TRACE DOG one year ago this hour
Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2013 3:55 am
''Trace Dog's life ended about 9pm tonight, Tuesday, the 17th of July, 2012, as alert and smart as ever, but stoically suffering great physical impairment
I will have one last visit with Trace Dog at 1pm tomorrow after which he will be cremated in my presence.''
I wrote that message at this hour 1 year ago today to Trace Dog's various friends and caregivers. I did not know of any Dutch Shepherd community at that time, but found such here and elsewhere for DS and Malinois in the month that followed. I am deeply grateful to some of you who helped me through that period - through which navigation alone was becoming impossible.
as an autistic, there were two guiding forces in my life - my mother, Henrietta, and Trace Dog - with far too much time between them. they both helped guide me through human society on a safe path or subtly took over if I got lost. I literally owe my life to each of them - to which people who watched me for a long time have attested.
i wish I could explain Trace Dog in a way that everyone would get, but it seems impossible; I still after 13 years find him so improbable. he knew what I should do, when I should do it, and made it happen. he drew in good people and took precautions against some - and saved me from imminent and grave harm at least once. he deferred to me when I was functioning properly, but knew exactly when his social or other skills were needed and took control upon sensing disorientation on my part.
he was also the life of the party - something that could rarely be said of me! that attribute won him many admirers and won him access to people and places that most people would be hard to match. he attended Phillip Glass [ when one concert hall management said he could enter, Phil Glass indicated his presence was essential or the concert could not go forward], Laurie Anderson, and Lou Reed concerts, movie premiers, art fairs, exhibitions and auctions, and conversed with pop music celebrities and movie stars. he had an up-close-and-personal with President Clinton, sat and ate dinner at restaurant tables with high Kremlin officials, corporate chairs, the head of French Couture, and some truly extraordinary cultural leaders.
aside from these invitations, the kindest written tribute was received from the General Manager of the National Hotel in Miami Beach, where he was the one and only animal of any kind to ever be accepted as a guest at the hotel. in a letter in which the GM said he was speaking for himself and everyone on the staff - having called a meeting on this - he said ''Trace's regal presence added to the elegance and ambience of the hotel....Trace will always be welcome at the National.''
since Trace Dog's death, I have set about to try to help and to save Dutch Shepherds like one of their kind did for me. there have been 5. [ I have some reporting to do; I have been remiss.]
I will post some photographs as soon as I can to accompany this remembrance. THANK YOU ALL.
http://www.youtube.com/tracesobaka
I will have one last visit with Trace Dog at 1pm tomorrow after which he will be cremated in my presence.''
I wrote that message at this hour 1 year ago today to Trace Dog's various friends and caregivers. I did not know of any Dutch Shepherd community at that time, but found such here and elsewhere for DS and Malinois in the month that followed. I am deeply grateful to some of you who helped me through that period - through which navigation alone was becoming impossible.
as an autistic, there were two guiding forces in my life - my mother, Henrietta, and Trace Dog - with far too much time between them. they both helped guide me through human society on a safe path or subtly took over if I got lost. I literally owe my life to each of them - to which people who watched me for a long time have attested.
i wish I could explain Trace Dog in a way that everyone would get, but it seems impossible; I still after 13 years find him so improbable. he knew what I should do, when I should do it, and made it happen. he drew in good people and took precautions against some - and saved me from imminent and grave harm at least once. he deferred to me when I was functioning properly, but knew exactly when his social or other skills were needed and took control upon sensing disorientation on my part.
he was also the life of the party - something that could rarely be said of me! that attribute won him many admirers and won him access to people and places that most people would be hard to match. he attended Phillip Glass [ when one concert hall management said he could enter, Phil Glass indicated his presence was essential or the concert could not go forward], Laurie Anderson, and Lou Reed concerts, movie premiers, art fairs, exhibitions and auctions, and conversed with pop music celebrities and movie stars. he had an up-close-and-personal with President Clinton, sat and ate dinner at restaurant tables with high Kremlin officials, corporate chairs, the head of French Couture, and some truly extraordinary cultural leaders.
aside from these invitations, the kindest written tribute was received from the General Manager of the National Hotel in Miami Beach, where he was the one and only animal of any kind to ever be accepted as a guest at the hotel. in a letter in which the GM said he was speaking for himself and everyone on the staff - having called a meeting on this - he said ''Trace's regal presence added to the elegance and ambience of the hotel....Trace will always be welcome at the National.''
since Trace Dog's death, I have set about to try to help and to save Dutch Shepherds like one of their kind did for me. there have been 5. [ I have some reporting to do; I have been remiss.]
I will post some photographs as soon as I can to accompany this remembrance. THANK YOU ALL.
http://www.youtube.com/tracesobaka
