It is difficult to share this sad news, because I know how much it broke my pawrents heart to hear it. But on Saturday, April 28,my dear friend Eisen earned his wings in Colorado.

I will try not to be sad, and hope that the hoppy memories of me and Eisen will dry the tears in my Momma’s eyes. You see, Eisen was the last surviving pup in my circle of Tripawd friends who I played with. We are all angels now.

He is no longer on earth, but what an amazing, beautiful life he had, for 13 years!

Don’t cry because it’s over.  Smile because it happened.  ~Theodor Seuss Geisel

What makes Eisen especially remarkable is that for the last four years, he beat osteosarcoma, and proved that nine out of ten statistics are wrong!

As one of the earliest Tripawds members, it feels like Eisen and I have known each other all our lives. When his mom wrote to us in 2007 after he got diagnosed with bone cancer, I told her “Don’t worry Ma! Eisen will be fine. Remember, his name means “strong”!

Eisen lived up to his name.  Chemo? Forget it. He didn’t have any. Instead, he and his momma made the most of the cards they were dealt. After the diagnosis and amputation, they listened to their hearts and focused on quality of life, not quantity. Perhaps he beat the odds because they followed the holistic advice of Dr. Charles Loops. You just never know what cancer will do.

The last few years were met with some of life’s toughest challenges for Eisen’s pack, but in typical German Shepherd fashion, he was always there to put things in order, and perspective.

Eisen made sure that everyone understood their mission: to live life to the fullest!

Our play dates seem like a million years ago. Those picture perfect Rocky Mountain days will always stay in my pawrents’ hearts, forever and ever. And when they think of me and Eisen playing together again on the big mountain in the sky, they smile.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Eisen my friend, it was an honor to have you in the Tripawds community. You will be missed tremendously, and remembered forever.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This OSU team, led by the renowned Dr. Couto, does extraordinary work for dogs with osteosarcoma and other bone cancers. As well as research, Dr Couto and his team also offer a free consultation service for owners, vets and anyone else who may need to have x-rays looked at to see if a lesion looks to be osteosarcoma. That consulation service could save time and in turn, a life.

Celebrate Darcy’s Legacy, April 6 – 13

Darcy joined Tripawds in December, 2007 when she was a new amputee, and continued to beat the odds for the next four years. Her Mum Bev posted many updates about her amazing life, here in the Forums.

This big beautiful giant thrived beyond anyone’s wildest expectations, until her battle with a heart condition called Dilated Cardiomyopathy suddenly took her from us on January 29 of this year.

Her loss came as a terrible shock, but there is comfort in knowing that Darcy’s incredible story will provide inspiration and hope to others who are faced with the devastating news that their dog has osteosarcoma. Darcy is proof that sometimes the odds can be beaten!

All Sorts of Items Available!

Please join us this Saturday f0r the first day of a weeklong Darcy’s Legacy online auction filled with all sorts of goodies, from t-shirts celebrating the life of all canines to books, DVDs, poster prints and more. All proceeds go to a great cause, we hope you’ll join us!

Here are just a few examples of items you can bid on:

Tripawds members have often discussed creating some kind of traveling tribute item to honor our animal friends, that we could display at events like the upcoming Morris Animal Foundation Walk in California.

Well, Spirit Tri-Pug Maggie’s Mom, Karen, recently came up with a great tribute idea, and based on input from others, the Tripawds Tribute Leash idea was born.

The Tripawds Tribute Leash Project: Join Us!

We are creating the first traveling Tripawds tribute.
 All Tripawd canines, felines and quadpawd family members are invited to join in!

The idea is to pay tribute to all members of the Tripawds community. This leash will honor those who are still on the journey and remember those who have crossed the bridge.

We decided on a Tripawds yellow leash with a ribbon tied on for each animal who is a member of the Tripawd community.

Every member of the Tripawds community is welcome to send a ribbon to be added to the leash.

The Tribute Leash will be sent to different events around the country where Team Tripawds is being represented. We will continue to add ribbons, and new leashes as needed.

For now, the Tribute Leash will reside in Livermore with Spirit Tri-Pug Maggie’s Mom, Karen. The plan is to debut the leash at the Morris Animal Foundation Walk in Elk Grove in April. After this event, other members around the country can request it for their special event or Tripawds-related activity.

How to Participate in the Tripawds Tribute Leash Project

All ribbons must be received by Friday April 20
in order to be a part of the Morris walk on April 29.

• Use a piece of ribbon, any color; pick something that represents your animal friend. We want lots of color! Something sturdy is recommended, as the leash will be carried in walks, and shipped at least a few times a year.
• The suggest ribbon width is ¾ to 1 inch. Anything wider may not tie neatly. The ribbon should be at least 12 inches long, maximum of 18 inches long.
• Using an indelible pen (fine point sharpie works well) write your fur kid’s name, your name (optional) and any message you would like. Perhaps you would put dates, or nicknames, or a short tribute. You can write on both sides of the ribbon.
• Leave the center 4 inches clear of any writing; this is the part that will be tied around the leash.
• You may send a SMALL trinket or remembrance to attach as well, but it is not necessary. A tag is one idea. Some pet stores have machines that allows you to engrave a tag with anything you like.
• When you mail your tribute be sure to include a note with your name, your animal’s name, and your Tripawds User Name just in case Karen has any questions.

The ribbons and trinkets will be tied around the leash in the order received (except that Jerry will be first!). Angel and Spirit Tripawds will have a small piece of white ribbon attached when tied on to the leash.

We can’t promise that ribbons received after April 20 will be included in this walk, but they will definitely be added to the leash afterward for future events.

Please send your ribbon to:

Karen Riley
P.O. Box 2939
Livermore, CA 94551-2939

 Paws up to Karen for volunteering to head up this project. If you have a great idea to honor Tripawds and their families, don’t be shy! Contact us today!

Today, Tripawds member and supporter OK Scout (Catherine Ronck) is facing a first difficult milestone herself, after Scout’s courageous, nine-month cancer battle ended in November. Today would have been Scout’s 10th birthday.

To honor his memory, Catherine sent Tripawds a generous gift of support and also wrote this touching essay, which we would like to share it with you as we wish her Golden boy a very hoppy birthday, and send lots of hugs out to Catherine.

“Today is Scout’s first birthday at the bridge; it would have been his 10th birthday here on Earth.

We had big plans for today, but instead of celebrating, we are left reflecting on Scout’s life. It was a good life, too short, but sadly, when dogs are concerned, there is never enough time. It’s been nearly three months since Scout died, and there are so many things I miss.

I miss our morning and evening walks. In the mornings, we’d head towards the elementary school to deliver my eldest daughter and go on from there.

In the evenings, we’d hit the streets again. In the summer, Scout would return from the walk and jump right into the pool for a quick dip– the purpose of this was not to swim, but to get soaking wet so that when he got out and rolled in the dirt, he would be completely and utterly filthy. When we lived in Houston, we’d usually start out in the neighborhood and then head over to the bayou.

Our neighborhood was mid-Century; each home had a large window in the front. Scout loved to center himself in front of those windows to do his business. When my daughter was toilet training, she too, loved to go potty in front of those darn windows, just like Scout. We had a portable potty for her, but you can imagine the scene…

One night as we were taking a nighttime perambulation (and Scout was doing his business in front of one of those giant windows), a police car pulls up and a police officer gets out. I make a big show of my poop bag thinking someone has finally called the cops on us, but it turns out she was just warning us of a suspect in an armed robbery– he was dressed all in black– had we seen him? Scout and I decided then and there to take up jogging.

I miss Scout grabbing the leash as we rounded the corner towards home. He loved to play tug of war with the leash on the home stretch. I’d eventually let him have the leash and he’d take himself home.

I miss Scout running from sprinkler to sprinkler on our hot summer walks. I always brought water along, but Scout preferred the neighbors’ sprinklers.

I miss closing doors after Scout. Scout was wickedly clever and could open any door that involved turning a handle and pushing. How he could figure out the opening of the doors and never the closing, I’ll never know.

I miss settling down on the sofa to read to my kids and having Scout, ever so politely, force his way into the best spot–scoot over little humans.

I miss immediately clearing off the counters after cooking– now I can bake a pan of muffins and leave the half full muffin pan on the stove to cool. I hate this.

I miss the sound of Scout drinking– it was always in threes– slurp, slurp, slurp… pause… slurp, slurp, slurp. Sometimes I imagine I hear this….

I miss Scout’s nighttime routine. First, he would lay next to my bed, then, after about 30 minutes, he’d pad over to sleep next to my eldest daughter, then at about 3 AM, he’d come back to my room and lie near the open doorway. Finally, around 5, he’d return to his bed next to me.

I miss the whistling sound Scout would make every time you said “RIDE.”

I miss driving with Scout’s enormous head jammed under my armpit.

I miss Scout being constantly by my side– no matter what room I was in, Scout would be there.

I miss the sound of Scout running to the kitchen any time a packet of cheese was opened– that dog could be in the farthest corner of the back yard and hear a cheese wrapper.

I miss his soft fur– goldens have a bad reputation for being shedders, but in fact, golden fur is fantastic as it forms “tumbleweeds” and these tumbleweeds collect discretely under the sofa or under the bed. No bother at all.

I miss those sparkling, mischievous, intelligent brown eyes.

I miss my furry vacuum cleaner. I have used the vacuum ten times as often since Scout died– turns out 3 small kids make ten times the mess with their food as Scout did with his fur tumbleweeds.

I miss Scout leaping over the front flowerbed to greet visitors. I miss running wildly after him to prevent him leaping up on their cars. More than one paint job Scout ruined…

I miss Scout offering his paw — he loved paw massages.

I miss Scout’s “love noises” when he was receiving a paw massage or other petting. Love noises were also heard in anticipation of food. Always a glutton.

Scout loved to lie at the foot of the stairs. I miss the final, furry step.

Scout’s vets blew his diagnosis– so he walked hundreds of miles on a cancerous, moth eaten leg. No problem for my too tough boy. However, if a a sticker should get lodged in his paw, he’d go down like he’d been shot, writhing in pain. You were an odd dog, Scout.

So many things I miss about you.

I am not usually a big fan of poetry, but the poem OKim1 posted in 2008 really spoke to me. Here it is again.

 I ONLY WANTED YOU

They say memories are golden
well maybe that is true
I never wanted memories,
I only wanted you.

A million times I needed you,
a million times I cried.
If love alone could have saved you
you never would have died.

In life I loved you dearly,
In death I love you still.
In my heart you hold a place
no one could ever fill.

If tears could build a stairway
and heartache make a lane,
I’d walk the path to heaven
and bring you back again.

Our family chain is broken,
and nothing seems the same.
But as God calls us one by one,
the chain will link again.

— Anonymous —

 Happy Birthday Scout.

In Memory of Scout Ronck
January 31, 2002 – November 8, 2011

They were there to honor the spirit of Tripawd Warrior Princess Abby, a special girldog who left us far too soon on Tuesday afternoon, when she found the perfect set of wings to help her soar through the heavens.

Tribute to Abby Day

Abby’s momma Jackie, who less than 24 hours earlier unexpectedly had to say goodbye to her princess, somehow found the strength to bravely meet up with everyone.

Perhaps it was because Tripawds members who were there had all been through the heartbreak of losing a pup to bone cancer and knew what Jackie was going through. When your grief seems unbearable, maybe being surrounded by people who can empathize is the only thing that can ease the pain, just a little?

Spirit Maximutt’s people, John and Diane, their infamous Bernie Bin Laden and sweet pup Linda, were there to support Jackie on her first day without Abby, along with the notorious Tripawds Spokesdawg Wyatt Ray and my pawrents, Jim and Rene.

The afternoon was dubbed “Tribute to Abby Day” and instead of everyone individually mourning the loss of one of the all-time greatest Tripawd Warrior Princesses ever, the power of the pack came together to watch fun, crazy canine antics take place between Wyatt, Linda and Bernie. What a beautiful day it was, on one of Abby’s favorite places on earth.

“If you’d told me I’d go back to Fiesta Island the day after losing our girl, I’d have said you were crazy,” said Jackie, in Angel Abby’s blog. “But that’s what I did today. And I’m so glad I went.”

Later, the gang went to In ‘N Out Burgers after, to salute Abby at her favorite restaurant, with her signature Flying Dutchman hamburger.

One of the best parts of the day was when Jackie presented my people with her handmade version of ME! My Momma got all watery-eyed when she saw it, it looks so much like me.

That’s me and Angel Abby. Aren’t we a match made in heaven?

Tripawds Members are There for Each Other

That night, my pawrents reflected back on the days following my initiation into Spirit Dog status. They recalled how alone they felt as they sat in their RV and cried through many dark, rainy nights in the Pacific Northwest.

And then they remembered . . . the only thing that made them feel better during that time, was meeting up in Washington with a fellow Tripawds member, Rocco.

Rocco and his pack made my Mom and Dad’s hearts sing once again! He was such a beautiful dog, and his people were so gracious to my grieving pawrents. The meet-up gave them the strength to smile and see that life does get better after the heart wrenching loss of a best friend. They hoped that Jackie felt the same way after their Tribute to Abby Day.

How to Help a Grieving Tripawd Pawrent

We lose far too many Tripawds to cancer, and each time, a human’s heart shatters into millions of pieces. As a bystander, it’s natural to feel like there’s nothing you can do to ease their pain, but you know what? There IS one way you might be able to help:

Reach out and ask a grieving Tripawds member if they would like some company, either on the phone or in person.

While everyone grieves differently, some folks would love to have an empathetic person to lean on, to listen and share the memories of their very special family member.

We will miss Angel Abby so much, but it’s great to know that her dazzling spirit will live on in so many ways, like how Tripawds members so often reach out and help one another.

Jackie, we know your heart still hurts, but we hope this day helped ease your grief a little. Thank you for  your kindness and meeting us on the beach, we’ll never forget it.

To every Tripawds member who has
loaned a shoulder to lean on
helped a Tripawd find a home
represented Tripawds at an event
shared their Tripawd warrior’s story
been here through good times and sad
shown Barney a good time (and let him live!)
written a helpful guest blog post for the community
sent a gift of direct support or requested a Tripawds bandanna
shopped in our Gifts, Gear, Nutrition, Amazon or Downloads blogs
shared ideas for new content or given feedback about the website
made us laugh and smile with crazy videos, photos and poems
hung out in the Chat Room to help a pawrent in need
purchased anything through a Tripawds affiliate link
used their talents to help support the community
answered a survey or entered a contest
sent photos to celebrate a Tripawd’s life
coordinated a Tripawds pawty

Thank you! Gracias! Merci! Mahalo! Danke!
Grazie! Arigato! kawp-kun krap/ka’! Obrigado! Toda!

We are beyond grateful for everything that each and every one of you does to make this a supportive, educational and fun place to be. Tripawds couldn’t exist without you.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

You came into my world back in the day, when I was still running and playing and loving life on the road. The stars aligned to bring us together.

The day we met on the Colorado Trail (three years ago this month!), it was heaven on earth.

Ever since that day, I was in love.

You never let life on three legs keep you from doing what you wanted to, from showing your pack who was really in charge!

My pawrents, and all the other peeps at Tripawds, are so sad, knowing that got your wings yesterday.

These silly humans of ours wish we could live forever!

But you and I know that we have more impawtant work to do, more people to help, more places to make better.

We can’t stick around as long as they want us to, but we always leave a part of us with them, in that mysterious place they call their soul. Why don’t you drop everyone a hint to let them know you’ll always be around?

Now that you’re a Spirit Tripawd, you can come join me in this beautiful place, where you can run the trails like you used to as a kid, leading the pack with all four legs.

Maybe you can show me n’ Moose and all of the other old school Tripawds from back in the day how to pull a sled!

Hurry Cali, we’re waiting!

Run Free Forever, Calpurnia! Tripawd Queen of the Sled Dogs!

View this playlist of five favorite videos featuring Calpurnia, Tripawds founder Jerry and spokespup Wyatt:

Most have cancer, some chased one too many cars, a few suffered at the hands of horrible humans, and others came into the world as Tripawds. Despite the tragedy that has befallen them, our Tripawd warriors fight on, and live life to the fullest despite adversity and illness.

Every new member who arrives here serves to remind us about what’s really important in life: loving the people around you, and having a good time even when life feels like the pits.

Many of our friends earn their wings far too soon. Their losses reverberate throughout this community, but in the spirit of our Tripawd Warriors, we fight on. With their lessons staying strong in our hearts, we are here to help newcomers, share information, find Tripawds homes, and kick butt to put an end to canine bone cancer.

We salute everyone who has ever shared a story about their Tripawd, joined us in the Forums or in the Chat, and blogged about their beloved Tripawd. Thank you for making Tripawds such a helpful and supportive environment for so many. This community would be nothing without you.

Let us take a moment to honor our heroic Tripawds, their siblings and close friends, who earned their wings this year:

• Gambit
• Maximutt
• Raven
• Paris
• Caira Sue
• Supai
• Killer
• Eva
• Zoe
• Tehya
• Jif
• McGwire
• Don
• Havannah Jack
• OJ
• Dunc
• Henri
• Maggie
• Oscar
• Ruthie
• Magic
• Etta
• Buddy
• Harley
• Chaser
• Toto
• Oslo
• Beaner
• Skyler
• Daisy
• Ronnie
• Polo
• Noah
• Sophie
• Gus
• Shadow
• Titus
• Max
• Girl Noel
• Zeke
• Jersey May
• Sampson
• Captain Jack
• Debo
• Molly
• Riley
• JD
• Tshuvah
• Ginger
• Honey
• Shelli Belle
• Rosie
• Chance
• Sadie Bear
• Kobe
• Achilles
• Charlie
• Tai
• Ragley
• Smokey
• Myla
• Harley
• Kona Kai
• Zack
• Denali
• Pez
• Indi
• Ruby
• Mackenzie
• Xena

Pawrents, please accept our deepest condolences for your tremendous loss. We are so very sorry.

If your beloved pup’s name isn’t on here, we sincerely apologize, it was a mistake. All of these heroes were recognized in our Coping with Loss Discussion Forum. We may have accidentally missed the names of beloved pups whose parents only write in their Blog, not in the Forums. Please share their names with us in the comments section below.

Thank you for being here everyone, we look forward to another great year ahead with our Tripawds family.

Fight on, Tripawds, fight on!

For this, we salute you, Jerry G. Dawg.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Jerry G. Dawg
Tripawds Founder and CFO
10/01/1998 – 10/03/2008
2-Year Osteosarcoma Survivor

Two years ago today, our hearts were shattered as we held our hero for the last time.

But today we celebrate, because in the midst of our terrible heartbreak, a new chapter unfolded for three legged dogs everywhere: Tripawd Power!

Thank you Jerry, for teaching us

. . . How to make the best of whatever situation we are faced with.

. . . For showing us what really matters in life.

. . . And for showing us how to love, forgive and be joyful, under any circumstances.

Thank you for helping us to be better humans.

We will love you forever, dawg.

• John Hollenbeck – maxidad
• Charon Coonfield – etgayle
• Susan Emery – anyemery
• Ge’Lena Vavra – cometdog
• Diane O’Neal – krispikritter
• Gwen Herrboldt – hopalong harley
• Carmen McConnell – carmenmcconnell
• Lauren Rockwell Flick – scout the wonder dog
• Tracy Snow-Cormier – maggie
• Nancy Sisinyak – opie
• Claudia McGuire – In recognition of “Maggie” owned & loved by Tracy Snow Cormier
• Jo Ann Daniel – See Tasha’s Tripawds Support Challenge!
• Kami Bryant – Mackenzie’s Mom
• Beth Fishman – Tshuva
• Kathi Wilson* – In fond memory of tripawd Jake
  
• Thomas O’Connell*
• Anthony Conforti*
• TC Wait – Calpurnia
• Leslie Deering – A friend from Bone Cancer Dogs
• Debra Aldridge – In memory of Emily
• Eleanor Burns – Thanks for everything! Love, Cotton
• Tana Farrell (sophie)
• Karen Weiland (maruk)
• Beth Britton (Guiness – A friend of 2 Dogs 2000 Miles)
• Jane and Cathy – In Memory of Skyler Murray-Molen

*Fans of Jerry’s Tripawds Facebook Group

Spread the Word on Facebook

Speaking of Facebook, Tripawds now has a Tripawds Facebook Cause Page, in addition to our Tripawds Fan Page. Take a look, and then urge your friends and family to join! It costs nothing but it can help the campaign by building awareness of this community and our mission.

This Week’s Campaign Challenges

There’s been some generous campaign ideas and challenges coming in, such as

• VavraItaly.com gift certificates for Tripawds supporters
• The Tasha Challenge, a creative way to incrementally send smaller gifts
• Premium handwoven wool mittens to contributors of $100 or more (all taken as of today, thank you!)
• Handmade mittens for $100 contributors (all taken as of today!)

Can you think of any more? If so, start a Discussion in Shout Outs today!

We’re Getting There

We are now at 15 percent of our goal. At this rate, we’ll be able to end the campaign a lot sooner than we ever imagined. The generosity of this community is incredible, thank you for all of your kind words, support and participation in the campaign and in the Tripawds community.

Everyone, you make Tripawds such a special place to be, thank you so much.