On Monday May 7th Baar traveled on to what comes next. The rash that I wrote about in January of 2007 turned out to be autoimmune - the horrible and dreadful disease that affects many Akitas. We tried everything - from what Western medicine had to offer all the way to holistic medicine.

I did not write about our battle here for a variety of reasons. Maybe someday I will but I doubt it. What I can tell you is that our baby Baar faced this illness with the same ferocious zest of life that he faced each day. He was not alone in his final moments.

Baar was loved by so many. From strangers that would smile at his happy expression as he hung his head out of our car window to those members of his extended animal and human family that loved him best. As a foster brother he was unbelievably kind and he welcomed many animals desparate for safety into his home. He took very good care of Joe and I.

The grief I feel at the loss of my baby Baar is overwhelming. I have nothing cute or clever to offer.

Thank you for sharing in his life.

Take care

Hello! It is I, Baar! Baar has a new friend! Him's friend is Jeter, a tiny yorkie. Him weights 3 pounds - even smaller then the kitties!

Baar's people told him that Jeter has not had a happy life. Him had to live in a tiny carrier for years with no one to love and cuddle him. Him did not even get enough food! When Jeter went to the dr, they said that all of him's teeth have to come out because they are rotting in him's mouth. Jeter also never got to have him's big boy surgery even though him is 6!

Yesterday Jeter went to Pretty Coat Junction and got a haircut. Him's fur was very matted and smelled yucky. Baar did not have to go - him was happy (Baar does not like having baths).

Then Baar got to go to the dog park. Jeter stayed in the little dog area most of the night. Baar likes Jeter but him is not very intersting. Him is to small to play and him moves slow - not fast like kitties.

Baar met him's new friend Bruno last night too. Bruno is Beth's new doggy - him is an Italian Greyhound. Him seemed a little nervous so Baar did not play too much with him but him said hello. Bruno made some friends with other little dogs.

Jeter is learning not to potty inside. Baar is so smart - him already knows that!

Hello, it is I, Baar.

Baar has very sad news. Him's friend Corkey has gone to what comes next. Baar knows that him is ok and that Baar will see him again, but Baar will miss him. Corkey would run so fast and Baar would run too! Baar is very sad for the people. They do not seem to understand all the way that Corkey is not just gone.

Baar heard many stories about Corkey this weekend. Joe said that when Corkey first came to live with him he was very small and had a very big head. Him used to run into walls because it was hard for him to turn! Him also loved to eat little plastic boxes that people buy things with. Him even ate pepper spray and did not even get a tummy ache!

Corkey loved to play fetch and would play as long as the people would throw. Baar does nto understand fetch... why do the people throw it if they want it back? Corkey liked it though and him had lots of fun. Baar thinks that Corkey was very smart.

For a while Corkey also loved going to soccer. Him used to push around the ball and almost all the kids and parents at Lakewood soccer thought Corkey was the best.

Corkey loved him's family very much. Baar could tell. Him's favorite people were so important to him that him would bark to protect them whenever someone came to the house. Even though Corkey wasn't the biggest dog, him had the biggest heart. Him even had kitties that were him's friends! Baar can not seem to make that happen for him. Corkey learned how to cuddle more because him's mommy wanted to cuddle with him more. Him was so good that him did not even need to have a leash. Him would stay close to him's people and come back when they called.

Corkey spent him's last day here with so many people that loved him. His pack all came to visit him before it was time to go. Emily, Joe, Beth and Tony all went with Corkey to help him begin him's journey. Him has been in lots of people's thoughts and has had candles lit to light the way.

Baar hopes that all of him's friends will keep Corkey and his pack in their hearts.

Hello! It is I, Baar.

Baar has not been writing as much lately because him has been sick. Baar is feeling better now. Dr. Thompson has been workind hard to help Baar. Baar appreciates his friends at the Family Pet Clinic. When Baar is all the way better, him will write about it more.

Yesterday there was lots of snow. Baar likes the snow when him can walk on it and play without getting too wet. Baar does not like getting wet. Him thinks too much snow. Baar couldn't even go into the way back yard to potty which made him cry.

Here is a picture of Baar's backyard. Joe did lot of shoveling and Emily's dad brought over a machine that made a loud noise and spit the snow out. Baar did not understand that...

Nooo Baar did not help Joe shovel. Baar stayed inside with Emily. Her needed Baar. Him had a nice rawhide on him's blue blankie and played with new blue doggie.

Joe made Baar a special trail so him could move around the backyard more. Joe takes such good care of Baar.

Most of the furniture in the yard got covered with the snow. Here is a picture.

Emily likes the snow and Joe was happy that him had a snow day until him started shoveling. Then Joe was not so happy. Do not worry, Baar made Joe feel better by relaxing with him when he was ready to watch some TV.

Baar had him's very own piece of pizza for Valentines Day. Baar likes Valentines Day!

Hello! It is I, Baar. Baar has been feeling itchy lately so Emily and Joe took him to the vet. Baar did not want to get on the flat thing with numbers that would tell how much Baar weights. Emily and Joe tried to get Baar to go there with treats but him said noooo, not Baar! Him is soo smart.

Baar was very good for him's check up and Dr. Thompson of http://www.thefamilypetclinic.com/ said him would find out why Baar is feeling itchy.

Emily and Joe decided that Baar needs health insurance. Emily said it won't cover him's rash because that already happened, but it will be there just in case him gets sick or hurt at the park. Baar does not think him will get sick or hurt though. Baar is very healthy and smart!

January 17, 2007
Emily XXXX
RE: Pet's Name BAAR
Policy No: XXXXXX

Dear Emily XXXX:

Thank you for applying for a XXX for BAAR. We are pleased to inform you that the review of your application has been completed. The policy packet will be sent once payment has been received and accepted. Please refer to your policy regarding the effective date of your pet's coverage and other important information about your rights, duties and coverage limitations.The application has been reviewed and approved.

The following medical condition(s) fall within the EXCLUSIONS section of your policy.2305 otitis externa and *1322 atopic dermatitis*

Condition that will be permanently excluded from coverageYou may request a review of a temporary exclusion only when a claim for any condition is submitted. Be sure to write "exclusion review" on your claim form and submit along with the medical records that include the doctor's notes and detailed exams with the results of all tests performed during the past year. Note: for any exclusion to be eligible for review, the condition must be deemed cured and not likely to require additional monitoring or treatment.

Hello! It is I, Baar.

Baar is happy to tell him's blog friends that Ralph found a family of him's own.

Ralph went home with a person a couple of weeks ago but it did not end up working out. She gave Ralph a new bed to take with him. Ralph was happy to make a new friend even though it did not work out. Plus him loves him's new bed. Here is a picture of him chewing a bone on it.

You would like to see a picture of Baar with a bone too? Ok, here him is. Baar loves him's blue blanket.

Emily posted information on Ralph on www.petfinder.com. If you are looking for a new friend and have already called Emily Baar thinks you should check out petfinder.

A number of people called wanting to give Ralph a new home. One family in particular stood out and Ralph went to meet them at a dog park. Do not worry, Emily, Joe and Baar went with him.

Ralph really liked the people and they liked him. They decided that they wanted to have Ralph be in their family. Baar, Emily and Joe all went to take Ralph to him's new home. Here is a picture of Ralph relaxing on him's beds in the car on the way to him's new families house. Baar and Ralph were both tired from playing. Yessss that is Baar's tail in the picture too!

It was sad to say goodbye to Ralph. Him cried a lot when Emily and Joe left but our friend Karen from www.dogownerconnection.com was there to help Ralph get used to him's new home.

Emily was very sad that Ralph was so upset. Her cried on the way home but do not worry, Baar and Joe made her feel better. Baar misses having a friend to wrestle with whenever him wants but him is happy that pink bunnie, pink doggie and him's other stuffed animal friends got to come back downstairs. Plus no one sneaks Baar's bone anymore!

Emily and Joe told Baar that they heard from Ralph's new family and that him is happy and they love him very much. Being a foster family is hard when it is time to say goodbye but Baar hopes that him's blog friends will volunteer anyway because it is so important. If Ralph hadn't have had him's foster families to help him recover from bad things that happened, him would not have been able to move in with the family he was meant to be with. Noooo Baar does not think Ralph would have had much of a chance without him's foster families.

So, do not be afraid and sign up to be a foster family for a rescue by where you live. The happy is more then the sad and we animals never forget those that help us.

Hello! It is I, Baar. Ralph and Baar went for a visit to what the people call Stichcomb in the Cleveland Metroparks. It is a park up on a high hill. There was lots of rain so we could see the river flodded all the way to the bike trails down in the valley. Baar and Ralph got to sniff around at everything and go for a long walk with Emily and Joe. It was fun.

Here is a picture of Baar and Joe at the monument. Wait, is that a squirrel?

Since Baar was not looking Emily tried to take the picture again. This time Joe thought he saw something on the ground. Joe and Baar are just alike!

Look how fast Baar and Joe run!

That is enough running. Now Baar is tired. It is Ralph's turn.

Ralph does not have trouble focusing usually. Him is very on task. Since Ralph when up for adoption Baar does not have to blurr out him's picture anymore.

Ralph and Joe went for a run to.

After Ralph and Joe were done running Ralph relaxed for a few minutes and we had some water. Then we got to go on another walk with Mikki and Brutus at Edgewater! Baar does not have pictures - Emily said it would be too hard with so many dogs. We saw geese and waves and Brutus splashed around in the water. Emily's dad got to wear his hat and Ralph did not bark at all! Him is learning.

Some pictures from Christmas

Hello! It is I, Baar. Baar had a lot of fun for what the people call Christmas. Here is a picture of the tree Emily decorated with the presents. Baar got Joe and sweater (ok it was from Ralph too). Joe liked it. Enid and Ezra got Joe a laser level light. Joe played with that a lot.

Yesss there were presents for Baar too. Him got a tasty bone in him's stocking from Santa. Him also got a huge basket of rawhide treats from him's friends in Mentor on the Lake and Streetsburro (Thank You GiaMaria Family!). Baar does not want to share with Ralph. It was for Baar...

Emily also showed Baar something called a Nativity set. Baar did not think it was very interesting although it smelled kind of good. Emily said that when she was little she used to play with this same Nativity set every year and that it was one of her favorite things. Baar does not understand. It is not to chew on or chase and it can not pet Baar. Baar does not know why Emily likes it so much.

Baar had to stay home with Ralph on Christmas Eve. Baar did not like that. Him wanted to go with Emily and Joe. It was not fair. But Baar and Ralph did get to play at the dog park first so Baar was tired. Next year Baar is going to go with them...

Baar has been so busy hanging out with his foster friend Ralph, visiting dog parks, playing with Mikki and enjoying the season that he regretfully hasn't had time to write lately.

Joe and I are excited to be spending our first Christmas with him. Ok, so it's mostly me that's excited about it being his first Christmas - Joe's just plain happy to have him around.

Enid and Ezra are doing well and Enid continues to plot Baar's demise. She is thinking about posting some of her ideas after the new year. Right now she is focused on coming downstairs and attempting to chew as much ribbon as possible since it torments me to no end. Not because of the ribbon but because of how dangerous it is. For the last few years I've used only yarn on gifts but thought I could get away with some ribbon since she's upstairs most of the time. No such luck!

Ezra is being his usual wonderful stuff. He enjoys relaxing in bed and having as many "Ezra snacks" as he can get. He also loves playing with this feather toy and is particularly fond of stalking it when it creeps across the floor.

All of the animals are interested in their stockings. I put a rawhide for Baar in his but he discovered it and it was so cute watching him try to get it out that I ended up giving it to him. I'm sure Santa will bring him something else though.

The holidays are coming very quickly this year. We've been so busy with Ralph that I haven't had much time to do some of the fun holiday stuff like baking, watching holiday shows, visiting friends and just relaxing. Joe and I are trying to figure out how to manage the Christmas Eve and day without having Ralph alone and created a lot of the time.

Thanks for reading and if we aren't able to write again until after Christmas, please accept all of our wishes for a magical eve and a joy filled day.