Maria

Maria

Dragon's Maria

“Maria”

Oct 2,1995-Feb 21,2009

Proudly owned by

Dennis Swarthout and Art Meeks

It was September 19, 1998 when I went to get this very scared, but beautiful, brindle black mask girl with the divining rod ears that has changed my life so much over the past 10+ years.

I'll never forget how her manners were a bit sloppy when she'd put both feet in the water dish to eat, not drink, water. She was scared of everything, but with some gentle coaxing and some reassuring words she would face all the new objects to come her way. Once she finally mastered the stairs, she would bound up them, but wasn't so sure coming down and took them like an elderly person, each foot touching each step as she made her way down.

Not much of a swimmer we learned when at a friend's pool and she realized that the blue wasn't exactly solid and sunk to the bottom, but we got her up to the surface and she never really went near the water after that.

She gave us so much pleasure as she turned from a racing machine to become a loving pet. I'll always cherish the remarks I would get on our daily walks when she was called anything from a Great Dane to a pony to a deer.

She even took to camping and would get up and run in the mornings. It was a joy to watch this graceful and sleek animal tear around the campsite at near full tilt and I would sit and enjoy her running with her friend Mex. It was truly remarkable to see the power and grace of these fine animals.

But time took its toll on her and as her black mask turned to grey (much like her Dad) and she started slowing down. She got to the point when she couldn't take the stairs up to sleep next to me and spent the nights on the first floor. It then got to where she would get me up in the middle of the night to go out and she started not being able to wait for me to get down to let her out. The vet said she was in a tremendous amount of back pain and although we tried pills to ease the pain, they weren't working and she was no longer the vibrant dog I had grown to love over the years.

Instead of just letting her exist, after days of contemplation, it was decided it was time for her to go visit all her other greyhound friends over the Rainbow Bridge.

Through Maria I have met some wonderful people and I will cherish them the rest of my days.

It is with a very heavy heart, but relief knowing she is no longer in pain, that I say good-bye to my dear friend and love, my ‘bubba girl' Maria. May you run with the dogs until we meet again.

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