In Rememberance of the Best Dog Ever

We got her when she was 13 weeks from an animal shelter, we or I should say, I had the baby bug, so we went and got a puppy to curb that!! She was the queitest puppy in the shelter, had the biggest ears and was so cuddly. We could carry her in our arms. The vet told us she wouldn't get that big since she was a mix of shepherd and who knows what! ( A year later she ws 90 lbs.) When we brought her home, everyone commented on her giant ears and tongue, she looked so goofy, but grew into both of them!! Roxy moved with us 5 times and transitioned pretty easily. She was so spoiled (slept on the bed, couch, lots of treats) until Jakob came along and it just got worse as Sarah came along. But, she always knew her job, to protect and love our family.  She was always gentle with kids, no biting, no nipping, just a grunt or whine when they would pinch her or poke her in the eye. She let them crawl all over her. She would herd them when they were at the park, river or beach.  She knew I was pregnant with Jakob before I did, she acted so odd around me, she would stare at me for hours! She slept with me in the bed, spooning me! She followed me when I was in labor! She also knew I was pregnant with Sarah too - same kind of behaviors!! She was so intuitive. 

Roxy could catch a Frisbee or a ball like a champ, she would run and run until she'd drop down dead tired, but only for 20 seconds and then back up again. She was always a cuddler, a face licker and a sweet heart. She couldn't catch a mouse or rat if it walked by her - and that did happen. She would bark at a scary looking person, but as soon as they bent down she would gladly let them in our house and show them where the loot was! She was a great hiker, and walker but hated running on the leash, you would have to pull her - even as a puppy!

She loved the beach, well as a puppy, she wouldn't get within 10 feet of the water, but that changed after her Daddy took her in, from then on she loved the water. She would run in the river or the ocean and just run back and forth in it, tongue out, so happy. She would even get knocked down by the waves but would get back in. She would chase kayakers - including Mark - when they went by in the river - she was afraid for their safety apparently! She loved her toys - mostly tennis balls - she could sniff them out anywhere - and even knew the canister that they came in. She would carry around her "babies" forever then get a wild hair and go nuts and tear it apart one day. She would sit in the rain for hours, not in her dog house - made for a great smelling dog - especially after she was skunked - as the skunk smell returns with water!!

She could shake, roll over, lie down, sit, stay and fetch. She would even do this weird brake dancing move - a combo of sitting, rolling and lying down all at the same time. I remember a person asking me "How did you teach her to do that cool move?", I had to explain that she was so excited to get the ball after she did the sit, lie down, roll over move that she combined them. She loved dead animals, most of us remember the horrific day that she decided to eat a dead seal's intestines, while I cursed at her in front of strangers on the beach and then proceeded to chase her around the seal to try to catch her, then I tripped over the seal - oh yeah great times!! Oh that was awful, but it prepared me for stubborn children and the unending humiliation that can come with parenting!!!

All in all Roxy was the most amazing dog. She was 8 years old, had been with us since before we were even engaged. She saw us thru all our triumps and failures, all our love and hate, all our arguements, job changes, births of children, all with a smile and a pant!! Her death came suddenly (possibly a tumor that caused pain, lack of movement in her front legs and neck), painfully and was so heart breaking. We had to make a really hard decision, but we know it was the best one. We know she is in a better place. One of the hardest things I've ever done in my life was make this decision but it was also so easy, knowing she would be out of pain. Along with this decision, having to tell Jakob, the most sensitive kid I know when it comes to animals (he cried when he saw a bee that was going to die). He took it very maturely, he "needed to be by himself to cry", then asked questions like "Why can't the doctors fix her, why doesn't her body go with her to heaven?" He gave her a hug and a kiss and told her he loved her. Sarah, didn't know what was going on, but I know she does does miss her as she has been walking around looking for her doggy and yelling her name! Sarah gave Roxy a kiss on the lips and a poke in the eye - typical Sarah - before we took her in. Roxy was on a stretcher at home last night,  I know the kids knew it was serious. Also watching Mark grieve has been very hard. (On top of this, Jakob had a stomach virus, he vomited and was sick all night last night, I was in San Francisco for my Grandma's 80th surprise party - my first trip away from the family in 2 years - and came back after 1 night - I had too, how could I be away when my first baby girl was in pain!)

As Jakob said today "She is in dog heaven chasing other dogs". I think she is eating tennis balls and Mark thinks she is at the beach. Wherever she is, she is missed deeply by Mark, Jakob, Sarah and I.

In loving memory:

Roxy's nibblers - Mark loved to take pics of them - random but funny.







Hoping you are here!!