On November 6, 2001, Angie Mclaughlin sent us this glowing tribute
about her darling Niki.

In Memory of Princess Niki Dale Bateman  "Niki"
April 19, 1990 to November 4, 2001

My first child was a Golden Retriever. Her name was Niki. Her registered name was Princess Niki Dale Bateman. She was named after the famous race car driver Dale Earnheardt. She was a bundle of joy from day one until her last day. When I went to pick her out there were 13 Golden pups. There were a bunch of skinny ones and there were a few plump ones. I thought all of the plump ones were boys and I wanted a girl. My mother noticed that one pup kept coming to me and trying to get my attention. I kept pushing it away because I thought it was a boy. But she kept coming back with full power. She knew I was hers from the first moment she saw me. That was my Niki. An angel sent from heaven to be my best friend.
   
She went through a lot of good times and bad with me. She was a superior dog. I do not think of her as a dog. We had a bond that was unbelievable. We could communicate so well together. She could say I love you like the dog on the commercials. My daddy taught her that, and she sang how much is that doggy in the window with my mother. All I had to do was say, I need a kissy and she came and kissed me. We played tennis every day and on the weekends we spent our day mostly outside playing.
   
See Niki was an inside dog. She went out whenever she wanted too, but she lived in our house She loved Christmas and was just like a child. She knew where her presents were under the tree. I always but them in the same place, and if you didn't keep a close eye on her she would sneak in there and get one and open it. She was a mess. She enjoyed everything about Christmas.
   
I lost my daddy three years ago to cancer and she was the one that help me deal with it. I would wrap my arms around her in the bed and cry my eyes out. She would give me kisses and hold my hand. Sometimes when I was laying right beside her she would put her leg around my waist. She was extra special and spoiled rotten. She had every dog toy in the world and a bunch of baby toys. She loved the baby toys better then the dog toys. My daddy was her pride and joy and when he passed away, she missed him deeply. But she knew where he was. When we got back from the hospital and during the whole funeral she never made a sound. She stayed in my room while tons of people came over and no one knew she was there. Any other time she would bark when someone came in the door.
   
Then I got married a couple months after my father's death and she accepted my husband into her heart. She stayed with my mother but I moved right next door because I could not leave my best buddy. She was everyone's friend. She was a love dog. Then when I got pregnant she would lay her head on my belly and just pour out unconditional love to the baby in my belly. Then when my son was born she was the best big sissy anyone ever saw. She would let him play with her, pull her hair and all other things without harming him. If she got aggravated with him after awhile she would bark until I came or my mother to get him. I thought my son was deaf when I brought him home. Because Niki would bark and bark in front of him and he would not move an inch. That is when we did some testing and discovered that his hearing was fine. He was use to Niki's voice because he had been hearing it the whole time he was in my stomach.
   
Niki had surgery to remove cancer twice. She got cancer three years ago at the same time my father did. We had it removed and it came back in a year. So we had it removed again. The second surgery took her a little bit longer to get over. She couldn't walk as well after that. But then she got it under control and was walking real good until a couple of weeks ago. She couldn't put any weight on one of her back legs. We took her to the vet on Wednesday and she stayed until Friday afternoon. He said that she was fine except for her back leg. We might have to assist her for the rest of her life. So we got him to measure her for a wheelchair and were in the process of ordering it. I took her outside on Sunday and she enjoyed herself for over an hour. Then I was bringing her inside and I put her down in front of the steps in the carport to rest. I was sitting on the steps waiting for her to rest a little before I assisted her up the steps into the house.
   
She was looking at me with her deep brown eyes like she could read my insides. I was looking right back and talking to her. She stretched her back leg out and I said baby, you moved your leg. Then she looked at her leg then at me and she fell backwards like a jolt of lightening hit her. It was the worse thing I have ever seen. I rushed over to grab her head, and realized that my angel had taken her last breath. I was devastated. I could not believe and still can not believe that she is gone. I just knew I had three or more years with my baby girl. I am having a hard time accepting it. I can not get the picture of her death out of my mine. My little boy is missing her deeply and my mother is lost without her.
   
Niki, I want to thank you for the 11½ years of joy that you brought to my life. I am so thankful that the Lord blessed me with a beautiful Golden angel. You are my pride and joy and always will be. No one or anything will ever take your place. The only thing that will help me get through this is knowing that you are with your papa now. My dad has his youngest daughter with him, and I know that was one happy reunion. I miss you deeply, but I know I will see you again. So when my time comes my dear sweet angel please come and help me go to heaven.

I love you Niki,
Angie

You have never loved, until you love and have been loved by a Golden.
Angie Bateman-McLaughlin