Tribute to Winston & Bonnie

First is my Winston
Before I knew of rescues and puppy mills I saw the sweetest little schnauzer puppy behind the glass at my local pet store. For over a month he was there. Sitting in that tiny cage. His eyes would meet mine and we had this connection from the first time. From day one I was calling him Winston. It fit him.

Finally after a month my husband and I decided it was time to get him. He was 4 months old and no one wanted him. The owner decided to make a deal with us and I picked him up a couple days later. Our son was so surprised that someone left a puppy at our door with a note hehe. When I looked at his pedigree guess what his grandpa's name was? Winston. So Winston became a part of our life for the next 4 years 5 months.

He was the smartest dog I ever had and learned sit, down, roll over in 30 minutes. He would dance and turn around for a treat. He would hop and walk on his back legs. He would get his own leash for a walk and the best trick was wiping his paws on the rug when he came in. He sure made us laugh after a bath when he would dive all over the carpet, grass, or couch to try and rub that yucky smelling clean stuff off his hair.

After a wet dinner he would wipe his beard on the couch. He would do the silliest rocking horse movement across the backyard while playing Gonna get you. After getting him though I learned all about puppy mills and knew in my heart I would never buy another dog from a pet store.

When Winnie was about 1 1/2 we adopted another mini schnauzer. She was black and supposed to be 5 and missing a couple of teeth. We drove over 2 hours to see her and when I saw that shaking little old lady I knew no matter what she was mine.


Bonnie joined our household and didn't have a clue how to act. Winston showed her how to play, to come in the dog door, and that getting excited after got you a treat. She was quick to catch on that treats were really cool and crowing for one got her two. Bonnie ended up being about 9-12 years old instead of 5 and missing all but 3 teeth instead of the couple she was supposed to be missing. I didn't care. There was so much about her that made her unadoptable per rescue standards. I am glad she ended up with us. The poor thing had been a breeder and then went to a home for awhile where her owner had a stroke and wasn't able to care for her.

She came to us and she had to have her 3 rotten teeth pulled out. Her age was showing and she started having trouble sitting up. The time came for me to leave my husband and the two dogs came with me and my son. I loaded up my son, and two pups and headed off to FL. Along the way we stopped at a motel and several rest stops for potty breaks. Somewhere the night before I arrived in FL, Winston had eaten something. Later I found it was an amphetamine. The next morning he started acting strange. I ran him to the emergency vet. They thought he was having seizures and treated for that. Instead of listening to me, they chose to treat that way. I said he may have eaten something and shouldn't they pump his belly? He stayed overnight and shortly after being told that he was coming around he died. I was devastated.

I had just moved over 1300 miles away after ending my marriage of 11 years and my Winnie Win was gone. My son, Bonnie and I all went to say goodbye and we cried and Bonnie was beside herself.

Winston was born 10/25/02. He died 7/8/07. Bonnie was so sad and looked around for Winston. He was her eyes and ears as her sight was dimming with cataracts. She soon got used to being the only dog though when I started doing rescue for Schnauzer Love Rescue. I chose to do fostering for SLR in memory of Winston.

Four months after Winston passed I brought home a very sad little mini named Fritzy. Bonnie quickly took to him and the two would snuggle together constantly. Bonnie was his shadow until she really started to go downhill. She was having trouble sitting without looking like a teddy bear. She had trouble getting up. She no longer was able to back up. She started having dementia spells and would romp like a puppy for a few minutes each afternoon. Each day I watched her taking the stroll down hill. Eventually she got to the point that she was having trouble pulling herself up from a lying down position. She had been incontinent for awhile, and had constant accidents when I got her.

Her quality of life was falling short and I made the heart breaking decision to send her to the bridge. I picked up Bonnie on 6/11/04 and she went to sleep on 6/11/08. In less than 1 year both of my precious babies were gone. Fritzy was so sad for several days after. He wouldn't sleep in the cozy bed they snuggled in. He would stand in Bonnie's bedtime crate for a few seconds looking at me. I wrote a poem for Bonnie after she was gone.

Today I made a painful choice
For my little friend without a voice
I held you close against my chest
I saw you relax for your final rest
You looked at me with tired brown eyes
I felt you breathe just one last sigh
No more pain in the moment of release
Just gentle sighs and lasting peace
It was the hardest thing to let you go
I only did it because I love you so
Kerri Beatty

In Loving Memories
Winston
10/25/02 - 7/8/07

Bonnie
6/11/04 - 6/11/08