Our family was blessed to have Hero as such a wonderful member of our family for almost fourteen years.
She was named after the character "Hero" from Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" because she just didn't look like a Beatrice.
She was truly the best of both her breeds (Weimaraner/Labrador) with a tall, thin, elegant body, short shiny coat, silky long ears, and the color and loyalty of Lab with the quirky personality of Weimie.
Unlike the typical Weimie, she was great with small animals (mostly because she was obedient and we asked her to be nice to our rabbits, Guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, birds, but most importantly, she loved out cat, Storm. They were sisters.
She would have been an ideal therapy dog were she not so ticklish. She was not one to jump on people and allowed strangers to pet her briefly before insisting they throw her ball.
She was always a healthy dog except for the fatty tumors that are typical of both breeds.
About a month before she passed, she slowed down significantly and I noticed she was anemic. Even with veterinary support, her body began to shut down until she refused food and then water. She slipped away in her sleep with my husband, oldest son, and I by her side.
It was so much like the week before my father died which only deepened my despair.
With the popularity of having your pet "put out of his/her misery", (Have you ever wished humans had that option for themselves?) I knew in my heart that I was supposed to let Hero pass away on her own. She was not in any obvious pain and we pampered her and made sure she was comfortable. She slipped into a coma a couple of hours before her actual passing but that did not stop us from loving on her every time we passed her.
As those who know our family will confirm, she had a great life and we were lucky to have her.
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