In Loving Memory of Reiner: November 15, 1998 - December 15, 2009

This is a story about our very special dog. I wrote some of our favorite memories of Reiner and our life that we shared with him. I know it’s long, but well worth the read. Once done I would like you to make a post. Directions are at the bottom of the page.
One night Clint and I were watching Animal Planet. There was an agility show on and we were watching the Border Collies kicking butt! I said to Clint, “I want one of those dogs some day!” (I have since learned that many times when I tell Clint I want something cool, I usually get it, although it hasn’t worked with a horse yet!) Clint had bought Reiner from a breeder in Hesperia, CA. Clint said that he was one of the only puppies who stayed near you when you put him back on the ground after picking him up and that his little tail thumped against you while being held. Clint had plans to give him to me for Valentine’s Day, but picked him up a few weeks early. In order to “store” him for those few weeks, Reiner was going to stay with a friend of his Moogie (Clint’s mom). This friend had shelties and was more than happy to help. Unfortunately, Reiner had other ideas.
Moogie went to go pick him up. She walked into the house and Reiner was in a little crate in the middle of the floor. Surrounding the crate were a bunch of little sheltie puppies running and yipping all around him. He was cowering in the crate. Once Moogie got him out of the house, he was so happy and relieved to be getting out of there and rescued from the shelties. Moogie tried to put him in the back seat, but he cried and cried, so she put him in her lap and he noosed under her elbow and rode the rest of the way home like that. From then on, she’d been his savior.
Because Reiner couldn’t stay with the shelties, Clint gave him to me early. On February 2, 1999 Clint decided to propose to me. He took me over to his house. At that time Clint’s room was in the basement of the house he was living in. Clint told me to face the wall and close my eyes. I heard him run up the stairs, then run back down the stairs. When he told me to open my eyes I saw this adorable little black and white puppy with a wagging tail and an expression on his face that said,” love me, love me, aren’t I cute!” Clint had put the engagement ring on a red ribbon around his neck. We went that night to get him a collar and leash, although he didn’t really need one because he just hung around us when put on the ground.
For the next three years or so, Reiner when EVERYWHERE with me. At that time I worked at the stables and so he went to work with me every day. He rode around in the truck with me, hung outside at restaurants with me, and even waited outside of stores for me. We loved it! Eventually I got another job and Reiner had to stay at home, but my mom was there and he kept her and our other dog company.
During the time that I still lived at home, we took him to obedience class with Clint’s German Sheppard, aka, Reiner’s best friend. He did great. Clint and I also took him to an agilities training course. Reiner loved it! Because we had spent so much time together, we were very comfortable with Reiner being off the leash because he listened really well. We’d run through the course, with Reiner jumping over jumps, through tires hanging in the air, into tunnels, and up over bridges. The only obstacle that Reiner wasn’t too fond of was the weave poles. He hated them!
My favorite thing to do was to mess with Clint. Reiner was so attached to me that I had to hide behind the trailer in order for Clint to run the course with Reiner. I would peek around the trailer to watch. I figured out that if I came out from behind the trailer and clapped my hands on my thighs that Reiner would ditch Clint and come running to me! Clint would get so mad until he figured out that it was me who was secretly calling the dog off the course.
When Reiner was about 3 years old, he started to limp. I thought he had played Frisbee too much or ran too hard, so I made him rest for a while. When Reiner was still lame, we took him to the veterinarian. The diagnosis was hip dysplasia; not very good for such an active dog. Clint and I weighed our options and decided that since he was only 3 that we would do a total hip replacement. The night we left him at the hospital for surgery, I was in tears. I hated leaving him there. It was the first time I left him at the hospital. The next day was worse because I came to visit this adorable dog that was attached to tubes and machines, but was very happy to see his mommy.
In 2001 Clint and I went to Europe for 2 months. We obviously couldn’t take Reiner with us, but we missed him so very much. We took a picture of him right before we left and made sure that this picture was left on the camera during the entire trip. At one point during the trip we found a hair from Reiner. We spent the rest of the trip taking turns wearing the hair on our shirt. It may sound lame to some of you, but we loved and missed our dog very much!
In 2002 Clint and I moved to San Diego to finish our schooling. San Diego is expensive and we were unable to find housing that we could have our dog. We missed him, but he stayed with my parents and we were up there almost every weekend to visit. 
When we moved to Kansas I was bound and determined to find a house that was dog friendly. I wasn’t going to leave until we found a house that allowed dogs. Fortunately, the second day on the search for a house, we found a house that allowed dogs. Reiner got to move to Kansas with us! We were very excited that we got to have our dog back. We had a good time on the move out here and Reiner enjoyed the camping and staying in pretty nice dog friendly hotels.
The first winter in Kansas we drove back to California so that Reiner could go with us. We had to drive the truck because Clint’s car wasn’t working at the time. Instead of trying to cram two adults and a fairly large dog in a single cab pickup, we put Reiner’s crate in the bed. We wrapped the crate with blankets and a tarp to keep the cold out. On the way home we drove the northern route through Utah so that we could visit friends. I was worried that Reiner would be too cold in the crate so we went to Deseret Industries to try and find some cheap clothes. We bought him a wool sweater and two teddy bears for less than 10 bucks! Reiner was warm and happy on the way home! This was also the first time Reiner had seen snow and he loved it. He’d jump and play and bite at it. We had many fun times in Kansas playing in the snow with Reiner.
One morning in July 2009 Reiner collapsed in the hallway of our house. We took him to the hospital and he was diagnosed with a tumor on his spleen. The tumor was bleeding causing Reiner to lose blood pressure. He was bleeding to death. We were forced to either do surgery or let him go. Of course Clint and I weren’t ready to say good bye so suddenly so Reiner had emergency surgery to have his spleen removed. While on the operating table Reiner lost almost 2 liters of blood and almost died, but he made it through. He had to spend a couple days in the hospital, received a blood transfusion, but had a rapid recovery. Histopathology revealed the tumor to be an aggressive form of cancer known as hemangiosarcoma. We decided to do Chemotherapy because it would prolong his life for about another 6 months and we wanted to do everything we could for our friend.
Reiner had 5 treatments of Chemotherapy. The last couple hit him a little harder, but he usually was sick from it for just a few days. He didn’t lose his hair like people do, but he would lose his appetite and get a little lethargic. This only lasted for a few days and for the most part Reiner led a very normal life for the last 5 months. We knew that Reiner might only live a few weeks after doing Chemo or he could have lived another couple of years.
On December 11th, Clint woke me up to tell me that Reiner wasn’t doing very well. He was walking abnormally, and his gums were very pale. Clint knew that he has another tumor somewhere and that he was bleeding again. We knew there was nothing to be done. We had already done everything there was to do for a dog with hemangiosarcoma. We decided to make him as comfortable as possible in what turned out to be his last few days of life. I stayed at home and watched over him. Whatever tumor he had now quit bleeding and he got better over the next few days. On Sunday it happened again; we thought he was going to die. We wanted him to die at home if possible so we kept him home. Clint would return from the vet school to check on him throughout the day. Again the bleeding stopped; although this time he didn’t bounce back as much. Monday he was pretty sick looking. Then on Tuesday, December 15th, he collapsed in the bathroom. We decided that at this point Reiner risked going into respiratory distress. This would have been terrifying for Reiner, not how we wanted the end to be. We wanted Reiner to die in as peaceful a way as possible, so we decided to go to the school and get medical assistance. The school has a nice room that is set up like a living room so that you have plenty of time to stay good bye to your friend. We brought his bed so that he had a comfortable place to lie. Clint, Grandma, Clark and I all sat with Reiner and said goodbye. Dr. Reeds and Amy from Oncology came to administer the drugs. Amy knew Reiner because she was the one who gave him his Chemo. She even was crying during this process.
Making the decision to euthanize an animal is one of the hardest things we have to face as animal lovers. Clint and I didn’t want to have to decide that it was his time. We wanted him to die on his own at home because we thought it would be more comfortable for him and us. Unfortunately it didn’t turn out that way. While Clint was carrying Reiner into the hospital, Reiner looked back at me with a look like he knew what was going to happen. He had a look that told me that it was o.k. and that this is what he wanted. Reiner looked more relieved once at the hospital then he did at home and that made me more comfortable with the choice we had to make. Reiner passed very peacefully surrounded by family and friends that loved him very much. He was an awesome dog that made a great impression on everyone he met. He will be greatly missed by Clint, Grandma, myself, and missed by all the others who knew him.
As part of our contribution to his memory, I would like you to make a post on the blog if you knew him. Tell us your favorite Reiner memory. Then check back in a couple of days and read what others have said about him.


Clint and Reiner in their younger years. Life is good.


This is the picture of Reiner that Clint and I kept on our camera while we traveled around Europe.


Yes, Reiner had a REALLY long tongue and many people commented on it!


On a hike on a nice fall day.


Enjoying the lake.



Reiner with some of his favorites:



Reiner and I making snow angels.


Reiner and I smiling for the camera.


Reiner with us and the snowman. Notice that in the picture of Reiner and me, that Reiner stole the snowman's arm!



Reiner playing in the snow.





Did we tell you that Reiner likes pillows just as much as we do!



Reiner learning how to play the piano


Reiner and I getting ready for Halloween


Reiner taking advantage of the comfy places to sleep around the house



Reiner getting ready for us to throw a stick for him.


Reiner telling the cat that Mom and Dad aren't going to like him being in the Baby's bassinet!


Reiner helping Clint and his classmates pass their class the first year of vet school.