Josh Milford

Joan says “Our beautiful Josh, our best friend, you are missed by our children, our grandchildren and all who knew you but especially by us.  The house is so quiet without your joyful bark and so empty without your presence but thank you for thirteen years of happiness and fun.  Hope you have now met up with Oliver and Topsy your good friend from next door.”

We saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be So we put our arms around you and said ‘Goodbye Josh from Me’ With tearful eyes we watched you, we watched you fade away Although we loved you dearly we could not make you stay Your golden heart stopped beating and your body now at rest. It broke our hearts because you were the very very best.

Run free Josh

Pauline says “Josh was in the same delightful litter as Ricky and Eddie and he was the lucky one who always had a very loving home whereas my two boys, separately, needed rehoming during their lives and, somehow, both ended up on my doorstep. All three were very similar in both their handsome looks and gentle, loving temperament.

Poor Josh had a few ups and downs with his health having been diagnosed with cancer of the bone when he was 8yrs. Joan and Brian made sure he had the best of treatment and he was given radiotherapy which not only saved his leg but his life, Their one consolation at the moment is having those five more precious years with him.

As a pup, Josh had the company of the much older and wiser Oliver who, sadly, passed a few years ago and he also enjoyed having various IRR foster dogs in his home. He welcomed them and always did his best to show them how good dogs should behave. Needless to say, the whole family used to get very attached to them all.

The three Golden boys were all delighted to have snow for their 13th birthday on 21st January. Ricky and Eddie played together in the snow, rolling and even eating it, just like puppies, and Josh really enjoyed his day too, playing snowballs with Joan’s grandson.

Very shortly after this, Josh needed to have a Melibomian cyst taken off his eyelid to make him more comfortable as it was starting to irritate his eye.  The vet was talking about x-raying his front paws too as he had started to limp on them occasionally but Josh was unstable under the sedation and had to be ventilated and woken up quickly without it being done. This reaction meant that any further surgery wasn’t an option.  Luckily he was absolutely fine afterwards and back to his “bad boy Josh” not that he ever was bad in any way but, in fact, was very sweet.

Josh had been fine in himself, just limping slightly on his front paw but, on 20th February, during his walk his limp was constant and by the end of the day he couldn’t put weight on it and it was a real struggle even to get him into the garden.

 To say “goodbye” was the only viable option as it was confirmed by x-ray afterwards that the cancer had finally returned. Josh was given sleep one month after his 13th birthday.

Joan and Brian are understandably devastated at the loss of such a wonderful boy but treasure every moment of their many years together. We are so grateful that they gave Josh an extremely happy, exciting life and a dignified, painless passing.

Our hearts really go out to them both at this very sad time for them.

Fly high with the angels sweet Josh xxxx “