In memory of Pongo

I'm sure many people think that it's silly, but I have loved finding friends through a facebook group dedicated to German Shorthaired Pointers.  We are a special lot, we who love these dogs. It is good to know that there others out there that share in the special bond that we have with these amazing dogs.   I am proud to be part of the GSP community.  We follow the journeys of each other's dogs and, even if we've never met, we love to hear the stories of their lives.

Over the years, new puppies have been added to families, many dogs have been adopted through rescues, happy, awesome, and every day things have occurred, and sadly. many have been lost to old age, to cancer, to tragic accidents.  And each time we mourn together.  Today we lost a very special member of our community.  His name was Pongo and he had a very special disease.  Pongo was born with a specific form of lupus that is found only in the German Shorthaired Pointer breed.  He started showing symptoms at a very early age and eventually lost all of his fur.  Lupus is hereditary and difficult to control. Most Lupus dogs don't have a very high quality of life due to the discomfort from the disease.

Pongo

But despite his circumstances, Pongo was a very lucky boy.  He was fortunate enough to have a mom who worked very hard to make his life better.  Kerstyn has been fighting for Pongo and for all the other GSPs out there for years.  She has worked with the University of Pennsylvania, who helped develop a test to identify carriers of Lupus, and is working hard to make Lupus testing mandatory before breeding, and to ultimately find a cure for this horrible disease.  She has done so much work to learn about holistic medicine that can help in the comfort of those suffering with the disease.  And she has assisted so many others...those that have Lupus dogs around the world and others who just need guidance in holistic methods for treatments for any number of ailments.  Pongo even had his own facebook page to help spread the word about Lupus

Pongo

Despite his difficult life, Kerstyn cared for him well and gave him much love and many fun times. Pongo loved to play ball and was a silly boy, just a like any other GSP.  Due to his disease, Pongo had to wear special clothing to keep covered and couldn't be out in the sun.  But today, he got one good round of playing ball and relaxing in the sun before he left this world.

We have lost many in this group, but some have been more memorable because of their journey. There was beautiful Hannah, not a GSP but a beautiful yellow lab...an honorary GSP because she lived her life with two of them.  She lived an amazing life North of the Arctic circle and was very loved.  Denise, her mom, takes some amazing pictures of her beautiful pups in the frozen tundra. Miss Hannah was always very lovely.

Hannah

Then there was Klausie...taken so young, but leaving us all with many memories.  Klaus Otto and his brother Bismarck lived in Germany.  They were real siblings from the same litter, but poor Klaus became very ill with some auto immune issues and died before the age of two.  During his short life he had a big impact on many of this us who followed his story.  He made frequent trips to the Vet and to make his life a little better, he was spoiled by his mom and dad with an ice cream cone after each visit.  So as we celebrate and mourn together, we have the very important Klausie cone tradition.

Klaus and Bizzy

Forrest was beautiful California boy who lost the use of his hind legs due to Degenerative Myelopathy, but his parents weren't ready to give up on him and bought him a set of wheels so that he could tool around with them still.  Forrest participated in a 5K and continued to spend time at his favorite place, the beach.  He showed us a strength of spirit that was an inspiration to so many.  But his disease became too much and we had to say goodbye to him as well.  With the loss of Forrest, the girls took a run on the beach in his memory since that was his special place.  His parents have set up a special basket of tennis balls on "Forrest's Beach" so that no dog shall be denied the joy of chasing a ball in the sand.

Forrest's Legacy lives on through his facebook pages RunFreeForrestRun and PostcardsFromForrest
as his parents continue to help raise funds for the GSP Rescue in California.

Forrest

There were also others, like beautiful Miyote from Canada and Rusa from Sweden who left us with beautiful old grey faces full of wisdom from a life full of love and adventure.  Both of the families of these lovely girls have brought new pups and new joy into our group, but we will never forget these wise and loving faces.

Rusa

Miyote

There was also our very own superstar Travis, the George Clooney of dogs, as his mom Stephanie always called him.  The older half of the Pointer Brothers duo and star (with his brother Gus) of Ifitwags.  If you love this breed, you should definitely follow Stephanie's Instagram page!  This handsome boy from British Columbia was taken from us due to cancer, I will never forget his final morning and the awesome breakfast his mom made for him.  But his loss brought us a new special friend of a different breed, the Ginger Ninja, whose antics I know we have all enjoyed watching.

And Pongo was a fellow Michigander.  Pongo would have celebrated his 10th birthday next month, but his poor little body could take no more and his loving mother released him from his pain.  I had hoped someday to meet him, but that was not to be. So tonight the GSP nation around the world is celebrating his memory with his favorite treat...McDonald's french fries.

To honor the memory of the many special dogs who have recently left our group and for their loving families, tonight we celebrate with a shared Klausie cone...and french fries for Pongo.

Imke and Maddie share a Klausie cone

Patiently waiting for the french fries

   

Yum!

I hope Kerstyn and everyone else that has recently suffered a loss in our group can feel all of our love surrounding them because we all know how hard it is to lose someone who has added so much love and joy to your life.

Everyone hug your furbabies extra tight tonight and think of those families out there dealing with the grief of their losses.

* Note:  I hope no one minds that I am sharing pictures from the facebook page, because I do it to honor the memory of your departed beloved pups.  I know too soon we will all suffer the same sadness, and I hope that we continue to support each other through our joy and grief.