Brookehaven It All Depends
11/17/2017 – 7/20/2026
Norma was a sweet girl probably best known for, and deeply missed for, her yodels and other assorted vocalizations. Vocal from the day she joined us, she’d express herself often. She’d yodel to greet you, particularly in the morning. She’d yodel if you weren’t “getting the message” that it was dinner time, snack time, or some other kind of treat time. She’d yodel to greet passing strangers, and more. She even taught it to our younger Maxine.
Before she came to us, Norma had a large litter of 12. During the late stages of her pregnancy, she came to be known as “e-Norma”, because she was enormous for a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. I was privileged to assist in the delivery, since many hands are needed when fresh puppies are being handed out at a rapid pace during a C-section.
Norma was our most consistent bed dog, and a frequent lap dog. Apparently “Norma’s rule” was that if you had another dog on your lap, and that dog returned to the floor, it was Norma’s turn, no exceptions.
Squirrels and rabbits were The Enemy, and she chased after them with vigor. Perhaps a bigger enemy, though, was the “Hyper Pet Doggie Tail Interactive Plush Automatic Dog Toy“, which she would vigorously try to destroy until we took it away from her.
She enjoyed going places. She was quick to run to the car and want to be lifted in if she sensed we were going someplace (and also quick to try to take a flying leap out when we got there), and snap-at-the-leash excited when it was time for a walk. Washington beaches and a particular 40 acre pasture outside of Bellingham were favorite romps.
Norma’s departure was tragically swift, resulting from kidney failure and complications thereof. And it was very much too soon.
Her yodel, chirps, snaps, & grunts, her fluff, her presence … we’ll miss it all.
Our thanks to Helping Hands Veterinary in Lynnwood for their care.
Our deepest thanks to (and highest recommendation of) Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG), Redmond, for their excellent and compassionate care during our most difficult experience.
Click any of the photos below for the full image and slide show.
See also Norma’s album on Flickr for these and even more.
Damn damn damn. Sorry for my language. Not really. YOU GO, GIRL! I am so very very sorry.
M
What a very sweet and touching tribute. I would’ve loved to have heard Norma yodel. She was so loved and cared for by your family and her friends, just based on the phone calls and texts I saw while working with her in the hospital. (I was her veterinary technician [“nurse”] at VEG on Monday). It’s so hard to say goodbye, but I’m glad you have such wonderful memories of her, and thank you for sharing them. What beautiful pictures to post for the world
We will miss seeing her (and Hearing her ) when we come to the house. Maybe a good teacher or leading by example, she taught others in the pack how to howl a greeting. Fun and friendly but not needy, Norma stayed in the background displaying her “yes you can pet me, but I’m not going to fall all over myself to get you to do it. She was a sweet girl so long as you did not come between her and her food. Then her howl was replaced with a low “close enough buster” rumble. She had a personality as big as an airstream. She would sleep in places and positions that a Yogi, Zen master could never hope to duplicate. She was one of a kind and is missed but I will continue to see and imagine her in hallways, entryways and dog beds. She will never be gone.
There are never words. Thank you for sharing, Leo.