Tank

Our sweet Tank dog died peacefully in his sleep last Sunday.  We miss him so much.  When we picked Tank up from the pound almost 11 years ago it was just after Hershey dog died.  I remember going to the pound and looking at the dogs on 'death row' and instantly falling in love with Tank.  It was for sure love at first sight.  I went to pet his little head and it started shaking....and realized it was his butt.  He was so neglected.  He desperately needed a good groom and most importantly some love.  We took him out into one of TLAC's pens to play with him and he instantly peed (hooray, housebroken!) and then started doing tricks for us.  He was leaping over blocks and jumping onto chairs.  So excited to be out of his cage.  I knew this was our dog.  His name was Dexter in the shelter and he looked like this:

We had no idea what type of dog he was, but he looked like a cocker spaniel.  After a groom he looked amazing.  He was most likely a puppy mill reject.  He had cataracts and was almost blind.  When we picked him up he couldn't be neutered because he had a nasty respiratory infection.  He was in bad shape, but he was just so cuddly, cute and eager to be loved.  We initially didn't think he barked because he didn't bark the entire evaluation, car rides, etc.  We got him home and showed him around.  He loved our little apartment off of Riverside.  We put up a gate to attempt to keep him in the kitchen at night.  In about 10 seconds he jumped the gate and was screeching in what appeared to be agony.  We raced in to the kitchen to see what wild animal came into our apartment to torture our poor dog.  Little did we know this was the start of Tank's separation anxiety.  Poor little guy was so scared.  This is also how he started sleeping on our bed.  We're suckers.  :-)  I mean, how can you expect this abandoned little guy to sleep BY HIMSELF?!

We took Tank to see a Vet ophthalmologist in Austin (yes, they exist) and he put him on eye drops for glaucoma and regularly checked his eye pressure.  It was suggested that they either remove Tank's eyes or replace them with prosthetic implants.  After we moved to California one of the first things we did was get Tank his eye surgery.  His glaucoma was very severe and he was almost completely blind.  He was in pain.  We opted to go with the more expensive option of keeping his eyes, but replacing his retinas with prosthetic balls.  We chose this route because he was relatively young and we wanted people to treat him normally.  If they took out his eyes they would have sewn his eyelids shut.  I just couldn't see doing that to a young pup.  So he had the eye surgery and came out of it like a champ.  He did so well in our little house in California.  I researched blind dogs and how to help them and decided to try leaving trails of essential oils over the major routes out of the house, to his food, bed, etc.  Turns out he didn't need them at all.  I had read how amazing blind dogs are at going about their daily lives like nothing was different, but wow, it was amazing to see.  Tank just navigated around like normal.  Probably because he really couldn't see before his surgery (they did a vision check before surgery and he failed miserably).  When we went to visit my parents he navigated around their house like a champ too. 

Before Vivian was born I researched how to introduce a new baby into a house with a dog.  I tried the 'take a baby blanket home to have him smell' trick.  Tank didn't care.  He accepted Vivian into his house like she had been there the entire time.  Never ever showing any jealousy or hostility.  The perfect dog to introduce a baby to.  They got along great.  She loved him and he loved and really looked out for her.  He loved her SO much.

I was really really worried when we moved back to Austin.  I even purchased more essential oils to help him, but he didn't need them.  He navigated the square footage and stairs better than Vivian, our 2 year old.  After Vivian died Tank grieved with us.  He was our shoulder to cry on and our confidant.  We told him everything.  He was always there for us.

When Isabel was born he took her into the pack and protected her.  When Logan was born a short time later he took him and protected and guarded him too.  Again, he never showed any hostility or aggression towards either of them.  He was patient and always willing to get some less than gentle hugs.  He trusted Brian and he trusted me completely.

He needed multiple teeth cleanings and extractions, but handled them so well.  He had a melanoma removed from his mouth last Christmas and everything looked good.

A few months ago Tank had a very large growth removed from his mouth and, after seeing no evidence of metastasis in his lungs, abdominal cavity, or heart, we decided to have a growth removed from his lymth node as well.  Yes, he was an old dog, but if doing the surgery could prolong his life for a few months to maybe a year while he was comfortable we were going to do it.  We went into this whole pet ownership thing knowing that it was a big responsibility.  Both financially and emotionally.  He came out of that surgery so well.  SO much better than I thought.  But we all noticed that he was slowing down.  He just wanted to sleep.  He slept a lot before, but this time he didn't want to jump up and sit with us on the couch anymore.  He just wanted to sleep.

About 3 days before he died Tank was eating less than normal.  I started giving him leftover steak and chicken from our dinner.  He would eat that, but still wouldn't eat much of his food.  He's done that before and it's been nothing, so I wasn't too worried.

The night before he died we had friends over.  I went to bed around midnight, but Brian stayed up until around 3:30am talking while Tank was sleeping about 2 feet away.  When Brian got up to go to bed he was going to let Tank outside one last time for the night, but he said Tank was sleeping so soundly and snoring so he left him.

The kids got up around 6:30am and Brian found Tank asleep and gone.  He wrapped him up in a blanket and put him in the laundry room in his bed for everyone to say goodbye to.  We called Austin Pet Memorial Center and they came and picked Tank up and took him for cremation.  We were able to pick up Tank's remains, as well as a little paw print, hair clipping and wildflowers, the next day.  I was really impressed with this place.  It's located just South of Austin in Buda.  They offer completely separate and private cremations and have a tracking system and video evidence if you feel the need for that.

We are so very sad that Tank is gone.  Isabel has been asking many very insightful and heartbreaking questions.  Logan just wants to know when the guy who took Tank is going to bring him back.

Here are a few pictures of our precious Tank dog.

We love you Tank!