# Pete update: We lost him



## Goat Whisperer (Oct 30, 2018)

As many of you know our LGD, Pete, had fallen very ill last month. There were many ups and downs. We didn't know if he would make it. Emergency vet visits, farm call, IV & SubQ fluids, blood sample after blood sample, you name it, we did it. It was touch and go but he survived! He lost a tremendous amount of weight but is slowly gaining it back. We just recently let him back in his field. He is so happy to be back, and his brother, Blue is so happy to have him back. While Pete is doing better, he clearly doesn't have his full strength yet. I am so thankful for the BYH members that were there for SBC & I, and all the prayers! 

I love all our dogs, but Pete (& Blue) have always had a special place in my heart. Pete has been "my boy" for quite some time. I am so thankful he is still with us! 

  

Above: A few older pics from the last year or so.

These are from today. When I'm not feeding/caring for the goats, he is by my feet. I just love these boys! 


 

Two dogs by my side  Front


 
Back 

You can see Blue's coat looks a bit more healthy than Pete. Blue has more weight on him. I'm not too worried though, Pete is starting to eat much better and is gaining the 20+lbs he lost.


 
Blue


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## BlessedWithGoats (Oct 30, 2018)

Praise God!


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## Wehner Homestead (Oct 30, 2018)

So very thankful that Pete is back in his goat pen with Blue and gaining weight!


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## Baymule (Oct 30, 2018)

Thanks for the pictures and update on Pete. I am so glad that Pete is on his way to better health.


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## Latestarter (Oct 31, 2018)

Glad he's recovering.


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## Southern by choice (Nov 20, 2018)

With a heavy heart, and through overwhelming grief we share that Pete has passed away.  

Pete started relapsing and has grown weaker the past few days. This morning he did not look good. 
Went out to check on him and he was laying comfortably by the fence closest to the house with his head resting on a feeder.

He is on his way to Rollins lab for a necropsy.  

We held him, smelled his fur, clutched his beautiful face and in every way did not want to let him go. We said our last good bye.

I am thankful that he has no more battle, no more relapse, no suffering. 
I am thankful for a vet that fights for my animals.
I am thankful for GoatWhisperer that we can share the grief without uttering a word.
I am thankful for a husband that stops everything to do all he can to comfort us and does whatever necessary.
I am thankful that I have a God that cares about my animals more than I do, and cares for us in our grief.

The grief is a bit more than I can take right now. Please pray for us.


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## promiseacres (Nov 20, 2018)

so sorry for your loss!


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## StarSpangledNubians (Nov 20, 2018)

So sorry for your loss I know from experience how hard it is to lose them.  I'll be praying for you all.


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## Baymule (Nov 20, 2018)

I am deeply, deeply sorry for you. I know what Pete meant to you and how hard you and GW fought for him to live. If anybody could have done any more for Pete than you GW and your vet, I really don't think that person exists. Pete also gave it all he had. He did his best to live. He loved you so much, he loved his goats and he tried. 

We love our animals so much and it hurts when we lose. There are those that become almost the breath of life to us, we love them so fiercely. Those special friends in a furry coat intuitively know us, better than we know ourselves. They give us all their love, their heart and soul, freely they give to us. There is no bottom, the love they give has depths that go to infinity and beyond. 

This is the love that you, GW and Pete shared. Pete covered you with his love, from depths that us puny humans are barely able to understand, Pete loved you. 

I am sorry for the grief you feel. I am sorry for the empty place in your heart, the hole in your life that seemingly, can never be filled. The wounds that grief and loss make never completely close, but remain open to remind you that once upon a time, you were the most fortunate people on the face of the earth to have known the loyalty and love of one of God's beautiful creatures that He entrusted you with. With God's grace, over time, that wound will heal enough that you will be able to remember Pete and smile. The hurt will be lessened, it will still be there, but you will be able to push it aside enough to remember the love that you were blessed with, and smile at Pete's memory. 

Sending love and hugs.


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## RollingAcres (Nov 20, 2018)

I am so sorry for your loss...


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## Latestarter (Nov 20, 2018)

Very sorry to hear. Deepest sympathies.


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## frustratedearthmother (Nov 20, 2018)

My heart hurts for you and I am so very sorry for your loss.


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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 20, 2018)

I am so sorry for your family's  huge loss, my heart aches for you,...... big hugs SBC  .......i just felt that i needed to add..... SBC , your compassion  that you shared with me with our recent losses.....you truly are "a special person" and  I can feel your love and compassion through a computer screen  as well as your deep sorrow , it is so evident  that your BYH family loves you, i hope you can find  some  comfort in that ... your friends are here for you .


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## greybeard (Nov 20, 2018)

Sorry to hear this unhappy turn of events. It never seems fair, the dog/people years ratio, even when one lives a very long healthy life.


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## Hens and Roos (Nov 20, 2018)

so sorry to hear


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## Mike CHS (Nov 20, 2018)

Thoughts and Prayers out to you all.  I know what you have been through with Pete and how special he was in your lives.


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## OneFineAcre (Nov 20, 2018)

I'm very sorry to hear you lost him.
I know how upset you all are.  Prayers for all of you.


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## luvmypets (Nov 20, 2018)

Please know he will always be by your side and he is grateful for the life he had with you. Know that his time had come and there was nothing that would have changed the outcome. I pray for you and that you will heal.


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## babsbag (Nov 21, 2018)

There are truly no words...


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## Sheepshape (Nov 21, 2018)

SO sorry.....dogs can find places in our hearts that other animals haven't found. Truly Man's Best Friend.

R I P Pete.


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## Goat Whisperer (Nov 21, 2018)

Thank you all for the kind words. 
My heart is shattered. I cannot articulate the grief I (and SBC) feel. I’m devastated. 
Pete was my boy. Every day he would come up, sit, and gently press his head against me. Closing his eyes as I gently stroked his muzzle and face. It sounds silly, but it was our thing. Pete truly had a gentle soul. He was extremely sensitive to my tone, and did as he was asked. When Pete was younger, he discovered that he could hop the gates in our barn- it separated our milking does and dry does. At first he was a nervous, not knowing if I would approve. Once I did, he was just delighted with himself. Loved his new “trick” where he could be with all his “girls”. Never once did he try to escape or jump our other fences. He had no need, he was happy here. When Pete was born, we had called him P.T., short for Pocket Toli. Pete was the runt, the littlest pup. He grew and grew, and is one of the tallest of the litter. He grew into a giant. Even though he was so tall, he’d still try to walk in between my legs, only to sit, and look up with his big brown and would just draw ya in.  

Pete was a gentle giant. A loyal friend. And a spectacular guardian. 

I can’t believe he’s gone. It doesn’t seem real. After all he went through, how hard he fraught. I keep finding myself still calling “here boys” as I enter the fields. I still find myself bringing his dog food out, just out of habit I guess. 

My stomach is in knots. I have shed many tears, more than I though possible. I’m exhausted. I’m heartbroken.


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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 21, 2018)




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## BlessedWithGoats (Nov 21, 2018)

I'm so sorry.... 
Praying for you all...


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## Carla D (Nov 21, 2018)

I’m so sorry you loved your beloved Pete. It’s tough losing a special friend or pet. It sounds like he fought a really tough fight. He loved you, your goats, and his job. That’s a pretty full life, even if he may have been young. R.I.P. Pete


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## TAH (Nov 22, 2018)

I can't say but how sad I was when I read this!!! 

I'm praying for you all... ((HUGGGGGSSSSS)! 

When I first joined BYH and they were like 10-11months or something like that anyway, Pete (Pocket Toli) was always my favorite... Always loved hearing about him! May pete be at rest now!


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## Wehner Homestead (Nov 22, 2018)

Hugs to both SBC and GW!!! I can’t even imagine losing Pete as losing Queenie was catastrophic for us and you’ve had Pete longer and fought to help him live. Please know that I’m praying for peace and comfort for your whole family during this time!


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## farmerjan (Nov 22, 2018)

So sorry for your loss.  Hoping that they can figure out what it was so that you will never have to go through something like that again. 
I know that there is a special bond with those of you that have the LGD's.  It's a partnership.  It will also be very hard on Blue as he looks for his brother and pal.

My son found his old australian shepard dead 2 days ago.  She had gotten totally deaf  but she was still pretty active.  It has hit him pretty hard.  I can understand as I lost my german shepard several years ago and she was my shadow.  Am waiting for "retirement" slowdown to find another, so I can spend more quality time with an animal. 

Be thankful for the time you had and for the service he provided for you.


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## Baymule (Nov 22, 2018)

Goat Whisperer said:


> My stomach is in knots. I have shed many tears, more than I though possible. I’m exhausted. I’m heartbroken.



It will get better. It will take time and it will be slow. But I promise you, it will get better. There will come a day that you can smile through your tears and grief at something silly Pete did and the healing will start. He will never leave you and you will never forget. Someday, when it is your day to leave this world, Pete will be waiting to lay his head against you, close his eyes and for you to stroke his face.


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## Baymule (Nov 22, 2018)

farmerjan said:


> So sorry for your loss.  Hoping that they can figure out what it was so that you will never have to go through something like that again.
> I know that there is a special bond with those of you that have the LGD's.  It's a partnership.  It will also be very hard on Blue as he looks for his brother and pal.
> 
> My son found his old australian shepard dead 2 days ago.  She had gotten totally deaf  but she was still pretty active.  It has hit him pretty hard.  I can understand as I lost my german shepard several years ago and she was my shadow.  Am waiting for "retirement" slowdown to find another, so I can spend more quality time with an animal.
> ...


farmerjan, I am so sorry for your son. I love Aussies, ours died in my arms last fall. I can understand how it hit him hard. It sounds like she had a long life and gave him lots of love. I know he will miss her.


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## Goat Whisperer (Nov 23, 2018)

@farmerjan, I am so sorry to hear that. You have really been through it, haven’t you?  To you. 


Bay, thank you for the kind words


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## Mini Horses (Nov 23, 2018)

I am crushed that Pete fought so hard and lost.   He tried, to the end, to stay with you and much of that was simply to please those he loved.  He was special.  You were all special with every effort to keep him here.  This is never how we want it to end but, the reality is that we can't always have our own way.

There was unbelievable love between this animal, his humans and his goats.  His life was full.  He knew how much he was loved and appreciated.   It will not stop our hurt but, we must accept the outcome.  No doubt all efforts were taken to keep Pete with us, in person.  Now, we must accept his loving memories and try to cope.  He is no longer in pain.  Run free Pete...RIP, until we meet again.


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## Bruce (Nov 24, 2018)




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## Skiesblue (Nov 26, 2018)

So sorry for your loss.


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## MiniSilkys (Nov 26, 2018)

GW & SBC, I am so sorry for your loss. I am crying now for your loss of Pete and for my two I lost 3 years ago. The pain and sorrow is still there. My dogs were just pets, a house dog and a farm dog but yours had a job to do as well. I know right now you feel like there will never be another like him. No, not exactly like him but some may come close. Graybeard is right when he says the ratio of life years between dogs and humans is not fair. There are some that you want to be around for more than just 10 years. But even though it may not seem fair for us to live so much longer, it does give us the chance to make lives special for so many of God's special creatures. I know y'all need working dogs and so many others on here do but for people that just want pets there are so many deserving ones at animal shelters. And they can be so special too. But not just animal shelter pets, even stray animals. If a stray wonders onto your property, don't immediately run it off or call animal control. It may look mean or parasite infested, but in time it may turn out to be one of those cases where you one day look back and think what would I have done without you. GW, SBC, and others on here that have lost those special friends, don't shut your heart off to other four leggers just because you have been hurt. We all have so much to give to these loving souls and enough time in our live to have many different ones to treasure. I lost two 3 years ago and I now have two more that I would not trade for any others. The one that was a stray makes me laugh everyday. He may be an English Shepherd. When he runs it looks like he is running downhill. When he stand still,too. He is full of energy and he loves my goats and chickens and the cats, though they don't care for him much. The one that did like him was taken by a bobcat.


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