dogs

Flipflop lost his soulmate

/ Flip's Mom / Leave a comment

Soulmates, some people believe there is one out there for everyone, and they are just meant to be with this person. Others are more skeptical and feel there is not just one person for them and can love many. For me personally I don’t believe I have a soulmate, and love has always been a game of loss for me, but this blog has never been about humans, it’s about the beautiful animals in that I have had the privilege and honour of knowing, some for a moment, others for most of their lives. And anyone who knows Flipflop, knows of his one true love, Miss Ellie. There are so many stories and memories I have of those two.

When the heartbreaking news was delivered that Miss Ellie’s time was coming soon, I knew it would impact Flipflop in some way but wasn’t sure how. We had experienced loss together; we lost Dupont, when Flipflop was just a baby, Buddy and Angel left, but Flipflop only bonded with Sixx out his feline brothers, and of course Dahlia. Dahlia’s death impacted him hard and seeing him grieve was worse than my own grief. Seeing a dog heartbroken is devastating. Although Miss Ellie didn’t live with us, I knew he would go through something. When we lived in Ontario, Flipflop would want to see Miss Ellie every day; Janet would bring Miss Ellie down to my place on her way to work to let them spend time together. The only time he didn’t see her was on daycare days, and even at that, Janet started sending Miss Ellie once a week with him so she could see him.  

Flipflop would get down on weekends, because he wanted to be with Miss Ellie, sometimes I would text Janet and ask her to drop Miss Ellie down at my place if she was going out, so he could see her, or invite her over for a glass of wine for if she was free. He wanted to see his girl every day. In a human relationship, this would be clingy and annoying, but to see a dog so infatuated with another was adorable. 

Out west, Janet and I live in different parts of town, so they no longer had daily visits, but Janet and I get together 1-2 times a week most of the time, so they still got lots of time together. As they got older, they played a lot less but would always give each other nuzzles. If Janet and I didn’t have plans, and 5 days went by without us getting together, Flipflop would go to my car during his walks, and wait, as if he was asking to go to Auntie Janet’s to see his lady. So, I would text Janet and ask if we could make plans as soon as possible. 

Miss Ellie’s passing was planned, after a diagnosis of cancer and understanding her days were limited. Janet made the responsible, but difficult decision. The night before our final goodbye, Janet had a gathering for anyone who was close to Miss Ellie to come and spend one last evening with her. Of course that included her fiancé, Flipflop. He and Miss Ellie nuzzled one last time, and it broke my heart to know it would be their last. 

At the end of the night, we asked Flipflop if he wanted to say goodbye to Miss Ellie, she was in her bed in the bedroom. Flipflop was confused and jumped on Janet’s bed, I think he thought he was spending the night. Realizing he didn’t understand, I said my goodbyes for the night and took my boy home.  

I couldn’t help to think how it will impact Flipflop, when he asks to go to Janet’s to see Miss Ellie, and I take him and she’s not there. But to my complete shock and surprise, since Miss Ellie’s celebration of life, Flipflop has never once asked to go to my car again. He somehow knew she wouldn’t be there. I sadly joke with Janet that as far as Flipflop is concerned, there is no longer a need for us to remain friends. 

I worried about the first time I did take Flipflop to Janet’s, if he would look everywhere for Miss Ellie and not find her. But he didn’t. He somehow knew she was gone. Someway, somehow, through his connection with Miss Ellie he knew she was no longer physically here with us.  

When we go to Janet’s now, Flipflop is happy to see her and Hazel, but he has lost his spark. He used to run straight in to see his girl. Now, he goes right to the dog’s bed to look for treat crumbs—after all, he is still a Potcake looking for scraps! 

The other noticeable difference is he’s aged since losing Miss Ellie, I mean he is almost 12, so it’s to be expected, but since Miss Ellie left, so has his youthful energy. Even as a senior he had a playfulness to him, now he’s an old man. He is still healthy, a momma’s boy, and enjoys a good roll on the grass, in the snow, or unfortunately sometimes the mud. He’d still throw me in front of a bus for treat, but his crazy side left with Miss Ellie. Their love was keeping him young. 

Losing his sister broke his heart, he missed her and mourned her, losing Miss Ellie, hit him in a completely different way, she not only took pieces of our hearts, she took a part of Flipflop’s soul with her.

ElderDog Canada

/ Flip's Mom / Leave a comment

I wrote this article for a local newspaper but thought I’d share it here, as so many people don’t know ElderDog Canada exists, and it’s such an important service for senior dog owners in our communities. 

The best part is, ElderDog is national, so you can find visit their website at elderdog.ca and find a PAWD near  you, if you’re interested in getting involved! 

An introduction to ElderDog Canada:

When attending events in the community as people walk by my booth I ask, “Are you aware of ElderDog and what we do?” And sadly, the answer is often “No.” I feel like ElderDog Canada is one of Canada’s best kept secrets, so let me share a little about who we are and what we do. 

Who is ElderDog? 

ElderDog is a national not-for-profit organization, who is 100% volunteer based. We are dedicated to aging people, aging dogs, and the important connection they enjoy. 

ElderDog started in 2009, and our first PAWD started in 2009, in Dartmouth East, NS. Since than we have grown to 40 PAWDs across Canada! 

Our services are all free to the community, which is why you will often see ElderDog Canada out fundraising at local events.  

ElderDog’s services and programs: 

Dog care support for seniors: 

  • Assisting seniors with walking their dogs, so they can stay in the home with their humans.  
  • Delivering or picking dog food from grocery or pet store. 
  • Light tasks associated with animal hygiene. 
  • Nail clipping (if the dog is good with it) and/or brushing the dog. 
  • Transportation to and from the vet and/or groomer. 
  • Temporary care if the senior is hospitalized, for a brief period of time. 

Rehoming of older dogs: 

For older dogs who have lost their human companion due to a change of residence, illness, or death. ElderDog will provide care to the dog by: 

  • Moving the dog into an approved ElderDog foster home. 
  • Adopt the dog to a loving forever home. 

Long-term & perpetuity care: 

This program provides peace of mind to our senior community. When a senior registers in this program, if they become unable to care for their dog, ElderDog is committed to place their loving companion in a forever home to live out their life with respect and dignity. 

Get involved: 

If you wish to get involved with ElderDog there are a few ways to do so. 

Volunteer – our volunteers are crucial to our success and ability to assist the seniors in our community. All our volunteers are subject to a vulnerable sector police check, to ensure the safety of our seniors and their dogs. We have leadership opportunities, along with needing fosters and dog care support. 

Spread the word – We don’t want to be a secret; we don’t want seniors feeling they must rehome their beloved pet due to a temporary illness or if they need assistance exercising him/her. 

Donate – We rely on donations to support our work and provide the care needed to the dogs in our community.  

Stay in touch: 

To learn more about ElderDog please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ElderDogKamloops/ 

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/elderdog_canada_kamloops/ 

Check out our website for more information: www.elderdog.ca 

It’s been a while……

/ Flip's Mom / 2 Comments

It’s been several years since I’ve written, and I’m quite sure most followers have moved on. And that’s ok, because I started this blog as an outlet for me to share the good, bad, and ugly of it all when it came the dogs in my life.

Although truth be told, none was bad or ugly, all of it was good, being part of the journey for each of the dogs of my life was and continues to be a privilege.

And now several years later, still in BC, still a dog mom to Flipflop, who is now a senior boy with one eye, but still loving his life. I am still a cat mom to Sixx, who is also a senior and despite being in kidney failure, is doing amazingly well, I’m back to volunteering and fulfilling my purpose……..helping animals.

I volunteer for three places now, not as a foster, as I am honouring  Flipflop’s decision to not have other dogs in our home, but as Foster Support for a local rescue in town, I am also the Communications Coordinator for ElderDog Canada – Kamloops PAWD, an amazing organization that helps seniors keep dogs in their home, and the last Sunday of the month I go to a lovely animal sanctuary for farm animals and assist in cleaning their living spaces and get to interact with them. I will share more about that too!

A lot has happened the past few years, most recently, Flipflop, me, Janet, and Hazel (aka “big lady”), said goodbye to Miss Ellie.

Never in my life have I witnessed a dog love another like Flipflop loved his Miss Ellie. We are all still processing such a great loss, and perhaps down the road, I will share more about that, but right now I want to respect her mom and her personal grief.

From a distance I also said goodbye to Vanya (aka Bambi), who passed away in early 2025 due to cancer. She was still so young, and still missed so much by her mom.

We also said a very tearful goodbye to Solo. My last foster, who found a wonderful family who understood him and gave him the most wonderful life. We’re not sure what happened to Solo, perhaps a stroke, but something changed in him, and his family did right by him and let him go peacefully with love and dignity.

So why am I back after all this time? Honestly, I have no idea, I am just feeling inspired to write again, after a very long time.

If you’re still around and following me, hello again, I am not 100% sure which direction this will take, or what I’ll write about, but here we go……..