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Krollan - The Final Chapter

About three weeks ago, Jackie remarked to me how much better Krolley seemed to be for his regular walks. There was no doubt that he thouroughly enjoyed them, and she felt that he was looking so much better for it.

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed these walks too. I really looked forward to seeing him. I got into the habit of making him sit and wait for a biscuit when cyclists, horses or joggers were approaching, and under those circumstances he would generally ignore them. He would never pass up the opportunity for a tasty titbit!

I decided to try and vary the walks with the dogs each week, because the countryside around the kennels is beautiful, and I wanted to investigate! Our usual route is a public footpath about 300 yards down the lane from the kennels, which goes up between two very large fields.

The rutted track is quite muddy after heavy rain, but the field on the right hand side has a wide strip of grass at the edge that is not ploughed. This is where I usually walk the dogs so that they can have a run on the grass, and sniff out the foxes, pheasants and rabbits. The path leads uphill to a farm, and round past that into a wood. I am usually out for about 45 minutes with each dog, depending on the number I have to take.

One Sunday, Krolley and I decided to investigate in the opposite direction to our usual walk. Not far down the lane we found another footpath, but unfortunately couldn't take it because it had a stile, which means the dogs have to go over or through it. There was no way that poor Krolley could fit through the gap, and he certainly couldn't go over, so on we marched to the next one.

We soon came across another huge field with a wide grass strip along the edge which seemed perfect.

The decision to walk here was actually made by Krolley, because as soon as he saw the grass, he scrambled over the bank towards it, dragging me behind him! The grass strip was about 40 yards wide, but we kept to the edge well away from the ploughed field. However, we hadn't gone far when a car stopped on the lane. A man got out and called out to me that we shouldn't be there, as it was a private gallop, and we would be mown down by horses! I apologised, and said that I hadn't realised it was private. Actually, there was a huge great notice nailed to a tree just behind him, but unfortunately Krolley couldn't read, and I'd been so busy trying to keep up with him going over the bank, I hadn't spotted it.

The man walked towards us, obviously to explain in greater detail why we shouldn't be there, but when he got to within 30 to 40 feet, I gestured towards Krollan, and said "Please don't come too close, because he isn't very friendly towards strangers". Well, I've never seen anyone stop so abruptly in my life! It was as though he'd suddenly hit an invisible brick wall. I didn't mean to scare him, but I didn't want to put Krolley in a position where he would react, and so far he had been behaving himself very well indeed.

Gathering himself together, the man pointed to a public footpath signpost a bit further down the lane. At least I 'think' that was what he was doing!! I had obviously not made his day, and he marched back to his car muttering as he went. We found the footpath, but decided not to bother trying it, and carried on down the lane a way before turning for home.

Krollan was so funny because whenever I stopped (usually for a car), he always turned to face me, which usually resulted in his rear end being out in the middle of the road. I then had to turn him round, or try to get him to tuck his bottom in so he didn't get run over. I always try to put myself between dog and car, but Krolley didn't like this as he couldn't see me properly, and he also wanted to make sure that he wasn't missing a tasty treat. He always moved, turned round to face me, and would then sit right in the middle of the road! Krolley saw getting up on the bank at the roadside as an open invitation to investigate the adjoining fields, and I almost got dragged through a hedge backwards (literally) on more than one occasion. Most of the car drivers slow down when they see us, but there's always one idiot who thinks he's a racing driver, and zooms past showering us with dust and grit, or worse, if the local equestrians have passed that way earlier! I reckon I'll need a wetsuit on rainy days!

On the way back to kennels the morning we'd been "told off", we passed a large puddle at the side of the road and decided to have a splash around. Krolley was the first to venture in, and it was deeper than it looked. He marched into the 'puddle', but suddenly stopped and looked rather surprised to find he was up to his tummy in water, and his feet and legs had disappeared in the murky depths. However, after the initial surprise, he decided that it was 'cool' in more ways than one, so he sploshed through the rest of it drinking and slurping as he went. You should have seen the state of him when he emerged!

We have had some lovely walks, and each weekend the weather had been beautiful. We would stop under the big tree on the track just to sit and enjoy the summer breeze. Krolley just considered it another well deserved treat break.

On Sunday 12 October, my friend Sue accompanied me on the walk. I had warned her about Krollan, so she kept her distance, and ignored him. He barely even glanced at her. We did the usual walk, and because he hadn't had his breakfast yet, Krolley was hungry, so every half a dozen paces he stopped to ask for treats. He nearly always sat in front of me, and more often than not would offer one of his large paws - how could I resist? (And I'm normally a strict "I'm immune to those pleading stares now, so you are wasting your time" person).

I gave Sue some titbits for him, and Krolley took these greedily. He seemd more than happy to have her accompany us on our walk. I think what clinched it though, was the small black handbag she had slung over her shoulder. Krollan thought it contained titbits, and anyone carrying food was definately a friend.

We had a wonderful walk that morning, and I was proud of him because he'd been on his very best behaviour. Tragically, this was to be our final walk together, as Krollan died during that night from gastric torsion.

I was devastated, as were all the staff at Kirkwood Kennels. Jackie found him curled up in his bed on monday morning when she unlocked and checked on the dogs. She quickly realised that something was wrong when Krollan didn't get up to greet her as he always did. There were no signs of anything being wrong the day before, nor when Jackie did her final rounds before locking up that night.

I can't quite believe he's gone. When I visit each Sunday, it feels very strange not hearing his bark and not collecting him for his walk. It is upsetting to think that the last year of his life was spent in kennels, but considering that he was brought in by the local dog warden after being found tied to a tree in the woods, where he had been for some time, the kennels were his first proper home in a long time. Goodness knows what sort of life he'd had before being rescued, but his last year was spent somewhere warm and comfortable, with people he loved and who adored him, and where he received the best care, and lots of special attention and cuddles.

Krollan has been buried in a quiet corner at Kirkwood Kennels, so he hasn't really gone at all. I'm sure he's still there, curled up in the warm kitchen, patrolling the kennel blocks, and raiding any unattended food bowl; and I have a feeling that he still joins me on my weekly walks.

I knew Krollan for such a short time but, like everyone who knew him, had come to love him very much, and I will miss him. I hope our regular walks enriched the quality of his life, during his last few months at least. He was a very special old boy, and one that I will never forget.

God bless you Krolley. We'll see you again one day at the Rainbow Bridge.

Submitted by Diane Steane.

Krollan. The last picture that was taken of him on the actual day before he so tragically died.

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