Chelsea Anne our Springer Spaniel

by Heidi
(Pennsylvania)

Chelsea came into my life when she was only 1 week old. She was not full blooded, her mother was an English Springer Spaniel and her father was a Chocolate Lab. Chelsea was liver and white and just such an angel.

I fed her with an eye dropper and she was on medicine because the vet said she had an ear infection and a urinary infection.

But she was a fighter and we made it through. She grew up with my son and was a wonderful member of our family. She gave me so many great memories.

In March of 2010 she became ill and despite the efforts of the vet and me and my husband she was not improving. On March 24 I had to make the hardest decision of my life, to end her suffering and let her be at peace. My husband and I went with her and we held her and kissed her while she slowly faded away. She was 17 years old.

That day a piece of me died with her. I had her cremated and a special urn made for her. She sits on my fireplace mantle and is always with me. Not a day goes by that I do not think of her.

When I pass away my family knows that I am to be cremated and then her ashes and mine will be spread together. She was my best friend and I loved her more than words will ever express. I miss her so very much. I also lost her sister, Hershey Lynn, a cholate lab, on July 1 of 2010.

I now have Annie Mae (named in Chelsea's) honor. She is an AKC English Springer Spaniel, Liver and White. She is now 8 months old. Appropriatley enough the breeder I purchased her from was named Chelsea's English Springer Spaniels. A wonderful breeder by the way, we still keep in touch.

I now know that I will never be without a springer in my life. Annie reminds me so much of Chelsea. She is the reason I get out of bed in the morning. Everytime I look at her I smile. She is the light of my life and I am so glad I made the decision to bring another springer into my life. That is my story and by the way I cried the entire time I typed this.