My Anika, A GSD with a sense of HUMOR - RIP

by Cat Jones-Brunner
(Beachwood,NJ,USA)

Anika vom Sanderhaus came to this world on November 22, 1999. Shortly after that I had lost my beloved GSD Ilsa we had rescued from the local animal shelter. Ilsa had died from cancer at 10 years old.

I had Ilsa through all my miscarriages and infertility, the death of my infant daughter. We finally had our son Paul. She was a dutiful baby watcher. He was her puppy. Then when Paul was in first grade she became ill.

It took $4,000.00 and a bank loan. The loan officer was a dog lover. I became ill and she suddenly died of cancer.

I didn't think I could make it. A breeder read about me on a GSD site and contacted me about his friends who had a litter. They were GSD Breeders in Virginia, I was in New Jersey. I talked about my special dog (all German Shepherds are so special!)

She said she had one who sounded like our Ilsa's temperament and looks. But she was the pick of the litter and not destined to be a family pet.

What a pedigree. What a beauty. What a knuckle-head! What an umbilical hernia!! That's right! She went from top breeding stock to side by side recovery. I too was to have that same surgery amongst others.

To top it off her whelping date? My late daughters birthday. I told the breeder to expect my check in full and the next week to expect my stinky tee-shirt. Why? Wear a Tee-shirt 24/7 put it with the pup. Your scent will be imprinted in it's young brain FOREVER!. The day you go pick her up you are Mom!!

That is how we got all our GSDs not to eat our babies when we brought them home. And the other breeder couldn't steal her. I called everyday, she knew my voice and her name. In fact he said do you know which dog is yours when he delivered her (there were 2 puppies). I kneeled as I whispered her name. She was in my arms, tongue down my throat, before I reached the floor.

The other pup just stood there. The other didn't have our stinky shirts, and phone conversations!! ;-D

She was funny. If I left dishes in the sink to run my son to school. When I would return home I'd find each piece lined one by one to the back door in a neat line. She would also open the refrigerator and help herself to Romano cheese. Boy she was good at popping open those Tupperware containers.

I am disabled now, when I could really use a service dog my "Ani" passed (cancer) March 7,2010. Now I can never afford to get a new friend. For me, no other breed exists. How will I stay alive?

For now I watch GSDs on YOUTUBE, because my "dog-ter" is gone she was my baby!" I wear a gold medallion of her around my neck and cry everyday for my Anika-Doggie. Happiness would be to have someone bring me to a GSD breeder and let me kiss the puppies all day. For now I lost my smile with my dog, my friend!

Maybe God can send me a boyfriend with a German Shepherd! That would solve a lot!!