Punim—where do I begin?
She wasn't part of my life until she was five years old. But, since then, she's been a very bright light and constant companion to me.
Never have I seen a dog with such zest for living life to its fullest—up until the day she died, her desire to live was an inspiration.
And, never have I known a feistier animal. The myriad of true tales of things she did during her extraordinary 14-year life span speak for themselves! Many involve her "cast-iron" stomach:
There was the time she consumed an entire huge bag of "Gummy Bears"...the time she ate an enormous jar of "Pet Tabs"...and the time she tore apart a remote control—leaving only the transistors!
Since I've known her, I recall the time she somehow retrieved a 16 oz. box of chocolates from the top of our refrigerator and consumed the ENTIRE box—candy and all! Miraculously, she never exhibited any adverse affects from it—chocolate being very toxic to dogs.
Soon after that escapade, Puny decided that those chocolates were SO delicious, she'd try it again. This time, it was in the form of a basket of Christmas candy. After looking everywhere for my basket of "goodies," I found it—completely demolished—in the kennel! Fearing that she would become ill, I called our vet, and he told me to feed her Hydrogen Peroxide every 15 minutes over a period of 45 minutes, amounting to three doses. Not only did she never vomit from the chocolate, but she actually came to enjoy the taste of the peroxide!
Punim was a champion when it came to playing with her ball and her toys. She loved to catch and chase her ball, and was quite skillful and talented! She lived to play with that, and her vast assortment of squeaky, fuzzy toys.
Perhaps above all of her remarkable traits, the one thing that stands out the most was her keen sensitivity. Out of all of our four dogs, she was the one who would pick up on our moods in a heartbeat—and she would be there for us—always.
Her 14-year life ended today, April 20, 2002, as a result of a degenerative illness known as "German Shepherd Myelopathy." It is a progressive disease that effects the spinal chord, and is predominantly found in large dogs, especially German Shepherds. Punim has been fighting it for the last couple of years, and there is no cure. There are some treatments available, such as amino caproic acid, that assist in stabilizing the condition. We tried the amino caproic acid, and it did help, but eventually, Punim's back legs became practically paralyzed, and she could no longer stand up and get around at all. She fought it to the end...and still managed to enjoy her life as much as possible!
I will always miss my wonderful companion. I can only hope that she is once again able to run and play and catch her ball...oh, and also able to have all the chocolates she desires! Amen.
I love you, Puny...my big-faced girl...rest in peace.