So long ol’ friend….

He was the goofiest dog I’ve ever owned. Never will forget how he came to be part of our family. Driving down the road, with my friend Flyn, and we see a box on the side of the road “Rottweiler Puppies” and a phone number. I knew I needed a puppy or a baby – you see, Flyn had just had Quincy about a year before and I was feeling maternal or something of the sorts. I came home and told John – it’s either a puppy or a baby. He said “where can we get a puppy?” and I happened to have the info handy! We called, drove to this run-down trailer park and found a liter of puppies that were sad and pathetic to say the least. One little puppy kept trying to get everyone’s food and he had a big wound across his nose. He had been nipped by mom, for trying to get everyone’s food. He was our new child. At the time he was Rottie #2, after Yukon. It was March of 2003, and we thought we had our perfect family, including our older Schnauzer, Schatzi.  

"What, you mean I can't fit in Schatzi's bed?"

Then we brought him home, and all hell broke loose. This puppy was nuts. He was all over Yukon and in his business. A crazy dog. Somehow, that crazy demeanor never really waned with Rio. We named him Rio – after Rio Verde, where we had been married just the November before. Off to the races we went. Rio grew up, physically, but he never really grew up mentally past a puppy. 


He was our poor trailer trash dog, our special needs dog. Pretty sure he was inbred (and I say this in all sincerity), and he was definitely starved for love and affection. We loved him all the same and put up with his ridiculous antics of eating furniture, digging holes, acting like a lunatic and of course, always trying to eat everything in sight. 


The years went on, we rescued another Rottie, Ellie, who became the sweetheart, and Rio’s boss. Rio was a typical middle dog – just like a middle child. We had a lot of fun with all those crazy dogs. They were our furry kids for many years. 

Our Furry Children
L to R:  Yukon, Rio, Schatzi, Ellie

As they started all getting older, Rio got sick first. He came down with Valley Fever about 5-6 years ago, and we thought he would die. Nope. That dog came from rough and he was certainly tougher than any sickness. He was on some serious medication for several years of his life. We thought he would be the first one of our dogs to go. Turns out, he was the last. He struggled on, sometimes feeling 100% and sometimes we thought he was close to death.  Even the vet marveled recently how he had hung on, survived and didn't give up.   He would always play and run and jump, whenever he could. He loved the water, loved to rough house and chase. He was here when we brought Rhett home (and terrified he would get in trouble for even looking at the baby), he was with us through the loss of Schatzi, then Yukon and Ellie. He hung on, looking and acting very lonely. He was certainly spoiled rotten this last year, with all of the leftovers and far too many treats. He was treated to extra belly rubs and scratches, loves and pets. He was the dog that refused to give up, that’s for sure. 


Over the last week, we knew. He was suffering, and although always trying to get up and participate, he was in a severe amount of pain from the valley fever in his spinal cord. So this morning, we made the choice to let him go and be at peace, and without pain. Surely he’s running around some big giant trailer park in the heavens, stealing someone’s food, still with that scar across his nose, a constant reminder of his mama’s warning. 


So long ol’ friend….you will be missed.