Malcolm'sDad

Thanks for your kind reply, Annie, and I'm very sorry for your losses. I, too, believe a dog can be your soulmate as Malcolm was without doubt mine. I love Hudson and Murphy and there's nothing I wouldn't do for them but it's not the same. I think the man who wrote Marley and Me referred to it as a lifetime dog. Likewise, I wrestled with getting another Pyrenees after Malcolm passed away and researched the Bernese. I came across a startling site that said for some reason, the breed had become very prone to cancer and their lifespan had been reduced from 10-12 years for normal large breeds to 6-8 years. Truly tragic. I'm not familiar with the Newfoundland mix and couldn't find anything on the Internet but since the breed came from a mix between Pyrenees and the English Black Lab, it sounds strange. It took me 8 months to get a new brother for Murphy but I'm glad I finally did. I love all shapes and kinds but for me, I'll never have another breed. The Pyrenees have such profound personalities and great spirits. If you do decide on a Pyr, find one that's been raises around farm animals since birth. Hope that helps and good luck to you. All my best....

January 11th and while I've gotten to the point where I have more good days than bad, I'm still so busted up. Malcolm was diagnosed with osteosarcoma May 2004 and we had to amputate his right front leg a month later. Chemotherapy followed but this cancer is a particularly nasty and aggressive type and metastisizes in 90% of the cases as his did August of last year. He fought hard as was his spirit and I stayed with him day and night. When he lost his appetite for dog food, I became his personal chef. He was given a month to live but I was blessed with five good months and by the fact that he died peacefully in my arms. I can't honestly say I've handled the loss well... it's been tough. Though he wasn't my blood, he was my boy and I believe everyone on this site understands that. At least I'm able to talk about it now and share his great spirit with others. I've published some movies about him on youtube and if you're interested, you can find them using the search terms, "hudson and murphy". Murphy's his brother and I finally got a new Pyrenees for him. They get along famously but I know Murphy, too, still misses Malcolm. I'm on this site now because I believe I can be a friend to those who haven't passed through the eye of the storm yet and lend support to those who don't want to go through it alone. I did and I regret it. Thanks for reading this post and my very best wishes to you. [attachmentid=102][attachmentid=103]