"On National Pet Memorial Day, every second Sunday in September, on September 12 this year, pet owners across the country remember their beloved pets who have passed on. For many of us, pets are loved ones on scale with some of the most important people in our lives – When they often die before us, it’s not an easy loss. We’re not alone in remembering some of our favorite pets for the rest of our lives, and there are many ways of memorializing pets. National Pet Memorial Day is a great day to think back to your favorite pets and honor their memory."

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This is the last photo I took of my most beloved "Ursa". Just hours after I got the photo, she went to the Rainbow Bridge. With no previously known health problems, her heart suddenly failed her. Just as her grandfather's had him: at 17. Losing Ursa on Christmas Day made a very sad Christmas at our house that year. Ursa was just 16 years old at that time. Her litter sister (equally as loved) was with us for another three years. I miss them both soooo much!!! I always will.

Fortunately, most of my memories of Ursa are extremely happy ones. Because she was a puppy of the era before I went to using a DSLR camera, most of my photos of her are on film. Thousands and thousands of prints are preserved in two very thick, multi photo, 2-sided, 300 page photo albums (over 10,000 photos) devoted just to Ursa. Only two have never been scanned into digital format. The above photo, however, was out of a 2001 era Digital 2 Mega Pixel Bridge Camera; with a framed copy of a film print (from any earlier time) in the lower right-hand corner. It's the image content - not the IQ - that really matters in this case.

Whelped at home in 1989, Ursa and her twin sister were the puppies of two of my homebred champion Chihuahuas who were themselves puppies of show dogs of my breeding. Etc. These girls were 6th generation Brite Star Chihuahuas. However, neither one of them ever had any puppies themselves.

Born in the whelping box next to our bed (where our puppies "grew up" until fully weaned), the girls then slept in bed with us for all of the rest of their lives. In the above photo, Ursa is on my pillow. Her sister Vega lived another 3 years. Like us, she never stopped missing Ursa. When together, the pair were inseparable. They had a stronger bond than most litter mates. Although they had totally different personalities and were unique individuals, my heart always belonged to both of them.

I can't even begin to describe Ursa in just the few words I have for Pbase. So I won't try. As a quick summery, she was my constant companion and gave me with so many, many, many wonderful memories: all filled with love. Part of my heart went with her when she had to leave this world. Another part of my heart still holds her close. I believe in the Rainbow Bridge where she waits. There will never be a another dog like Ursa. Even a 16 years after she went to the Bridge, I still miss her so. I always will.