My name is Jodi and I am from Sydney, Australia.  In 1996, I got my first Rottweiler named Dallas when he was 8 weeks old, and later, at 6 months old he was neutered.  Dallas was my child - he was healthy and had all the right foods, including veggies.  I did all the so called "right things" for him.

Then back in 2004 my baby boy Dallas began falling over on the tiles in our house, and for two days kept limping on this front leg.  Years earlier Dallas had both his crucial ligaments repaired, so at first I thought he had damaged them again.

I took Dallas to our local vets, where they ran tests and x-rays and so on. Later that day I was given the horrible news that Dallas had bone cancer - osteosarcoma; and without  treatment he would have 6 months, and with treatment including amputation and chemo he could have 6 months or more.

The next day I had a referral where they saw Dallas and again did tests to make sure he did have cancer and to see if it had gone into his lungs, which it hadn't.  I had two choices to make for Dallas, do nothing, or fight for him.  I was told it would cost at least $3,000 in total which I didn't have. Then a friend rang me saying they would give me the money, as everyone knew Dallas was my child. So Dallas was booked in to have his front left leg amputated the next week.

The day after his operation Dallas came home, he was a bit sore and groggy but other then that he was fine.  During the next month Dallas had chemo and generally he was doing great.

But once to chemo stopped, Dallas seemed to go down hill fast, he didn't want to get up and he lost a lot of weight. The day came early in 2005 that my mother told me it might be time that I had to make the decision to have my boy put down. So later that day myself, my mum and my friend (who gave me the money) went to the vets and sent Dallas to God.  We stayed with him for awhile after he was gone.

My vet loved Dallas - she was crying, we all were.  I have Dallas's name tattooed on my wrist now, so he is always with me. When I found out Dallas was sick, I went to the pound and adopted another little boy, a 6-month old Kelpie cross called Zac, so I had a connection if and when Dallas was gone.

It's now 2008 and I still have Zac and a have a new Rottweiler  named Bella, who I got at 6 weeks old.  Bella is now 9 months old and reminds me of Dallas and the things he use to do, like bark when he dropped his toy off the bed, looking at me to say, "can you pick it up?"  Dallas will NEVER be forgotten, and he will always be missed by many.