In Loving Memory Of Kaiser
Kaiser was 14 years old when he came to us in 2017. His owner contacted California GSP Rescue after taking a new job, and claiming he was unable to spend the amount of time with Kaiser as he needed. He felt a new home would be best for him.When Kaiser arrived at California GSP Rescue, we were committed to seeing he was well cared for while he was with us. We had no idea he would need emergency surgery. For us, there were no other options but to have Dr Kang perform the surgery, and as it turned out, the visit to Dr Kang saved his life. Even though, given his age and medical condition, we weren’t overly optimistic we’d be able to find him a home. However, Omar, a previous adopter, was one of the individuals that heard of Kaiser’s story and was touched. Omar had lost both of his senior adopted German Shorthaired Pointers to old age earlier this year. While his house was nothing he would call empty, there was something missing. Omar was not concerned of Kaiser’s age. He was not deterred by his recent medical issues – he has dealt with his share of medical issues in the past as his own dogs have aged. Omar shared a personal belief that helped us deal with some of the emotions we were experiencing from someone giving up their 14 year old GSP. He felt that some individuals have an issue dealing with death and will make every effort to avoid the inevitable. Omar, on the other hand, felt it an honor to provide for a GSP in their final years, seeing they were paid back the love that they had so freely invested in their previous owners.While we are deeply saddened for Omar, and the loss of Kaiser, we are equally grateful to Omar for his unconditional love for Kaiser, and for providing him the love and attention and companionship he so much deserved. "How do you say goodbye to a good friend? To honor the soul that he will always remain? To let the world know that he was here and will always be part of those of us that knew him? Everyone has their own way. For me, it is to honor his memory with the story that is uniquely his.Kaiser entered my life in the last year of his. Although we never know how much time we will share on this journey, the journey is worth every moment even if those moments are never enough. The knowledge of this changes nothing for he will always be worth each day, each week, each month, each moment without question.To look into his soft brown eyes says volumes of a sweet soul, a quiet humor, a resilience for life, and the infinite gratitude that somehow only an old friend could have. Our trust and connection came immediately. We both knew that this journey would be ours. And we both hoped for it to be as long as it was permitted until we can meet once again.Our journey held a humor we shared, it held tender moments of quiet, elements of a quirky joy unique to just him, and most of all, it held the treasure of our connection. Kaiser genuinely gave his love and affection to all those around him and from this we have much to understand. Senior canines have a sense of home and an appreciation for what each day brings. With a soft greying muzzle and nudging nose, they know how to reach you. They know your touch, when to lean against you knowing that you will hold them up when they need it, understanding that this journey will be different for the both of you and making the most from the present. Kaiser’s quiet personality was filled with his humor and perhaps an imaginable love of treats for which I indulged him. Preparing his stew was a way of showing how much he meant to me. It was a simple thing, yet it was a part of caring for him, even if it indulged his appetite. If you have not seen a senior furry friend prance at the excitement of breakfast, it is a marvel from which there is no way a smile could be avoided. At fourteen, my unsteady Kaiser, was a prancing dog! There are so many memories, yet this one remains as a favorite, knowing that the puppy was still in him, regardless where he was in life. His desire for a little snack carried him forward as one of the most adventurous canine gourmets I have known. Have you met a GSP that enjoys bananas? Or perhaps a berry? He but wanted to share and how could I say no...He always found a way to rest quietly near me no matter what was going on around him. And who could resist those soft ears? If you get them just right, you have a dog that will slowly fall into your lap to sleep. For some reason, his snoring was equally relaxing to me. He simply wanted the connection nearby. How he found his places in the house is still a wonder. There was the closet in the bedroom for a while until he could not make it up the stairs, then came the little hallway or the guest bedroom. He definitely had his spots. One of his favorites was in my study near my desk. I loved that....How he became the gift in my life is still a mystery. There is never a moment that I would trade and only wish there could have been many more. That knowledge of the finite is never easy to have, yet I know that our journey will never be the same in the time we were given. To honor Kaiser, to honor my friend, is to honor his time short or long with us. He will always remain near in my heart, in my memories"....