AIREDALES ON PARADE - MacINNES

Winters in Canada can get rather cold, so Lance is dressed as an elf . . . with cold buns (Lana promises to find snowpants, too!)

On February 26, 2001, Lana & Cam write: Our beautiful, precious little Lance is gone. We were so lucky to have loved this sweet angel for ten months. I hope that wherever he is, his little heart is beating strongly, his legs are carrying him across a field where he can finally run, and he can see.

Now that I'm home, bathed, settled and fed,
All nicely tucked in my warm new bed.
I'd like to open my baggage
Lest I forget,
There is so much to carry -
So much to regret.

Hmm . . . Yes there it is, right on the top -
Let's unpack Loneliness, Heartache and Loss,
And there by my leash hides Fear and Shame.
As I look on these things I tried so hard to leave -
I still have to unpack my baggage called Pain.

I loved them, the others, the ones who left me,
But I wasn't good enough - for they didn't want me.
Will you add to my baggage?
Will you help me unpack?
Or will you just look at my things
And take me right back?

Do you have the time to help me unpack?
To put away my baggage,
To never re-pack?
I pray that you do - I'm so tired you see,
But I do come with baggage -
Will you still want me?

-- Evelyn Colbath

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LANA REMINISCES

I hope you all don't mind, but I have been thinking a lot about all the happy times we had with Lance and wanted to share a few of them with you; some you may remember from past posts. He had some special needs, but he was not a burden at all; in fact he was a lot of fun, smart as a whip and cuter than a bug's ear.

He was my hockey buddy. I would sit on the couch with him on my lap lying on his back with his legs spread open and snoring away through the whole game. If the Leafs scored and I shouted out he'd open one eye and give me his "Can you keep it down. I'm trying to sleep" look.

When he got a rash on his bum, I had to do something to get him to stop licking; he couldn't wear a collar, so I made him wear a pair of Cam's plaid boxer shorts with a sock sewed on the opening for Lance's tail to fit in. What a sight that was! You should have seen the look on the mailman's face when he saw the little Airedale in the plaid skirt, standing on the front porch, wagging his sock-encased tail.

We were at the park one day and a storm came up We started back but got caught in the pouring rain almost three blocks from home. Lance decided to sit down and would not budge. So Cam picked him up, all 50 pounds soaking wet and dead weight and carried him, head bobbing and legs sticking straight out the way Airedales' do. All the people who had came out to stand on their porches and watch the storm killed themselves laughing. The next day we went out and bought his cart.

He loved his cart rides so much. We would stroll him through the neighbourhood enduring laughter & comments, but always told everyone that my baby's looks came from my husband's side of the family. When someone would make fun, I would tell Lance that everyone was jealous because he had a better parka & nicer stroller than the skin-kids did. Sure, everyone thought I was warped, but we had a lot of fun. It did not take long for Lance to capture the neighbours' hearts; they would run out of their houses as he passed just to talk to him and give him a snuggle while we waited patiently. Sometimes, if we were really lucky, they even acknowledged that Cam & I were there.
At the park we would lift him out of his cart and set him on the ground facing an open area with no obstructions. He would immediately take off in a straight line, so determined, past people, past dogs, not looking back, and not stopping until he got tired and sat down. He'd sit there facing the same direction for a few minutes, then he'd turn his head to signal that it was time for us to bring his chariot, like we were a valet service.

In better days when Lance had more energy, he would lie on the floor and bang his paw down to get our attention. Then we would play with him by batting the floor in front of him with our hand. He would get excited and bat the floor and so it went on until he got so excited he fell over on his side then he'd flop back & forth, back & forth, all the while wagging his tail & smiling, proud of himself for teaching his Mom & Dad a new trick.
He was the happiest little boy, right to the end. He still had a lot of Airedale spirit left in him, but his body was failing rapidly. He couldn't eat, he could barely stand up and his blood pressure was very low. I am very selfish and did not want to lose him, but we had no choice but to help him over the Rainbow Bridge.

Lance's bravery touched a lot of people, but we hope that his legacy is that people will remember his story and not turn away from a senior dog or one with special needs. You don't have to be extraordinary to care for and love a dog like Lance; believe me, Cam & I are quite ordinary and far from being saints! You also don't need to change your lifestyle, but your lives will be changed and you will be richer. Lance did not need 24-hour nursing; all he needed was a forever home & love, just like every other dog.
A short time after Lance crossed the Rainbow Bridge, Lana & Cam drove to New York to donate Lance's cart to Moses Sprankle (@RB). You can read his story HERE.

LANA REMINISCES
I hope you all don't mind, but I have been thinking a lot about all the happy times we had with Lance and wanted to share a few of them with you; some you may remember from past posts. He had some special needs, but he was not a burden at all; in fact he was a lot of fun, smart as a whip and cuter than a bug's ear.
	He was my hockey buddy. I would sit on the couch with him on my lap lying on his back with his legs spread open and snoring away through the whole game. If the Leafs scored and I shouted out he'd open one eye and give me his "Can you keep it down. I'm trying to sleep" look.
When he got a rash on his bum, I had to do something to get him to stop licking; he couldn't wear a collar, so I made him wear a pair of Cam's plaid boxer shorts with a sock sewed on the opening for Lance's tail to fit in. What a sight that was! You should have seen the look on the mailman's face when he saw the little Airedale in the plaid skirt, standing on the front porch, wagging his sock-encased tail.
	We were at the park one day and a storm came up We started back but got caught in the pouring rain almost three blocks from home. Lance decided to sit down and would not budge. So Cam picked him up, all 50 pounds soaking wet and dead weight and carried him, head bobbing and legs sticking straight out the way Airedales' do. All the people who had came out to stand on their porches and watch the storm killed themselves laughing. The next day we went out and bought his cart.
He loved his cart rides so much. We would stroll him through the neighbourhood enduring laughter & comments, but always told everyone that my baby's looks came from my husband's side of the family. When someone would make fun, I would tell Lance that everyone was jealous because he had a better parka & nicer stroller than the skin-kids did. Sure, everyone thought I was warped, but we had a lot of fun. It did not take long for Lance to capture the neighbours' hearts; they would run out of their houses as he passed just to talk to him and give him a snuggle while we waited patiently. Sometimes, if we were really lucky, they even acknowledged that Cam & I were there. At the park we would lift him out of his cart and set him on the ground facing an open area with no obstructions. He would immediately take off in a straight line, so determined, past people, past dogs, not looking back, and not stopping until he got tired and sat down. He'd sit there facing the same direction for a few minutes, then he'd turn his head to signal that it was time for us to bring his chariot, like we were a valet service. In better days when Lance had more energy, he would lie on the floor and bang his paw down to get our attention. Then we would play with him by batting the floor in front of him with our hand. He would get excited and bat the floor and so it went on until he got so excited he fell over on his side then he'd flop back & forth, back & forth, all the while wagging his tail & smiling, proud of himself for teaching his Mom & Dad a new trick. He was the happiest little boy, right to the end. He still had a lot of Airedale spirit left in him, but his body was failing rapidly. He couldn't eat, he could barely stand up and his blood pressure was very low. I am very selfish and did not want to lose him, but we had no choice but to help him over the Rainbow Bridge. Lance's bravery touched a lot of people, but we hope that his legacy is that people will remember his story and not turn away from a senior dog or one with special needs. You don't have to be extraordinary to care for and love a dog like Lance; believe me, Cam & I are quite ordinary and far from being saints! You also don't need to change your lifestyle, but your lives will be changed and you will be richer. Lance did not need 24-hour nursing; all he needed was a forever home & love, just like every other dog. A short time after Lance crossed the Rainbow Bridge, Lana & Cam drove to New York to donate Lance's cart to Moses Sprankle (@RB). You can read his story HERE.

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