Dedication to BESSIE

Sadly Bessie the black Labrador Retriever was pts . She was a lovely dog and although she had a very hard life for her first 6 or 7 years her new owners who rescued her gave her a wonderful new home for the last 7 years of her life and she was a very happy, much loved dog.

Bessie will be missed by us all at training, she is very much missed by her owners.

To her owners - a poem ( author unknown ) in memory of Bessie.

THE SPIRIT OF A LABRADOR

I was standing on a hillside
In a field of blowing wheat
And the spirit of my Labrador Dog Appeared suddenly at my feet.
She looked at me with kind dark eyes
An ancient wisdom shining through
And in the essence of her being I saw her love for me too.
Her mind did lock upon my heart
As I stood there on that day.
Then she told me of this story
About a place so far away.
I stood upon that hillside
In a field of blowing wheat
And in a twinkling of a second
Her spirit left my feet
Her tale put my heart at ease
My fears did fade away
She helped me know where she had gone
When She left me on that day.

"I live among God's creatures now
In the heavens of your mind
So do not grieve for me my friend
As I am with my kind.
My collar is a rainbow's hue
My leash a shooting star
My boundaries are the Milky Way
Where I sparkle from afar.
There are no pens or kennels here
For I am not confined
But free to roam God's heavens
Among my Labrador kind.
I nap the day on a snowy cloud
Gentle breezes rocking me
And dream the dream of earthlings
And how it use to be
The trees are filled with liver treats
And tennis balls abound
Chew bones line the walkways
Just waiting to be found.
There even is a ring set up
The grass all lush and green
And everyone who gaits around
Becomes the Best of Breed.
For we're all winners in this place
We have no faults, you see
And God passes out those ribbons
To everyone, even me.
I drink from waters laced with gold
My world a beauty to behold
And wise old dogs do form my pride
To amble at my very side.
At night I sleep in angel's arms
Her wings protecting me
And moonbeams dance about us
As stardust falls on thee.
You picture me as I was on earth
Just before I died
Filled with Labrador Pride.
So when your life on earth is spent
And you stand at Heaven's gate
Have no fear of loneliness
For here, you know I wait."
Author - Unknown