Sasha Marie
July 4, 1995 – May 27, 2005
It started off being like any other day. I was reading the Sandusky Register when I came across the weekly article from the Erie County Humane Society. Every week there were pictures of dogs that needed homes. For some reason that day one dog in particular caught my attention. While my wife was at work I went up to see this dog.
When I got there I showed them the picture and said I’d like to see her. A girl walked her out and stopped about ten feet away from me. She said, “This is Sasha.” This three month old puppy looked deep into my eyes and sat down with her head up looking proud. I moved up to her and started petting her and she melted right into me. After a little while I left and headed for home.
Shortly thereafter I found myself back at the Humane Society. I asked to see Sasha again. They told me she was out in the play area and I could just go on out. I got about fifteen feet away from the fence when Sasha saw me. She ran up and stood against the fence with her tail wagging about a hundred miles an hour. It was almost as if she was saying, “Hi Dad, I knew you’d come back for me!” Right then, I filled out the adoption papers and wrote the check. They said I could take her home the next day. It was then that I remembered something. My wife doesn’t know anything about this.
When my wife got home from work I showed her the picture from the newspaper. I said that I had been out to see her and that she should go out and see her too. We went out and luckily she agreed that we should adopt Sasha. It was then that I confessed to her that I already had.
Sasha “helped” drive home by climbing all over me. As soon as we got in the door she made herself right at home on the bed. She was always happy and wagged her tail as hard as he could. In fact, she actually sprained her tail once.
This is Sasha at about seven years old. We were building a new house at the time and she is standing on the catwalk (or should I say ‘dogwalk’) above our living room. The handrails aren’t up yet but she didn’t care. Next to my lap, that catwalk was her favorite place to be. I never could figure out why she loved it up there so much.
One weekend Sasha went from being a happy, healthy girl to being gravely ill. The Vet did everything imaginable to save her but it wasn’t meant to be. After several days we knew it was time to let go. I held Sasha in my arms as she headed to Rainbow Bridge.
The next day we had tickets to a Toledo Mudhens game. I really didn’t want to go but it was a birthday party for my sister. The game went on but my mind was on Sasha. Late in the game it began to rain. “This is just great,” I thought. It continued to rain but at the same time the sun suddenly came out. A vivid rainbow appeared behind the stadium. I pictured Sasha saying, “Just wanted to let you know I made it Dad!”
Most stories like this end here but there’s more. Later that year my wife and I were at the Sandusky County Humane Society. She was inside and I was outside. She came out and said to me that “you should see the cute little puppy they have in here.” I walked in and this little eight week old puppy runs up and stands against the fence with her tail wagging about a hundred miles an hour. Sound familiar? I picked her up and held her for a while. I felt like this puppy had just adopted me. When it came time to go I put her back down and headed for home with my wife.
When we got home the conversation eventually turned to the puppy. My wife asked me, “What would you call a little puppy that looks like that?” It took about a half a second to answer, “Sandy.” “I didn’t know she had a name,” my wife said. The next day we brought little Sandy home.
When we got home we put Sandy down on the floor and watched her explore. Almost right away she headed for the steps and tried to climb them but she was too small. Day after day she tried to make it up those steps and after about a week she finally did. Here is a picture of her taken that day as she looks down from the catwalk above our living room. Next to my lap, that’s her favorite place to be.
Some of you may recognize Sandy from all the classes we’ve taken at Canine Bliss.
I still think of Sasha often and always wonder if, just maybe, it’s her that I see when I look into Sandy’s eyes.... Jeff & Nancy Reinhart
