So Long to Shmans And To One Of Her Old Buddies

Last Updated on: 14th April 2025, 12:41 am

Apparently, this is the newest Tansy favourite, so I had to put it up here. It sort of fits with some of her other ones.

Sadly, that soundtrack is the last Tansy favourite song that we’re going to get, because she crossed over the rainbow bridge last month. It happened on March 14, but it has taken me almost a month to sit down and write a post about her. I wanted to be able to do her justice.

the last post I wrote about her had some warnings that the end was near. As the winter progressed, I was trying to check in often without being super annoying. I was always thinking about her, but I would only ask every so often.

I was at the CSUN conference in March, and I sent our family friend a random message joking about how last year at this time, I was staying with Tansy’s puppy raisers and we all had a crazy phone call where her dogs went nuts at the end. I hoped Tansy and everyone were doing well. It was then that he asked when I was getting back from the conference. When I saw that question, a chill went through me. Something was wrong. I said I would be back Saturday morning. He asked when we could talk, and we arranged a time.

It was then that I found out that Tansy’s mouth pain and arthritis had gotten worse, and the shot wasn’t doing what it used to. Apparently she was starting to fall while trying to climb the stairs, and eating was getting hard. That poor dog loved to bounce and eat. So they had made the decision to have the vet come to the house and bring her suffering to an end on Friday, March 14.

Even though this made logical sense, it broke my heart. It broke my heart that this seemingly immortal dog had reached her end, and it broke my heart that I was away, so couldn’t possibly dream of being there for her now. I had told myself that the chances were slim that I would be able to be with her at the end because of how far away she was from me, but there was always a small part of me that thought maybe, if we knew it was coming and I could plan, maybe I could be there. The reality was that was not happening.

It sounds like her last day was a very peaceful one, involving a short stroll, lots of treats including a pup cup from Starbucks, and many snuggles. She made it to almost 14 years old, which is pretty darn impressive.

Tansy has been a huge part of my life. She bounded into it in 2013 when I hardly knew where anything was in this town, and guided me all the way into 2022 when she retired. I think she was starting to think about retiring in 2020, but pandemics can do a good job of taking one’s plans and smashing them to bits. Out of all my guide dogs, I think she has been the best so far. She had so much raw energy, and had this uncanny ability to take all that energy and use it for good while working. She knew her way around places better than I did sometimes, and didn’t mind telling me so. She was not upset by getting things wrong, and doing it again until we got it right. She also would nudge people out of our way without a second thought!

But as soon as that harness came off, she unleashed an absolute maniac! That dog could jump and fly like nothing I’ve ever seen! Poor Steve was always worried about carrying hot things out of the kitchen for fear Tansy would take one of her flying leaps at the exact wrong time. It took us a while to run across another dog who could match Tansy’s level of bananas, and then as Tansy got older, she was the one telling other dogs to tone it down.

As wild and crazy as she was, she was also very sensitive. She did not like it if I ever got mad. She would start sniffing at me and running around me, and if I got too upset, she would just run away. That would break my heart.
She was very in tune with other people too. There was the time I was visiting my stepgrandpa at the hospice, and someone else asked me if I’d let his mother, another patient, pet Tansy. I was so nervous that she would go nuts and somehow break this poor old woman, but Tansy was super gentle and was the best snuggler. I don’t know how many times I was worried she would jump on my grandma, or others who were fragile for all kinds of reasons, but she never did.

Then there were the other people where she would hold nothing back. As soon as I gave her the ok, she would kick it up a notch. They loved it, so it was all good. But it showed that she figured people out.

She loved music like no other dog. This is why we have found four hours of her favourite songs. She would reliably dance to certain songs and it was so adorable.

She brought people together and was unforgettable. Everybody who ever met her loved her, and there are people who still ask about her.

I could go on forever, but I think you get the point. You could always stroll down Tansy memory lane. There is much to remember about Shmans.

And while we’re at it, we need to say so long to a contemporary of hers. Steve’s great aunt’s dog also passed away about a week after Shmans. She was around for many many years. Since she was a few months older than Tansy, she was around even when Trix was here. She used to tear around with Tansy, and tried to keep up with Domino. Trix probably never romped with her because of her fear of other doggies. She was the dog that Tansy was playing with when I did an ungraceful flip, flop and fly in the little fenced in area. They definitely enjoyed each other’s company.

Shmans, Shmandaloop, the bear, the mule, you were a very special one. There’s a big hole in the universe without you in it. I’m so glad you got a couple of fun years to just do all the things, make all the friends, sniff to your heart’s content. Even though I couldn’t be there at the end, I’m just glad you had loving people to make that hard decision and be there to help you through it.