It’s taken me several months to be able to write about the death of my beloved little dog, Gypsy. The gift of our newest family member, Abby Rose, has brought things full circle, and it’s now time to share our story.
Gypsy
On March 15 of this year, 7 months ago, my precious little old lady chiweenie, Gypsy, made her transition into the world of Spirit. Gypsy was 20 years old, and had been with me for 17 years. We traveled together through many changes in our lives, and through it all, Gypsy and I both evolved and grew.
I’ve shared many of the sweet and touching adventures of Gypsy’s growth, as well as the challenges of her elder years, in the post: Gypsy and the Toilet Angels.
Gypsy’s time of preparing to leave her body lasted many years; however, the night she passed, events happened very quickly. She had a full dinner, enjoying her food as always. I was eating outside, enjoying a warm spring evening, when my cat Maddy came to the screen door.
“Come quickly”, Maddy said. “Something is happening to the little dog.”
I came inside and found Gypsy collapsed on the floor. The likely brain tumor that had caused her symptoms of dementia had finally grown enough that it was causing seizures and paralysis, and although frightening for both of us on the physical level, it was very clear that Gypsy’s time to leave her body had come.
After allowing the other animals to say goodbye to her, I took Gypsy to the vet, where she was able to leave her body peacefully and easily with assistance. I offered her Reiki as she transitioned, and we had the support and prayers of close friends who knew she was passing. Through my tears, I felt peace and relief from Gypsy as she let go of her body and entered the spirit world.
The timing of Gypsy’s death was also a relief to me. I was about to leave on the journey with the Humpback Whales of the Silver Bank, and although I was thrilled that the whales had called me to be with them, I was concerned about leaving my beloved little elder Gypsy for so many days. She passed just 6 days before I was to leave on my trip, and the date was the anniversary of an important event in our lives. In the midst of my grief and tenderness about Gypsy’s death, I could feel the divine orchestration of the timing for both of us.
Gypsy’s Experiences in the Spirit World
As soon as Gypsy’s spirit lifted out of her body, I could feel her freedom and lightness, her joy and relief. The truth is, her little body had been struggling for a LONG time, but her stubborn and strong spirit kept her here as long as possible to experience the maximum that she could from her physical life.
As I carried Gypsy’s small body out of the vet clinic the evening that she died, and stepped into the cool night air with tears streaming down my face, I heard her telepathic voice say to me,
WOW! This is so EASY! It’s so much FUN! If I’d known it was going to be this easy, I would not have struggled and fought so hard! It’s not scary at all! It’s FUN! I’m so FREE! WHEEEEEEEE!
And off she went. She showed me pictures of zipping around in the spirit world like a little fairy or sprite, light and free and joyous.
Gypsy paid visits to a few of our close friends that night, communicating similar messages of freedom, joy, and lightness. She showed us how she was met by our former cat friend, Freddie, in the spirit world, and then escorted off by her team of “Big Angels”, who had befriended her so many years ago in preparation for her crossing.
Over the next days and weeks, Gypsy showed me her expanding experiences in the spirit world. She was taken to what I can best describe as “Big Angel Training School”, a sort of “spiritual graduate program” of intense learning and growth. During this time, she was not as accessible for communication, although she continued to affirm her enjoyment of being in the spirit world, as well as her great excitement about all that she was learning.
Over the last several months, Gypsy has come in and out. She’s had many experiences, some in very, very far-off dimensions. Her spirit has expanded and become nothing like the little dog she once was, although she retains her essence of sweetness, good humor, and joy.
No More Little Dogs
As soon as Gypsy passed, my Afghan hound, Tara, implored me:
I know you are already thinking of another little dog. Rajah and I agree: we would like to have you to ourselves now. Please, please, puhleeeeeeese…No More Little Dogs.
I laughed at Tara’s dramatic communication….but could feel her wisdom. Tara and Rajah are also elders (now 13 years old), and we’d never had time with just the three of us.
“OK”, I agreed. “No More Little Dogs.”
And so for the next several months, Tara and Rajah and I spent extra time together, enjoying our peaceful, quiet lives. I missed having a little dog, but I kept my word. I appreciated the sweetness of being with the “big dogs” and our special time together.
Everything Changes
Everything sailed along, until late summer, when Tara and Rajah both began dealing with some serious health challenges. It was a difficult time for all of us. Our days were filled with trips to physical therapy, conventional and holistic vets, and extensive home care regimens.
All three of us–Tara, Rajah, and me, were tired, and frankly, very, very sad. A deep heaviness settled into the background of our household–not always present in daily life, but there behind the scenes–an awareness of the fragility of life, the frailty of physical bodies, and the impermanence of physical relationships. As our bonds deepened with each other, our spirits also were heavy and sad.
In September, I began once again thinking of a little dog to share our lives, but then dismissed the thoughts with, “But I promised. No More Little Dogs. I have to keep my word.”
The thoughts and images persisted. I felt a little dog coming in. A female, like Gypsy, a chihuahua or chihuahua mix. Finally, I gathered my courage and talked to the Afghans about it.
And to my surprise, they had softened. They said,
Things are different now. You need a little dog. We can accept a little dog. If it’s the right one, it will be fine.
After a few conversations, we had worked it out. If a little dog found us, and they gave their approval, she could join our family.
Abby Rose
Within a week of this conversation, Tara and Rajah and I were returning from an appointment with our wonderful holistic veterinarian, Dr. Todd Metcalf at Harmony Veterinary Care in Prescott. I stopped in at the local Petsmart store before driving home, and there she was.
Our Little Dog.
A local rescue organization had set up for adoptions in the store, and in a little kennel, all curled up, was the sweetest little chiweenie I had ever seen (except for Gypsy, of course). I knew from the instant I saw her that she was our new family member.
I sat on the floor, and she snuggled immediately into my arms. After we’d spent some time together, I decided it was time to introduce her to Tara and Rajah. We went to the parking lot, and all three dogs had a walk and a pee together. Tara and Rajah looked at the “new little dog” and said,
No problem. She’s just like Gypsy. We’ll mostly ignore her. We give our approval. She will be fine. Let’s bring her home.
The next day, I went back and officially adopted the little dog, and named her Abby Rose.
Gypsy’s Transmission
Abby fit into our home like she’d always been here. Aside from needing to learn house training and how to live with cats, both of which were new to her, Abby snuggled right in to our routine, our household, and our hearts. Rajah even allowed her to share his dog bed:
It was so, so easy. I’d expected the usual adjustments when integrating a new animal into the household, but it felt as though Abby had always been with us. And then I saw and felt the most beautiful, interesting thing:
I saw and felt how Gypsy and her Team of Big Angels had orchestrated Abby’s coming into our lives. How each step of the process had been divinely guided to be easy, obvious, and accessible. I felt that Gypsy’s angels had not only guided Abby to us, but were also assisting her in adjusting to her new home.
And then I felt and saw a deeper level of what was happening with Gypsy and Abby.
As an animal communicator, I work with many animals in the spirit world. It’s not uncommon for an animal who has passed to “borrow” or “visit’ through another animal family member’s body. Often these visits are temporary, and sometimes they are permanent, yet they are not a full reincarnation. It’s a way for an animal in spirit to stay close to her human and animal family without the commitment to another fully embodied incarnation.
But this is not what was happening with Gypsy and Abby.
What I saw was that Gypsy’s spirit, from a very far-off dimension, had established a kind of “link” with Abby. Gypsy was nowhere near the earth plane, and she was not within Abby’s body or spirit in any way. Instead, there was a link that I perceived as a kind of “tractor beam” of light, information, and communication–a kind of two-way transmission–that extended from Gypsy’s spirit into Abby’s spirit. Through this link, Gypsy transmitted to Abby all she had learned in her life, from her experiences with me and in our household, to her spiritual journey, her learning, and her growth.
Abby also linked back to Gypsy, and in this way, Gypsy was able to maintain a palpable connection with me and with our family from her place way far out in the inter-dimensional world. I could feel Abby taking everything in, learning instantly what our family was like, what was expected and what was possible, and how to fit into our lives and routines as easily and effortlessly as possible.
I also felt Abby’s spiritual awareness as a very high vibration of pure love, accelerated and amplified by her telepathic contact with Gypsy’s spiritual experiences in her long physical life and now in the spirit world.
Abby’s Gift
Abby has now been with us for a little over a month. Each day, we fall more in love with each other. On my birthday, we took a hike to the top of a special, sacred mountain that overlooks the Verde Valley, our home. Abby is a fantastic and fearless little hiker, and loves everything about discovering and exploring a whole new world.
Abby greets each new experience with joy and wonder. Things are sweet and exciting for her. She spends as much time as possible snuggled in my lap, or snuggled up next to (or on top of) the “Big Dogs.”
We had no idea how much we needed Abby Rose in our lives. Tara and Rajah have come to truly appreciate and love her, recognizing the lightness and joy that she has brought to our home, not just for me, but for them, as well.
The Afghans are still dealing with their health challenges, but the feeling of heaviness and sadness has lifted. Abby has brought light and joy into our lives again.
Even Milo Smilo, who was initially quite frightened of Abby, has come to like and respect her:
As Abby continues her life with us, I look forward to all of the insights, wisdom, and joy that she will continue to share. I feel that she is truly an Angel sent to us at the perfect time, a gift from Gypsy, the Big Angels, and Great Spirit of pure, simple, and profoundly sweet Love.
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