Goodbye Alice

It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to add this chapter to the ‘Working Pointer Blog’. On Wednesday night we had to let Alice go to Doggie Heaven. Over the last two weeks she had started to have seizures, which yesterday became a horrendously distressing, three hour long affair only stopped by using sedating drugs. This was probably caused by something going on behind her right eye (visible, but not treatable) which we can only guess was a growth of some kind. At 12 years old, this was only going to get worse and nasty for Alice.

What a great dog. Never demanded anything, always trying to please and carry out her tasks to the best of her ability. She overcame gun-nervousness early on and became the most reliable little hunting dog. I shot three brace of grouse over her only last August at the age of 12. At her peak she kept surprising everyone with her bravery and I remember her marking a bird down across a river in spate on the grouse moor. I knew she had it in her sight so I asked her to go. She crossed the river, retrieved and as she returned back through the river, she got swept under by violent current of the peaty brown water, just to reappear further down stream, still with the bird undamaged in her mouth. The ‘keepers faces were the most entertaining sight as they had never imagined that this little dainty dog could do what she just did.

She had two litters and in true Alice style she did motherhood to perfection with impeccable attention to detail.

She came on the moor for a walk when we counted grouse only two weeks ago. I took her so she could have one more day out. She loved it, just walking with me, watching the other dogs and the birds. After lunch, she chose to stay in the back of the open pickup and I just left her there, sunbathing on her Tuffie with the smell of the mountains wafting past her. I am sure she enjoyed that. She knew where she was and she knew we would be back.

We buried her deep down in her favourite Nest in the garden Thursday morning. I can’t bear to write anything else.

Thank you Alice

RIP Alice, you were FABULOUS!!!