Bandit

A Tribute to Bandit Beilschmidt
The Cute Little Dog With the Stripes Down His Nose
I first met Bandit on January 13, 1994 when I went to the local pet store to buy treats for Winston Noble, our 6 month old Newfoundland/Golden Retriever cross. A little brown bundle of energy came bounding toward me with a cookie in his mouth. He dropped the cookie at my feet and turned around and raced back to the cookie bin, where he grabbed another one.
The store clerk informed me that his name was Bandit. Seemed rather fitting, somehow! She told me about this sweet little dog, and showed me a hole in his right ear the size of a quarter. The S.P.C.A. had removed him from an abusive home, and placed him in their care. The day before, a young woman had purchased Bandit, but her grandmother made her bring him back. After spending a fair amount of time with him, chatting, petting and commiserating with him, I returned to work.
I told my husband Bernie about this adorable 15 week old puppy with stripes down his nose, and we both went back at lunch to visit Bandit again. We decided that two dogs would be a bit much, so we wished Bandit well and hoped he found a loving and safe home.
Bernie had to attend a meeting in Townsend that afternoon, so I expected him home later than usual. At 5:00 I received a phone call from him, informing me that he could not get Bandit out of his mind all afternoon, and he was currently at the pet store. The store clerk told him that if Winston did not like Bandit, we could return him. I said ”why not”?
Bernie pulled into the driveway with Bandit nestled in the crook of his left elbow. He carried him into the house and introduced him to Winston. Needless to say, Bandit never returned to the pet store. We tried to make him as comfortable as possible, and when he had his first accident on the kitchen floor, he quickly ate it and ran to the corner by the back door and cowered. We assumed he expected to be beaten, and that thought totally broke our hearts. We assured him that no hand would ever again be raised to hurt him, and he seemed to understand.
Life progressed well, until till one day Bandit had an epileptic seizure, the vet surmised that it was caused by the abuse he had received as a puppy. He suggested we keep a close eye on him, and no medication would be prescribed yet. The seizures continued on a regular basis, every 3 months, Idiopathic Epilepsy, according to the vet, for 5 years. Still no medication had been prescribed. Suddenly the seizures stopped, and we thought his health problems had ended.
On May 4, 2002, Bandit got violently sick, and the Vet suggested we plan for the worst. We left him with the Vet, but later decided that if he was going to die, it was going to be at home with us, so early Sunday morning we returned to the Vet and brought him home, along with some antibiotics. Miraculously, he started to show a slight improvement. Many visits to the Vet, many dollars in Vet bills and the Healing Powers of Love finally provided us with an answer to his problems. He had a blocked bile duct, and the poisons were not leaving his body. Gall bladder medication was prescribed and he remained on it until the day we said our goodbyes.
On May 9, 2003, Bandit lost his big brother Winston, and remained on his own with us until December 13, 2003, when he welcomed a little sister, Delilah into his home. Delilah is a Newfoundland/Border Collie cross, and the 2 became inseparable. On February 5, 2004, Bentley and Bessie were welcomed into his pack, siblings, Newfoundland/Black Lab crosses, and on February 17, 2006, Sampson became a member of the pack, a Newfoundland/Golden Retriever cross.
Bandit remained #1 Alpha dog and ruled the roost. Not one angry bark ever came out of his mouth. He shared everything that was once only his, with a wag of his tail.
In 2004 his epilepsy returned, more frequent and longer in duration. He was now prescribed phenobarbitol, twice a day, and the regimen began: 7:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M.: Bandit's pills. Our life now revolved around this sweet dog and we promised him that we would do the very best we could for him as long as we could, without taking away his dignity and quality of life. In 2006 he was diagnosed with a neurological problem in his spine, and he lost the strength in his back left leg. The vet said it was as if his body no longer recognized that he even had the leg. We again did what we needed to do, assisting him whenever he required it, helping him up and down the stairs, and picking him up when he fell down. His quality of life was still good, and we knew he would tell us when that was no longer so.
Unfortunately, that day arrived on October 23, 2007, when we discovered that he could no longer remain standing. His body had no strength left whatsoever. The Vet thought that possibly Bandit had had a stroke in the night. We knew something terrible had occurred, and that the time had come to say goodbye to this wonderful, loving, kind dog who had gone through such a rough time with his health, but remained determined and persistent in overcoming every obstacle that was presented to him, as long as he could. This time the Healing Powers of Love could not help!
Every Saturday morning, after groceries, Bernie and Bandit would go for a ride in the van, and Bandit looked forward to this togetherness every week. We carried him to his most favourite place, the van, and drove him to the Vet. Dr. Scott came out to the van, I held my Sweetiepiesele's head in my arms, and spoke to him and kissed him and Bernie stroked him as the final act of kindness was delivered. He went quickly and peacefully, his suffering over. We said our goodbyes, tears pouring out of our eyes and grief building in our hearts.
Bandit's final van ride was to Nanticoke to Lasting Memories Pet Memorials. We waited for him, and when Julia handed the cremains to Bernie, we headed to the van, and once inside Bernie told me that he carried Bandit out the same way he brought him home, nestled in the crook of his left elbow.
Bandit is buried in the back yard beside his brother Winston Noble. We know they are frolicking together at Rainbow Bridge, healthy and pain free, waiting for the day that we come to meet them.
Bernie stated that throughout the almost 14 years we loved Bandit and shared his life with us, the $40.00 he paid for Bandit was the best money he ever spent on himself, and will be for the rest of his life. We met the vet that looked after Bandit in 2002 at the grocery store, and informed him that we had just lost Bandit. He told me that no matter what they did to him to assist with his care, his tail never once stopped wagging. Bandit was always a happy dog, and he was very lucky to have us. I told Dr. Doug that we were the lucky ones, to have shared our lives with this sweet little dog who overcame almost every adversity presented to him. He gave us nothing but love and joy, and we were truly blessed to have had him in our family, and we treasure every memory we have of him.
Rest in Peace HoneyMan. We Love You and Miss You and You Will Remain in Our Hearts Forever!
Dianna and Bernie Beilschmidt
(Bandit's Mama and Dad)