For My Baby

“Storm”

Dreistleigh Blax Saffire

15/05/2002 – 13/06/2012

Finding the words to write a post like this is incredibly hard. It’s something you want to write as a tribute to someone you love, your best friend, your child. That’s what Storm was to me, and so much more…. Wow, writing was is very, very hard.

I’d always wanted a Rottweiler. I was born into a family that owned a Doberman named Ben so I think the Black and Tan may be in my veins. After Ben passed (I atill remember that night clearly although I was only 4 years old) I was never allowed to have another dog as a child, my mother now tells me that’s because losing them is so painful that they couldn’t do it again and didn’t want to see us go through that pain. Of course as life tends to go, I did end up with Knackers when I was about 16 through a twist of fate.

When I left home and moved to Sydney I spoke with my then housemate, now husband about the fact that I wanted a Rottweiler. I did a lot of study (still no where near enough) and learnt about breeding, showing and the importance of buying from a registered breeder.    

Storm was a pure bred Rottweiler from Dreistleigh Rottweilers Australia. I first met her when she was only a few weeks old. We’d spoken to a few different breeders but hadn’t quite found the right one for us and kept looking for breeder recommendations from the NSW Rottweiler Club. They put us in touch with Dreistleigh, a breeder located on the Central Coast and Jason and I travelled up to meet them.

We met her parents and discussed quite a few different things with the breeders and were keen to progress from there and placed a deposit on our new pup. A few weeks later we travelled up to meet her and instantly fell in love. This was going to be our fur child no doubt.

When Storm was 8 weeks old we were allowed to pick her up and she came home to a house full of toys, the most decadent of bedding and was absolutely spoilt from day one. She filled our heart with joy and gave us so much love that we could have almost burst.

We tried showing a couple of times with Storm which was hilarious since I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I was very lucky that her breeder and another breeder Di from Dellahar Rottweilers was able to assist me and give me some kind of clue. I was so grateful.

Storm went everywhere with us. She was well travelled flying between Sydney and Melbourne frequently she even had her own international graded flight crate. Her frequent travels ensured she was very well socialised. We spent lots of time in the dog park up the street and at Bayview the beach park where she could play with other dogs. Funnily she always loved the big dogs jumping up to play with a Great Dane at 12 weeks old but yet running between my legs when a little dog would come near her.

As a result Storm loved everybody. Anybody that would give her a pat or a bit of attention was her buddy and she knew how to suck right up to them so that everybody loved her too.

It was always intended that Storm show and breed, however hip x rays at two years of age showed that Storm wasn’t a suitable candidate as it is very important to focus on improving the breed and ensuring hip issues etc are not passed down the line. Although I think it probably came from the fact that she liked to launch herself off a small retaining wall we had in the backyard. Storm was playful and unstoppable.

Life with Storm was always good, she was always right there loving me unconditionally through the good times and the bad. If tears were flowing it was Storm who’d be there as I buried my head in her coat and cuddled her. It was like she understood.

She even came to work with me in different roles I held, sleeping under spare desks and smooching up to anyone and everyone for some pats or a share of their lunch.

My one big regret is not doing any photos with her for my wedding. Because we were supposed to get married in a National Park she wasn’t allowed in. I got ready in a motel that day so I never saw her and I would have dearly loved to have photos with her, Jason and I when I was in my wedding dress. My little family.

To find out Storm had cancer was a massive blow. It was like someone had kicked me in the guts. We were told that after we’d removed her leg we’d probably get 7-12 months or more with her but less than a month later Storm couldn’t even get up to lie on her stomach. She was stuck lying on one side, couldn’t get up and the next morning the vet said the cancer had spread to her back and it was time to let her go.

Looking in her face she looked happy and healthy it was so hard to accept that, that was not the case and her time with us was at an end. We spent hours with her there on the vets floor, cuddling and feeding her liver treats which she thoroughly enjoyed then we held her as it was time and she left us.

You always know when you bring home a pet that one day this will happen. You will outlive them. But somehow in the scheme of things you convince yourself that they are immortal and they will live forever with you.

Although that’s not entirely true and they are not immortal, when you have a relationship with your pet like I had with Storm then yes, they will live forever with you, in your heart and your memories.

Storm's ashes lie in a wooden box that sits on a shelf overlooking my bed and I have been carrying her collar with me everywhere since she passed. It's my only way to hold on.

Storm, I will love you forever. Never forgotten my furchild. Thank you for all that you brought into my life. For everything I could never begin to repay. I will one day meet you at the bridge where I am sure you play with Knackers.

She seemed to be getting so much better after her operation.

LOYAL AND TRUE

How sweet thou art my precious friend

Loyal and true, right to the end;

Your puppy ways, your (very short) wagging tail

To greet me there would never fail.

Together all those years

Would never seem to disappear

But they were real

Never lonely with you my friend,

Just happy days, why did they end?

My shadow, ever constant there

To follow, walk beside, or share

Such treasured timed, such loving care

The world you left

My quiet despair

Begrudge me not these burning tears

Nor wash away those happy years

Rest now my dear your work is done

Your diamond gleaming in the sun.

(author unknown)