Our Special Friend - Dieter, May 25, 1990 - September 8, 2004 Options

[dietersmom]

Dieter, my beloved Miniature Schnauzer, I miss you!

I remember like it was yesterday seeing your little face in the cage at the pet store. For about a month before, Monty had been suggesting we get a dog. This was July, 1990 and I'd never owned a dog before, we had always had kitties while I was growing up. I wasn't sure about a dog, but then I met you! We stopped by the pet store at a local mall on a Saturday and were just looking and there you were, and your Dada wanted a Mini. He had had Schnauzers growing up and just loved them. They put us in the play area and you were so full of life, grabbing the handles of my purse and dragging it around the store. I felt a little tug at my heart, but was so unsure. We left and went home for the night and I really did toss and turn because you had already won me over, and I couldn't believe I made you spend another night in that store. The next day we were there when the store first opened and you were already up and eating, you always were a "morning dog"! We put you in your crate and took you home. You were such a precious puppy. That first night we had put you in your crate in the bathroom and went off to bed, but you just "howled". I thought, "what have we done". But, little did we know all you needed was to be next to us, with your new "pack". We moved the crate next to the bed and you didn't make a peep. You didn't take long to crate train, and soon you were a permanant fixture in our bed, always next to your "dada". He was truly your "human". This was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

I have a lifetime of memories of you, Dieter. In that little apartment, I remember storing the ironing board next to the refridgerator and one day you were scurrying through and it fell, landing on the stove. That did it for you, you HATED the ironing board. I remember you staying with my Mom, your "gammies" and she needed to iron and she phoned us asking what had happened, because you just went wild barking, biting and attacking the ironing board...LOL You were such a funny little guy. We always knew in the future to make sure you were out of earshot if the ironing board had to come out.

You loved to go for rides in the car and look out the window and especially if we were going to "Gammies" because we would pass the Moo Cows. They loved having you come for visits to their Mountain home. I just the other day pulled out a photo of you with your gammy on a sled in the snow, flying down a hill. They miss you as much as we do, you were their "granddog". You were so smart, knowing the names of every toy, never failing to get the exact one we asked you for, and I still have them all. I just can't part with them yet.

Oh, how you loved basketball....when we lived in the house in the cul-de-sac and the neighborhood kids would play basketball...the minute you heard the bounce you would wait by the door, and bark, just so anxious to go play. No one had ever seen anything like it, the way you were such the "little guard", running right up to the dribbler and up on your hind legs you would manage to knock the ball out of their hands with your front paws and you were off, that ball was yours! Oh , deet man, the memories...the memories.

And Christmas......it truly won't be the same this year. You were the smartest dog. Of course you loved the stockings being hung, because you knew that's where your presents were. All we ever had to ask were "where are your presents" and you'd romp over and up onto the hearth directly below your stocking, not any of ours. You were such a joy. I can still see you sitting with me while I wrapped gifts, just waiting for the empty roll, so you could have it and run through the house, getting it stuck in the doorways while you tore it apart.

In this last year, I knew it was getting closer to the end of your days, but you just kept going. You had begun to separate from us, when you started not sleeping in the bed with us, it was too much of a jump and you'd rather be in your bed in the bathroom. Your hearing had started to go, too, and that was your safe place. Still, you always had a "schnauzer howl" for us and a spring in your step as you ran through the yard to greet all the other "doggies" that would pass by. Your last real adventure came this year after a storm with really high winds. You asked to go out and I opened the door and down the stairs your went. Not 2 minutes later the neighbors were calling that a portion of our fence was down and I knew what that meant. I ran out with a sqeak toy in hand and just prayed you wouldn't be hit by a car, knowing you couldn't hear very well or hear me for that matter. A few houses down, there you were, exploring in the neighbors yard, having a wonderful time I scooped you up and you gave me special "dede" kisses and carried you home. Even at 14 you were still up for an adventure.

I miss you, my boy and will never forget. You are with me forever.
I Love YOU
Your Mommy

[Muffins]

Hi Libby:

What a beautiful, heartfelt tribute to your sweet, adorable Dieter......

I can picture Dieter grabbing the handles of your purse and dragging it all around the store..... It makes me laugh and smile, and I also have a tear in my eye--it's a "happy tear"....

Dieter sounds like he was soooooooooooo much fun!!!!!

Always remember Libby that the memories that you have............They are yours to keep...
No one can take them away!!!

I would love to see the picture of Dieter and "Gammy", as they were flying down the hill in the snow...
What a precious memory that is! What fun....
I can just picture that in my head....

Yes, Christmas will be different for all of us who has lost our furkids this year....
But, again..................WE WILL ALWAYS, ALWAYS HAVE THE MEMORIES.....
That comforts me, as I hope it does you!!!

God Bless!

Love, Denise

[gingerspal]

dietersmom--what a beautiful tribute! How wonderful it must have been to have a dog that played basketball! No wonder you miss him so much--what a special fella! I loved your letter to your "deet-man" your wonderful companion. I know he "knows" every word you wrote!
{{{{{{{{{HUG}}}}}}}}}}
Love,
Patti

[CheriAnn]

What a beautiful tribute to your Dieter! He brought you such joy and your memories are so heart warming to read. I chuckled at his fear of ironing boards! It must have been hard to get any ironing done after that.
Thank you for sharing that with us
Cheri

[BabyHannahsMom]

That is a beautiful tribute to Dieter. I can just picture him in my mind too -- barking at the ironing board, playing basketball, toodling around during the storm, and at Christmas with his stocking. Thanks for sharing some of the many, many wonderful memories you have of Dieter. (I can see him with his "wings" too.) Such a precious little Dieter!
Love,
Marcia

[zoeysdad]

Hi Libby,

Beautiful tribute! Dieter, you, and your husband were all so blessed to have had each other. What a wonderful love to have shared. Thanks for sharing your beautiful memories of some of the great times you had together. It truly warms the heart.

__Jim

[dietersmom]

I just wanted to thank you all for taking the time to read about our little love that we so dearly miss

It's been almost 5 weeks now and because of you wonderful people at Lightening-Strike I'm much further into the healing process than I would have been without you. I've been able to come to a safe place and share my innermost thoughts and feelings and receive support so unimaginable, and for that I thank you.

I have a big "Paw Print" hole in my heart, but I'm starting to remember all the wonderful things Dieter brought to our lives, rather than dwelling on the emptiness and sadness. I know he will live on forever in Monty and I and we will never forget what a wonderful friend he was to us.

I miss you, my little deet man.

[Stymy's Mom]

Dear Libby,

Thank you for sharing your friend and a little part of your life with us.

Vicki

[dietersmom]

Dieter, I miss you SOOOOOOO much. Today has been 8 weeks and it seems like an eternity and at the same time I hurt like you just left me. Halloween was so very hard. Opening the door for all those precious children and you not there at my feet, barking to alert, then so just wanting to say hello to everyone with your schnauzer "wooowooos".

I write this with tears and a very broken heart. There are times I forget that you are gone and find myself looking around for you and then it hits like a stab to my heart. You're gone, you're not coming back and I must figure out how to live this new life without you.

I dread the upcoming Christmas Holidays. You were the Christmas Dog! You just loved it when your stocking was hung, knowing soon there would be presents there just for you! I'll miss having my little buddy by my side when I wrap presents. You never failed to pop up when I would pull out the wrapping paper box and begin to wrap presents. I always would laugh and wonder why you seemed to enjoy being with me then and curious about every fold of paper. Then when the empty roll would plop on the floor, you'd grab it and off you'd go with your giant "stick".

Oh DeeDee how I miss you. You gave me a love that I will NEVER forget and I just wish you were still here in this life with me.

[CheriAnn]

That was so sweet! Like you, I am dreading the holidays without my little fur daughter. All our furbabies had little special games they would play, or greetings for strangers at the door, or special hugs and kisses, etc. That's what makes it so hard!
I pray that we all do well and stay strong through the holidays.
Cheri

[stephandsadie]

Oh Libby, what a very handsome, handsome boy your Dieter was! I saw his picture and instant joy fell upon me! Such a knowing, silly, and spry little face. What a funny boy, I loved reading your eulogy. My Sadie (who passed onto the Raionbow Bridge 10/14 this year) was a real basketball lover too, and she was very good at football. She knew the rules of football better than I do (which is not at all). Isn't it amazing how you adopt a dog and they change your life forever? I always had kitties, too, when I was growing up, and Sadie became my girl by pure accident. I, too, wondered why she cried so much in the kitchen those first nights; as you mentioned, she just wanted to BE with me! In fact, one night I did sleep in the kitchen and she was as happy as a clam! That's when I thought, "Ok, she doesn't really want to terrorize the house at 2am, she just wants to BE with me!" Dogs teach you so much...
I am so happy for you and your family to have spent so many good years with your "Detes." How lucky he was to have such a super, loving mama and dada, and it sounds like he loved his gammy a WHOLE BUNCH! Perhaps as much as much as Sadie loved her gammy!? For that I am so grateful! I am, though, terribly sorry that you recently lost your sweet Detes, and that you are missing him and grieving his loss. That is hard. I hope that he is romping and being silly with my Sadie, and sharing stories about moo-cows and squirrels, etc.! They are in good company, I think. I will be thinking about you and your family, Libby. I know the coming holidays will be hard for both of us. I will try to send healing energy your way, whenever I have a strong thought. Please know that I REALLY appreciate all the time that you have spent in putting your memories, insight, concerns, and time into this site... Much love, Stephanie

[dietersmom]

Stephanie,
Thanks for your kind words. No matter how long we have our furbabies.....it's never long enough. I read about your beautiful Sadie Isn't it amazing how much we learn from them. They truly are little angels sent from Heaven. Yes, the Holidays will be much different this year, and I'm just trying to go with it and maybe change the way we have done things in the past.....make this a new year and some new traditions and memories. Life is always throwing us curves and I'm just trying to learn to navigate them better!
Your in my thoughts
Libby

[Ann H]

I just wanted to let your know this brought both tears from your pain and laughter from Dieters antics to me. I know how the Miniature Schnauzers are, and my Snookie does a lot of the same things. There has not been one day that my baby has not brought joy to my life. I can not think of what life will be like when she is gone. I know the hole in your heart must be great and my thoughts are with you. I am so sorry you do not have your baby with you.
Ann

[dietersmom]

Today it's been 6 months since I had special "dee dee" kisses and I sooooo miss you. There is still this HUGE void without you here. The house feels so empty and the days just slowly pass. You were my best little guy and such a wonderful and loving companion. I know for me there will never be another dog like you. You truly stole my heart. Chelsea misses you too, but enjoys being queen of the manor now. She was your girl and you loved the sight of her and would howl and run to her and give her kisses and she just might snap at you depending on her mood. That would always make me laugh. She hasn't changed in that way, always a little nip, if she doesn't like exactly what's going on...LOL Don't worry we are taking care of her for you.

This past weekend we were buying food for her and a couple came into the store with a schnauzer in their shopping cart. I stood and watched them with uncontrollable tears....God how I miss you! Your Daddy ran right over and said hello and gave the little guy some loving and it just broke my heart. You were our baby and life is just not the same without you.

I finally am having dreams of you, and wonder if you are coming to say hello. It's so wonderful to see you, but I always wake up crying. I guess it's because I realize it's only a dream, but sometimes they feel so real. One day, little guy, we will see you again. Dieter, thank you for giving me the best years of my life. I'm so lucky that you spent your life with us!! Mommy misses you so much and can't wait to see you again

[CheriAnn]

WOW! It's been six months for you already. It's so hard to believe sometimes how long our furbabies have been gone. Rachael has been gone for close to five months now and it still feels like yesterday that we had to bury her I hope you have been doing okay! I know how hard we have to struggle on certain days or weeks. These anniversaries can also be very hard on us too.

I had a similar experience at the vet. There was a couple there with a black lab that looked identical to Rachael! She even had the gray chin hair from age. Rachael was a purbred, but she had the shorter legs and the fuller body and head. This lab at the vet was built the same way! I just sat and watched that furbaby the whole time we were in the waiting room. I just wanted to grab the lab and run out the door. I guess we will always be touched by furbabies we pass in life that remind us of our sweet fur angel

Cheri

[Ann H]

Dear Libby, I just wanted to say I was thinking of you and your little boy Dieter. I am sorry seeing the schnauzer in the store made you miss him even more and made you cry. Six months used to seem a long time to me but now it doesn't. The time both drags slowly by but other times races past so fast. I have only had a couple of dreams about Snookie but I was never able to hold her in them. I came close and they do seem so real but like you they made me cry when I woke up. Hugs.
Love, Ann

[Rusty's Mom]

Dear Libby,

Thinking of you on the six month anniversary of your sweet Dieter's passing. I don't know where the time goes.....What a wonderful tribute you wrote. I'm so glad that he shared the perfect life with you and your husband.

I've had only one dream of Rusty and it was like he was really with me. It was sad to wake up and realize he wasn't there but I did feel a little better being with him in my dream.

You're in my thoughts,

Lynn

[zoeysdad]

Hi Libby,

It's good to see you back on the board paying tribute to your beloved Dieter. A few days ago was my and Little Man's six month anniversary so I know exactly how you are presently feeling. I do think of you and Dieter quite often and I really enjoyed re-reading your original tribute to him. What a wonderful life the three of you shared.

I know how much you miss him and I know how difficult it is to accept the fact that you won't have him in this lifetime again. But the wonderful memories we have and the great love we shared with our little furbuddies will remain with us always.

Your Deet Man is at the Rainbow Bridge now, his heart still overflowing with the undeniable love lavished on him by his wonderful mom and dad. He's really having a great time with his new "adventure" and he patiently awaits the day when he can unleash all those stored up "dee dee kisses" on his mom and dad once again.

You're in my thoughts,
__Jim

[dietersmom]

Cheri, Ann, Lynn and Jim,
Thank you all for taking the time to offer your love and support.

Yesterday when I woke I was flooded with emotion, a mixture of sadness, love, acceptance.....just so many feelings all at once. I couldn't come here fast enough. Thank God for LS. I just wanted to talk to my little guy, tell him how much I miss and love him. Even though I know I'm writing on a forum, not really talking to him, it so helps to get the emotion out, put words on a page. I really thought at 6 months I'd be able to cry less and move away from the pain, but there are days that it feels as if it just happened. The pain so fresh and loss so great.

You are all such wonderful and caring people and so much stronger than I've been able to be. I come here and read each persons story, and the grief so fresh and new and it just rips my heart open and I can't find the words they so need to hear. One day....one day I hope to be able to give back what I have received from all of you.

Love
Libby

[Kathleen032]

Dear Libby,

I've thought of you and Dieter a lot lately. You lost him just a few days before I lost Shiloh. So, I, too, am coming up on the 6 month anniversary of Shiloh's passing. It's hard to believe they've been gone that long. As I was just writting to Jim, life goes on, we continue living, but the void that has been left in our hearts by our furbabies' absence is ever present.

Thinking of you.
Kathleen

PS - I missed your tribute to Dieter the first time around. It's very touching.