of her when she did it the first time.

Ally would find baby birds in the yard that had fallen from their nests and try to rouse them by nosing them back to life. This girl was so compassionate and I like to think that she mirrored my compassion for all living things no matter whether they be insects, amphibians, birds, rodents or mammals. She and I would work together if we found a field mouse in the house and the cats were on to them. She would protect the mouse while I went to get a cup to carry them to safety. I love to garden and Ally would go around the yard and smell my flowers enjoying their scents. She did love to chase the squirrels but once, given the opportunity to catch a baby squirrel who was confused and froze, Ally simply tried to make friends. The squirrels were on to her and they were not afraid and I believe they enjoyed the game as much as she did. I feed the mallards on the lake and Ally would bark and they would swim up to the yard knowing she was calling them for their feeding. No one else in our lake community could get close to the ducks and everyone asked me why they wouldn't come to them when they were offering bread. They trusted Ally and I to take care of them and I also fed them duck food, not bread.

Ally and I had so many adventures together and I keep thinking of each one to write about but there are too many. I may as well write a book if I keep going.

Some of our favorite times were spent at the barn with her big brother Tango. She and my horse had an unspoken bond between them and he would let her lie right under his feet and he'd stand like a statue, afraid that if he moved a foot, he might hurt her. He loved to put his muzzle into her fur and the last time they were together, he was smelling her more than usual. I think Tango knew Ally was ill long before I did.

Both Ally and Tango helped me get through some tough times. I don't know if I could have done it without them. I fought a long hard battle with breast cancer for over a year and Ally stayed by my side constantly and Tango got me motivated to keep going and stay active throughout the ordeal. I won my battle over cancer but my mother lost her battle with colon cancer last year at around the same time I lost Ally to cancer this year. My mother left this Earth December 16th, 2007 and Ally helped me with my loss and she adored Grandma too. I have prayed to my mother to find Ally when she arrives and take special care of her until I can be reunited with them both. Christmas seems to be a time when I lose the special souls in my life that I love the most. It was very quick with Ally. She had a tumor that ruptured on her spleen Christmas morning 2008 and within hours, I had the vet give her the injection to release her from any pain. Up until that point, she lived a happy life not without some pain I am sure but for the most part, she had been free of any discomfort and she went on to her afterlife. She never lost her dignity which was very important to her. 

I am exhausted from mourning her loss. I can't keep thinking about how she died and what we went through because I know she wouldn't want me to be upset. But I do keep seeing her all around my house and in the truck and at the barn and everywhere we used to go together which happened to be everywhere I go now. Her paw prints are still in the snow and I burst into tears when I go outside. It's really hard to get through every minute without her. But I know Ally and how much she loved me and she would want me to continue on with my life and be happy. Her little body gave out but her spirit is still with me and I hear her telling me to continue on and find another soul to be happy with. Ally, I will wait until I feel like there is another pup holding the leash out to me.

Love always,
your mom,  Sharon