Category: Fritz

This weekend I was trying to catch up on some sleep and on Sunday while I was listening to the BBC, I started to think about my dear old White Shepherd, Fritz. Ah, what a splendid dog he was.

Fritz

We were so lucky to have him for 12 and a half years, and all who met our boy fell instantly in love.

Fritz had a number of cute, yet strange things about him. Things that make me laugh, smile, and then bring tears to my eyes. He was that special, that wonderful.

Fritz always slept in my room. He would start to settle each night while I brushed my teeth and got into my nightie. But when I turned on my old Panasonic TV (not a modern flat screen) the TV would make a strange noise! Almost like a little static sound. When Fritz heard that he would jump up and run to the TV. After a moment or two, he would settle back down.

Fritz also had one song that he loved. Halfway through his life, there was a commercial for Honda called “It Must Be Love”.

Each time this commercial came on the TV, Fritz would run from wherever he was and stand in front of the TV tipping his head back and forth.

Fritz also would sit at the top of our front yard watching. When he was a little guy he went down on the ice to greet some Ice-Fishermen. I went to let him back in and not finding him quickly donned my winter clothes and boots. I climbed down the snowy sidehill, and with leash in hand went over to Fritz, snapped on the leash, and dragged him home.

All the way home I admonished him that he should never leave the yard like that!

Apparently, he understood because after that he never roamed away again.

Fritz also loved to ride shotgun whenever Jack or I would take him out. In fact, the day he passed away, Fritz could barely move. We managed to get him into the back of our station wagon, and we flew upstairs to get our coats. When we got back, Fritz had crawled into the front seat passenger seat!

Anyway, I just thought I would share this story about my boy Fritz. He was one of a kind.

I was thinking all day on Monday about my darling Fritz. It was his birthday, had he still been with us. I think Fritz was, perhaps, the best dog we ever had. He was gentle and sweet and kind and loyal.

He was protective of the dackels and respectful of Greta, and her puppies, whom he loved.

And he loved everyone. He was definitely an equal opportunity lover of all people.

Gone from us now, for 6 and a half years, he will live on, forever in our hearts and our memories.

This is a collage of our dear boy, Fritz. He was such a gem. Handsome and sweet! And actually the Grand Uncle to our Lili.

July 27, 2003-March 3, 2014

 

Today would have been Fritz’s eleventh birthday! Sadly, he made it to March 3 of this year and quickly passed from this life to the next.

We have said this before, we have had wonderful White Shepherds, but Fritz is in a league of his own! He was quite simply the best White Shepherd we ever had!

He was gentle and kind with all that he met, and he loved the dackels and was their body guard.

Most of all, he loved his Daddy beyond words! Following him everywhere that he went.

If I called him, he came, and was always happily wagging his tail! He loved me and I adored him too!

I cannot tell you how much you are missed, Fritz. Your little grand-niece is adorable too. She is starting to settle down and I can see that with training she will be great!

For now, Rest In Peace, Dear Fritz!

Fritz from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

A good friend of mine came by on Saturday with this wonderful collage with poems honoring Fritz. I think I have said before, Fritz had no enemies, only friends he hadn’t met yet. His loss is being felt not just by us, but by the community we live in.

Hubby is on the Parks and Recreation Committee, and when the spring and fall would come, and the paths needed to be cleared, Fritz was always with him and the rest of the volunteers.

Arnie also has been feeling the loss. Tonight we noticed that he had dragged Fritz’s blanket out and was cuddling it.

But now, we need to let Fritz rest in peace, and move forward in our lives. I’m looking for a white shepherd puppy now and I am hopeful that this summer we will find our new family member.

Stay tuned!

I got this wonderful email today:

Maribeth & Jack,

I am heartbroken for the both of you! Only someone who has loved a pet as one of their own family members can truly appreciate the hurt and loss one feels. The similarities between Berlinn and Fritz’s passing are startling, even to the point of coming in the house and laying beside Mike as the last place he was able to get up. Fritz was so much like his dad, he had such a loving gentle spirit. He always always was my favorite of the litter. Due to my naivety of dogs reproducing the litter was unexpected, but looking back at it now I see what a blessing each puppy was, and how many lives were touched by them.

Out of all the puppies Fritz from the beginning was different, he wanted the human contact (I should say expected, lol) and always would sit on my lap and observe the other puppies like he was seeing them from our eyes. Even when they would go outside to play he stayed by my side and waited for me to interact with the puppies before he would, he was the only one that I kept inside with me only because he seemed more connected to us than he did Dottie (his mom) He even had a special spot by the fireplace he would lay at because of the cool marble, he was so mellow we never worried about him wandering or getting into trouble (but I am sure you have stories 🙂 ) I was elated when we met Jack and saw what a wonderful home he was going to, he was defiantly the lucky one of the bunch. I still remember the picture you sent of Fritz fully grown sitting on your lap as if he was a small lap dog, he didn’t care how big he was, he wanted to make sure he got his cuddle time.

I can’t thank you and Jack enough for all the updates and posts and pictures from the last 10 years, you have made us feel connected to Fritz like he was still a part of our family, thank you.

Please let me know if there is anything I could do for you, I am so very sorry for your loss.

With love,

Mike and Angie

We took Fritz to the Vet as he went down on the floor this morning and was unable to get up. The Vet examined him, and found he had a tumor in his stomach that no one knew about. He never complained, and he never showed that he was in pain. I mentioned he had not been eating too well, and now I know that it was the tumor pressing on his belly.
This morning, the tumor ruptured and his belly was full of blood and he was bleeding inside and was dying.
We rushed him to the Vet, not knowing what was happening, only knowing he could not stand, or move. She examined him and showed us how his belly was like a water balloon it was so full of blood.
So, we got down on the floor with him and stayed as he got his injection and took his last breaths.

Our Fritz.

Fritz from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

In memory of our beloved Fritz
July 27, 2003-March 3, 2014

FOUR FEET

I have done mostly what men do,
And pushed it out of my mind;
But I can’t forget, if I wanted to,
Four-Feet trotting behind.

Day after day, the whole day through–
Wherever my road inclined–
Four-Feet said, ‘I am coming with you!’
And trotted along behind.

Now I must go by some other round–
Which I shall never find–
Some where that does not carry the sound
Of Four-Feet trotting behind.

— Rudyard Kipling —

You will be missed my darling boy!

Today is Fritz’s tenth birthday! My how the years have flown by! We have said this before, we have had wonderful White Shepherds, but Fritz is in a league of his own! He is quite simply the best White Shepherd we have ever had!

He is gentle and kind with all that he meets, he loves the dackels and is their body guard.

Most of all, he loves his Daddy beyond words! Following him everywhere that he goes.

If I call him, he comes, and is always happily wagging his tail! He loves me and I adore him too!

So Happy Tenth Birthday, Fritz, Darling!!!